MLS’s newest franchise team up with IBM to build their new connected stadium

The newest club to join Major League Soccer (MLS) will also add the latest technology to its stadium experience, as Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) and IBM announced a partnership on Thursday that will see IBM deliver its technology systems to create an immersive fan platform at LAFC’s new 22,000-seat Banc of California stadium for a planned 2018 season opening. IBM will provide full wireless coverage and an innovative digital experience as LAFC seeks to create a brand new viewing experience for fans.

Smartphone equipped spectators now demand a fully connected experience for stadium sport viewing. Simply watching, chatting and cheering is no longer enough. Integration with action on the pitch has become a cloud-based proposition that starts at the fingertips. The ability to check detailed stats, load rival team match scores, fire tweets at will and a number of other mobile actions is a growing necessity, but many older stadiums lack the infrastructure to provide fans with such an experience.

IBM, a global leader in technology-based business support services and IT consulting, is working with LAFC to tackle the issue head on. The Banc of California stadium is the first open-air stadium built in Los Angeles since 1962 and will bring more than $350 million in private investment to South Los Angeles.

The stadium’s 2018 debut will mark the arrival of a modern stadium for the new demands of the digital age. IBM will design, install and commission technology components in order to seamlessly complement the infrastructure of the stadium and provide a secure and comprehensive Wi-Fi network for stadium visitors. The benefits of IBM’s Wi-Fi system extend beyond enabling fans to share their latest updates, as the converged fibre-based network will integrate security and monitoring into the stadium’s infrastructure, optimising physical safety for fans as they enter and leave the ground.

“The explosive growth of an immersive fan experience has elevated people’s expectations when they attend any large venue event,” said General Manager of Networking Services at IBM Global Technology Services Peter Lorenzen in a statement.

IBM has a successful history of creating immersive digital fan experiences, having worked on tennis and golf events events such as Wimbledon, the French Open, the Australian Open, the Masters Golf Tournament and the U.S. Open golf and tennis tournaments, as well as venues such as the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons’ Mercedes-Benz Stadium. This partnership represents IBM’s first MLS soccer-specific stadium venture.

Lorenzen added, “Today, stadiums such as LAFC’s new facility are embracing new and innovative solutions that answer the call and in doing so are helping to re-invent the game-day experience.”

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Matthew Schattner
Matthew Schattner 16 posts

Matthew is an Intern at Snack Media and Writer for Digital Sport. Follow him on Twitter @mattinthehat10

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