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AT&T ups the fan experience at Cowboys stadium with 5G offerings

US telco AT&T, naming rights partner to the home of the Dallas Cowboys, has furthered its commitment to introducing the latest technology to the stadium by unveiling a series of eye-catching fan experience offerings for the NFL American football venue.

The offerings leverage AT&T Stadium’s status as the nation’s first 5G-enabled stadium, an achievement that was first detailed in January. Starting with the Cowboys’ season-opening 35-17 win over the New York Giants on Sunday, AT&T has started to introduce four unique 5G activations that aim to change the way fans interact with the game.

‘Pose with the Pros’ has caught the imagination of sports fans on social media. Throughout the stadium’s east platform, fans can digitally jump in for a quick video with virtual Cowboys players like Ezekiel Elliott and share the resulting image with friends on social media. These immersive columns are connected to 5G using the NETGEAR Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot.

The ‘Hype Up Chants’ feature is engaged from the moment fans enter AT&T Plaza as larger than life players, including a 36-foot tall Dak Prescott, Elliott and others, tower over AT&T Stadium. This can only be viewed through the camera of the provided Galaxy S10 5G.

The ‘Hall of Heroes’ allows fans to capture their touchdown dance over 3-D video on a supplied Samsung Galaxy S10 5G that looks as if Amari Cooper and more Cowboys players are dancing right next to them. Some of the Hype Up Chants and Hall of Heroes content was filmed at the Samsung XR Capture Studio in Plano, Texas.

At the club level, fans can track the team’s performance and view live player stats using localised AR content on a Galaxy S10 5Gs device, providing a similar service as that of a TV broadcast at home. Fans can also dodge virtual defensive robots on the field as they try to make their way to the end zone in a brand-new game built specifically for this fan activation.

“These new fan experiences and the opportunities for the Dallas Cowboys organisation are exactly why we’re excited to bring 5G to one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world,” said Mo Katibeh, chief marketing officer at AT&T Business.

“We’re combining the physical and digital worlds to create a world-class experience for fans, and sports provide a perfect example of how our business-first 5G strategy will bring value to consumers. We’re paving the way for how immersive fan experiences could be built in venues across the country as our 5G network continues to grow.”

Charlotte Jones Anderson, chief brand officer for the Dallas Cowboys, added: “We have a rich history of working with AT&T to lead the industry on using the latest technologies to enhance the fan experience, with 5G being the next frontier. 5G technology brings new insights into the game and makes the fan experience even more personal and engaging. It’s what sports fans dream about.”