A fan looks on before the game between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field on Oct. 15, 2018. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Extreme Networks, which provides the in-stadium Wi-Fi connectivity for 28 NFL teams, has released data that shows Wi-Fi usage and fan engagement has skyrocketed in recent years for the Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, and Buffalo Bills. The company has also been the NFL’s official Wi-Fi solutions partner over the last four years.
When the Packers first deployed Extreme’s platform in 2015, 20 percent of fans connected to Wi-Fi during games at Lambeau Field. That number has grown to over 50 percent during the 2018 season, according to a press release from Extreme. From that initial deployment to today, data transferred over Lambeau Field’s Wi-Fi network has doubled to more than 5 TB. Extreme’s Wi-Fi connection at Lambeau Field also extends to a nearby shopping and restaurant center called Titletown.
“Our partnership with Extreme Networks has allowed us to scale and grow our infrastructure as we add new fan features in our stadium, parking lots and through regional development in Titletown,” said Wayne Wichlalz, Director of Information Technology for the Packers, in the press release.
At New Era Field in Buffalo, the average number of unique Wi-Fi users at the 71,000 seat facility increased by 102 percent from the 2016 season to 2017. During the same time, New Era Field saw a 677 percent increase in data throughput—from 507 Megabits per second in the 2016 season to 3.94 Gbps in 2017. Nissan Stadium, home of the Titans, had its average data transferred over Wi-Fi increase by 100 percent from 2014 to 2017.
“We began working with Extreme Networks back in 2014, and we’ve continued to be impressed by the quality of the networking technology the company provides,” said Russ Hudson, Director of Information Systems, Tennessee Titans. “Not only are our fans increasingly using Nissan Stadium’s Wi-Fi network, but we’re able to get a better understanding of their wants and needs to tailor the gameday experience to meet these expectations via Wi-Fi analytics.”
SportTechie Takeaway
By equipping NFL stadiums with more Wi-Fi access points and stronger networks, Extreme has given NFL fans more opportunities to engage on social media during games. The company’s analytics software also helps NFL teams create targeted marketing campaigns based on where fans are located in the stadium, what their preferred social media platform is, and gain more insight into how those fans interact online while at the event. A 2010 Wall Street Journal study found that the football is in play for just 11 minutes during the average NFL game, leaving plenty of time for fans to be on their phones without missing any on-field action.
