CASE STUDY
Customer profile
The charter Major League Soccer ( MLS ) club in the U . S , the Columbus Crew , operates the 460,000 square foot Lower . com stadium and the 42,000 square foot OhioHealth Performance Center that are part of the 30-plus acre Astor Park work , life , and leisure complex in downtown Columbus , Ohio . The 20,000-seat capacity stadium protects visitors with a 220,000 square foot canopy and meets all requirements to host FIFA and CONCACAF events .
Use case
Develop a hyperconnected , contactless , digitalized soccer stadium to power unique next-generation fan , team and staff experiences by providing future-ready , high-performance , high-availability , highly-secure wired and wireless networking infrastructure that can be continuously evolved and modernized to support new visitor , player and operational needs .
“ Our facial recognition system , which is unique to our MLS team , enables fans to redeem all of their tickets with one glance , including everyone in their admitted group ,” Covert said . “ This technology significantly speeds entry when funneling thousands of fans into the stadium , cutting the time it takes for fans to enter the stadium by more than 50 %.”
LED displays throughout the stadium . During special events , the plaza ’ s video board can stream concerts , watch parties and other public event content .
Inside the stadium , the two main Daktronics video boards at either end of the stadium are capable of variable content zoning . This allows each to display one large image or to be divided into multiple zones to show any combination of live video , instant replays , game information and statistics , graphics and animations , and sponsorship messages .
“ Our network ensures our IPTV content syncs tightly with the actual movement on the field ,” Covert said . “ While many stadiums struggle with delay that ’ s noticeable , our network reduces latencies to under half a second , which is almost indistinguishable to the human eye , making our streaming near real-time .”
Lighting innovations create unforgettable atmospheres
With all lighting managed by Daktronics ’ Show Control , the video displays and lighting bring together fan engagement , revenue generation , and production efficiency to create unforgettable game and event atmospheres .
“ We ’ re excited about the advanced lighting productions we can create that keep fans and guests coming back ,” Covert said . “ Having state-of-the-art lighting capabilities , powered by the network , also enables us to attract national and international entertainers for other types of revenue-generating events .”
Alternatively , fans can use the traditional mobile phone scan powered by Axess , which checks a ticket in a tenth of a second .
The stadium also utilizes AI-based touchless security screening by Evolv Express , a non-invasive , walkthrough security experience that screens 3,600 people per hour , about 10 times faster than traditional metal detectors .
“ As the first stadium in the country to combine Wicket , Axess and Evolv , we ’ re leveraging the network to provide a genuinely frictionless , fast , non-invasive and safe ingress experience ,” Covert said .
Ultra-low latencies deliver true realtime streaming
Whether it ’ s a game day or a special event , on-site activities frequently begin on the 62,000 square foot public plaza . It ’ s equipped with a massive video display board as one of the 8,700 total square feet of Daktronics
Enabling cloud-based solution for cashless POS
Guest amenities also include mobile refreshment ordering and cashless payments throughout the stadium , supported by wireless connectivity and integration with cloud-based point-of-sale ( POS ) from VenueNext .
“ With only 15 minutes during half-time to serve 20,000 people , our reliable , high-performance network is vital for getting fans back in their seats quickly ,” said Jeff Patton , Network Manager for the Haslam Sports Group .
Digitalizing player , coaching and staff experiences
Ensuring players , coaches and staff have modern digital support is also critical . That ’ s why the Crew has extended its network to include new indoor and outdoor team development facilities for its vertically integrated club . For example , the Crew has opened the 42,000 square foot OhioHealth Performance
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