Amid all the talk about the promise of connected stadia, the UK remains largely uncharted territory in terms of real, working installations.

However, there is one fully-functioning, large-scale system that the rest of the British football industry can learn from, at Celtic F.C in Glasgow.

The high-density stadium wifi system and accompanying smartphone app, CelticLIVE is celebrating its second anniversary after going live in the autumn of 2013.

Stadia Solutions worked with Cisco to ensure that there was even wifi coverage in all areas of the 61,000-seater stadium and also designed CelticLIVE as a compelling, information-packed, match-day companion, allowing fans to view and interact with a wide range of relevant and engaging club content, specifically designed to enhance match day at Celtic Park.

It was designed as a second-screen companion that follows the fans on their pre-match, in-match and post-match journey, serving up essentials such as player interviews, match stats, man-of-the-match voting and in-play betting. After two years of intensive usage, CelticLIVE now provides an authoritative insight into how UK football fans use stadium wifi – what they use it for, how they interact, and the content they love. To get the low-down, we conducted a fan survey and received 1,300 replies.

Here is what we have learned so far:

 Fans want live matchday specific content in their pocket

• The app was downloaded 15,000 times at launch, and now, at the start of its third season, has clocked up  over 74,500 downloads. Over 4,000 downloads have been made so far this season, averaging at 1,000 per week (compared to 500 per week last season).

Content is king, video and exclusive team news drive engagement

• Some 102,000 videos have been played through the app, with 31,700 shares of the app’s content on social media; Twitter alone has accounted for a reach of 5.7m via the CelticLIVE hashtag.
• Player pictures, player stats and pre-match build-up are the three most popular areas of content.

Loyal users go further than the matchday. The right content at the right time develops daily usage

• On average, the app attracts 15,200 sessions on matchday (number of times the app is opened). Half of the registered users say they use it every match day.
• In addition, 28% say they use CelticLIVE  away from the stadium and not only on match-days, with 15% using it 2-3 times a week.
• 61% use the app before the match, demonstrating the appetite for content in the build-up.
• 30% use it during the match when they can’t attend, showing the value of its real-time content.
• 27% use it while they watch on TV as a second screen

For us, the findings show we have a very large and regular user base, especially among the most regular and avid Celtic fans. It’s clear that CelticLIVE has become a key part of the match-day experience, and, importantly, is also seen as a second-screen companion before the game and away from stadium.

It’s also interesting that things as simple as player photos, statistics and editorial/pre-match build-up are the most popular content features. We view CelticLIVE and the new wave of connected stadia apps as meeting a similar need – or maybe even gradually replacing – the traditional match-day programme. It offers a richer experience and  more functionality.

What’s next?

This is a fast-moving area, with plenty of innovation. So, we also asked Celtic fans what they would like CelticLIVE to do next. The findings also told us a lot about where connected stadia apps could develop in the coming years.

This is what they told us:

• 54% says ticket sales would be good to have and 36% consider it as a “must have”.
• More exclusive Celtic content is also in demand, with more post-match interviews, player Q+As and live audio commentary considered a “Must have” by more than 30% of the respondents.
• Reflecting a trend seen in the U.S., many fans would like to be offered matchday seat upgrades
• Live scores/results from other matches and leagues also scored highly on fans’ wish-list.

Our team at Stadia Solutions is constantly evolving CelticLIVE to make it the best and most immersive connected stadium service in the UK. Before long, enhanced matchday content of this kind will become an everyday feature for British fans. The possibilities are endless – as well as merchandising, food and drink ordering and seat upgrades, we also see potential for more exclusive content behind paywalls. Video will play a bigger role – adding to the live experience – and gaming will almost certainly become more integral. Looking further ahead, virtual reality will also feature more, especially as so much development in VR is focused on smartphones.

Anything is possible, and with millennials changing the way tech is used and content is viewed, this is a fast-moving space.  Added to that, clubs want to engage more fans, not only in the stadium but outside the ground and beyond match day itself.