Industry News

AFC Wimbledon releases RFP for IT infrastructure at new stadium

Historic UK football club AFC Wimbledon has released an RFP for IT infrastructure ahead of the development of its new home at Plough Lane.

The new AFC Wimbledon Community Stadium Proposal brings AFC Wimbledon back to Plough Lane 28 years after the now-defunct Wimbledon was forced to leave. The stadium will be 200 yards from the old Plough Lane ground, with the club effectively “coming home”.

The new stadium forms part of the development of the wider Plough Lane site. Working in partnership with Merton Catalyst, the proposal’s key points are:

  • To build (in stages) a high-quality 20,000-seat stadium suitable for Championship-level football. The initial stadium will open with a capacity of between 9,000 and 10,000 at a build cost of £21m.
  • To integrate the stadium into the wider Plough Lane development, which will become a focal point and a catalyst for further development in the local area. The development will include 600 residential units, car parking, retail and commercial space, a leisure club and facilities to cater for a wide range of private functions, from weddings and conferences to birthday parties.

AFC Wimbledon’s technical requirements for the new stadium are firmly rooted in an IT strategy that demands “excellent business applications” with the new stadium to include as business priorities:

  • Cash-free stadium
  • Collect data on everything
  • Use data to provide better services
  • Multi-site capability
  • Flexible stadium operations
  • Business continuity
  • Non-matchday events

The full RFP – which was prepared for the club by Mike Bohndiek of PTI Consulting – can be viewed here.

Deadlines for submissions are Friday, April 20 and (for a presentation) Friday, April 27.

Image: AFC Wimbledon