In a further expansion of the tech firm’s work in providing wireless solutions to sports clubs and organisations around the world, especially with football, the United Soccer League (USL) has selected Extreme Networks to be its Official Wi-Fi Solutions and Analytics Supplier.
Founded in 1986 and based in Tampa, Florida, the USL claims to be the largest and fastest growing pre-professional and professional soccer organisation in in North America, bringing the world’s game to communities across the US and Canada.
Counting more than 200 clubs in its membership, it oversees three men’s leagues (USL Championship, USL League One, USL League Two), two women’s leagues (USL Super League, USL W League), one elite player development platform (USL Academy), and a national youth platform (USL Youth). The USL Championship reaches a population of more than 84 million.
Looking at the rationale for the technology deployment, Extreme Wireless noted that modern stadium experiences, from retail point-of-sale (POS) systems to mobile ticketing and mobile concessions, all require secure connectivity built for high-density environments.
It stressed that the modern reality was that new generations of fans needed new generations of Wi-Fi. Moreover, it said fans, IT and operations teams now rely on an increasing number of applications and devices for everything including in-seat concessions ordering, social media sharing and live-streaming.
“As we continue to grow, it’s essential that our stadiums are equipped with networks capable of meeting the demands of our fans and operations,” said Josh Keller, senior vice-president of corporate development, United Soccer League.
“With Extreme, teams across our league now have access to the most powerful Wi-Fi solutions available today. This partnership enables us to enhance fan engagement, streamline operations and build a robust network foundation to embrace emerging sports technologies, ensuring the USL remains at the forefront of professional sports.”
The deployment includes Extreme’s Wi-Fi 7 solutions, including the AP5020 platform, which are designed to meet the challenges of dense indoor and outdoor environments while delivering increased network capacity for the required enhanced seamless experience.
Extreme also guaranteed that it could provide USL with actionable insights for continuously improved operations, enabling teams to elevate game-day experiences with granular network analytics that reveal fan activity and preferences. Specifically, the ExtremeCloud Business Insights for Venues solution has been implemented to help identify peak network usage, popular apps and high-traffic areas, enabling teams to spot trends and tailor offerings for maximised engagement.
The new technology also provides a basis for streamlined operations and simplified cloud management – USL teams can streamline operations with ExtremeCloud IQ and Universal ZTNA, helping to ensure easy network management, enhanced security and enhanced fan Wi-Fi.
With its Wi-Fi and cloud networking solutions, Extreme Wireless assured that USL would be able to allow its teams to deliver what it believes will be “seamless” fan experiences while gaining actionable insights on both fan behaviour and network performance and benefit from streamlined operations.
“In soccer, where every second counts, a well-connected stadium transforms the matchday experience. Whether it’s powering security surveillance, point-of-sale systems, fans’ social media posts or media broadcasts, low-latency Wi-Fi is critical to the overall experience,” said Extreme Networks chief commercial officer Norman Rice.
