Cisco and Sporting Club today announced LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, set to open on June 9, will take advantage of state-of the art Cisco® Connected Sports technologies, giving fans one of the most unique experiences in all of professional soccer.
The stadium provides an intimate and iconic setting for up to 18,467 soccer fans and 25,000 guests for concerts and other types of events. The $200 million venue will be one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world, and is dedicated to creating one of the most engaging and memorable fan experiences. The facility will set a new bar and Cisco StadiumVision and Cisco’s new high-density Wi-Fi solution are at the center of this innovation.
Cisco Connected Sports Solutions deliver high-definition video, digital content and interactive fan services, over a next-generation network, to enrich operations and connect fans with Sporting KC, LIVESTRONG Sporting Park and each other in unique ways.
CREATING THE ULTIMATE FAN EXPERIENCE
• LIVESTRONG Sporting Park will utilize Cisco’s new high-density Wi-Fi technologies to enable fans the ability to have a richer, more interactive, personalized, and social experience using their mobile and handheld devices at the game.
o Spectators will be able to easily utilize their mobile devices and smartphones over the high density Wi-Fi connection at the stadium, enabling them to quickly access and use mobile applications, such as social networking, sports-related and stadium specific mobile platforms.
o This solution, optimized to meet the unique needs of sports and entertainment properties, will also power the park’s point-of-sale (POS) infrastructure for ticket sales, and also be used for devices in luxury suites running interactive Cisco StadiumVision applications, enabling guests the opportunity to further enrich their event experiences by choosing from video options made available via an Apple iPad or Cisco touch screen Internet Protocol (IP) phone.
o The solution will help to ease game-day pressure on cell phone networks, by encouraging fans to use Wi-Fi for Internet connectivity rather than potentially congested mobile data services. This approach aims to keep cellular networks available for fans to text and call throughout the game.
• With over 300 HDTVs throughout the stadium, fans can stay on top of play wherever they may be in the stadium. Monitors in the venue can be centrally managed by Cisco StadiumVision and deliver customized HD video, which can feature out-of-town games and scores, team trivia, weather, traffic and news from around the world, in addition to the action on the pitch.
o Advertisers and sponsors can take advantage of highly targeted activation opportunities in select areas or take over the whole park for unique moments in time.
o Displays in concession areas and other locations throughout the stadium, allow for the flexible and dynamic delivery of digital menu boards and targeted food, beverage and merchandise sales to create a more appealing environment.
o Digital menu boards and signs allow concession managers to notify fans of concession discounts or provide real-time alerts relevant to concession sales. The system can also notify fans during a game of special merchandise and other types of promotions.
• By deploying Cisco’s Connected Sports solutions, the park can be customized to meet the unique needs of each event, creating an unrivaled experience. Sporting Club has built a unique and differentiated offering for its current members and those well in the future.
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park’s core network is architected to support the large volumes of high-definition video and Wi-Fi traffic that are generated on game days. The company is using Cisco Nexus 7000 series switches and the Cisco Unified Computing System to power the next-generation fan experience in the park.
Executive Quotes
Robb Heineman, Sporting Club CEO
“We built LIVESTRONG Sporting Park with a primary emphasis on technology and fan-experience,” said Robb Heineman, CEO of Sporting Club. “Partnering with an industry leader like Cisco Systems is a perfect fit to what we are trying to deliver to everyone who attends a game or event at our new stadium. This is just the beginning of what you will see technology-wise through Sporting Club and with the help of Cisco, we are very enthusiastic about the present and future features we will showcase.”
David Holland, general manager and senior vice president of Sports and Entertainment Solutions Group at Cisco
“Cisco is proud to work with Sporting Club to bring a unique and technologically advanced experience for fans through flexible and customizable networking solutions. LIVESTRONG Sporting Park is a testament for other venues that are looking for ways to cater to today’s ‘connected fan’ by providing the integrated and memorable experiences they demand.”
About LIVESTRONG Sporting Park
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park is the $200 million new home of Sporting Kansas City (Major League Soccer) in Kansas City, Kan. The state-of-the-art stadium is not only one of the best soccer stadiums of its size in the world, but as a result of LIVESTRONG’s partnership with Sporting Club, a portion of all stadium revenues, including ticket sales and concessions, will fund LIVESTRONG’s work in the fight against cancer.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.
