US telecommunications company Verizon has committed to providing its 5G Ultra Wideband service in 28 NFL stadiums by the end of 2021 as it expands its coverage across the American football league.
Verizon also confirmed that Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will be fitted with 5G Ultra Wideband ahead of staging the Super Bowl on February 7.
The NFL signed a two-year innovation partnership with Verizon in March 2019. The company has previously fitted its 5G Ultra Wideband service at the home stadiums of the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants and New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, and Minnesota Vikings.
Earlier this week, Verizon chairman and chief executive Hans Vestberg (pictured) delivered a keynote speech at the virtual Consumer Electronics Show, where he detailed the company’s plans to expand its 5G coverage in the NFL.
Verizon’s ‘5G SuperStadium in the NFL’ app allows fans with certain 5G-enabled devices to engage with select games through up to seven different camera angles, bringing them closer to the action on the pitch. Augmented reality overlays also enable fans to project virtual players and layers the NFL’s Next Gen Stats tracking data on-screen with enhanced game stats for players.
Verizon has also partnered with 15 Live Nation clubs and theatres to deploy 5G Ultra Wideband across the country. Venues include The Wiltern in Los Angeles, The Filmore in Miami, The Masonic Theater in San Francisco and Irving Plaza in New York.
In September, Verizon continued its efforts to bring 5G connectivity into US sports venues by partnering with the NHL ice hockey league. The exclusive multi-year deal named Verizon as the league’s official 5G partner, official wireless services partner and official mobile edge computing (MEC) partner in the US.
Verizon will have opportunities to work with arena operators to install 5G in select US NHL venues and to offer consumer demonstrations of this technology at NHL events.
In October, Verizon announced the addition of 19 new stadiums and arenas to the list of venues that employ its 5G Ultra Wideband network. Citi Field, home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets, and Golden 1 Center, home of NBA basketball team the Sacramento Kings, were among the venues to be fitted with the network.
Image: Verizon
Share this