Extreme
Networks has signed a
multi-year partnership with Manchester United Football Club to serve as the
club’s official Wi-Fi network solutions and official analytics provider.
“The
installation of Extreme Wi-Fi 6 access points at Old Trafford will begin later
this year to transform the fan experience with fast, reliable Wi-Fi
connectivity and increase the club’s capability to deliver high-performance,
low-latency and secure digital services. Additionally, Extreme will help
Manchester United access real-time network analytics to drive more personalised
and informed decisions around both the fan experience and overall venue
operations,” says Pete Nel, Business Development Executive at
Duxbury Networking, local distributors for Extreme Networking technology.
Key facts around the project:
·
Connectivity required for next-generation fan experiences. The deployment of Extreme
Wi-Fi 6 access points at Old Trafford Stadium will power faster wireless speeds
and low latency, providing the highest quality connection and a performance
boost for secure fan-facing technology such as mobile ticketing and other digital
offerings.
·
Cloud-driven analytics. ExtremeAnalytics™ provides Manchester
United with rich data sets and insights around performance and usage, dwell
time and location-based services – in real-time. As a result, the club can
continuously review and optimise venue management by identifying stadium
bottlenecks, overcrowded concessions and other consumer traffic patterns, while
gaining insights into fan activity to better customise experiences and pinpoint
sponsorship opportunities.
· Enhancing the experience beyond the pitch. Extreme offers high-speed wireless connectivity specifically customised for high-density venue environments and bandwidth-heavy apps and devices used by both fans and club officials. ExtremeWireless™ Wi-Fi 6 access points also support increased network efficiency to power secure in-stadium services.
·
Simple and efficient cloud-managed networking. Network administrators
have a real-time view into the health, performance and security of their
network. Leveraging a single interface, ExtremeCloud™ IQ helps stadium officials monitor and control Wi-Fi capacity
and efficiency, device configuration, traffic patterns and analytics to
streamline management and performance of the network, while scaling IT
operations.
“Our collaboration
with Extreme Networks is an important step in our drive to enhance and modernise
the in-stadium fan experience at Old Trafford, opening up exciting
opportunities for the club to deliver next-generation digital services to fans
on match days and to visitors throughout the year. Extreme will help us keep
our stadium up to date while preserving the character that makes it unique.
Providing fast, reliable Wi-Fi to fans, underpinned by cutting-edge analytics
to optimise performance, is a crucial part of that process,” says Collette Roche,
Chief Operating Officer, Manchester United.
“Speed, precision and performance are equally important on and
off the pitch, and Manchester United is investing to make the stadium
experience just as impressive as the match itself. Extreme Networks will
provide the technical DNA that will forever change the way fans experience Old
Trafford. We believe the combination of Extreme’s Wi-Fi 6 and analytics will
provide the insights and scale required to ensure success and that fans won’t miss
a beat,” says Nel.
Manchester United joins several other iconic venues and leagues
leveraging Extreme’s solutions to improve operational efficiency and the fan
experience. Extreme’s roster of customers includes the Los Angeles Coliseum, MLB, NFL, NHL and Olympiastadion Berlin.