Our weekly tech round-up from the stadium and arena sector…
Motorsport fans attending this weekend’s Indy 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will receive access to Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband technology.
Fans with a 5G-capable device will be able to sample Verizon 5G Multi-View, which offers up to seven unique, live camera angles in high definition. More than 300,000 fans are expected to attend the event.
Verizon 5G Multi-View is available on the official IndyCar app. Fans at home will also be able to use an augmented reality portal powered by 5G called Verizon’s 5G Ultra Pass. The portal offers an immersive second-screen experience bringing fans onto the track and into the pit.
Last weekend’s boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Don Moore at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi saw tickets exclusively sold as NFTs.
The event, which formed part of the Global Titans Fight Series, claimed to be the first NFT-related pay-per-view sporting event.
Those that purchased an NFT ticket for the Mayweather-Moore fight had the opportunity to secure gift videos, photos and a special 3D VIP crystal ticket. Global Titans hopes to put on an event every three months and is looking to secure more rewards for its NFT-based customers.
Food, beverage and retail services provider Gallery Carts has entered into a partnership with Falkbuilt, manufacturer of Digital Component Construction, to streamline the process for Gallery’s grab-and-go and self-serve kiosk customers in arenas and stadiums across the US.
The new prefab solutions were recently deployed at Petco Park, home of Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres. Additional projects will be delivered to Nissan Stadium and Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.
Gallery is leveraging Falkbuilt’s Digital Component Construction to build kiosks designed for faster installation time, less waste, and durability required for high traffic areas.
Virtual stadium developer Virtex has raised $3.2m (£2.5m/€3m) in seed funding, with backers including Global Founders Capital, All Iron Ventures and Graph Ventures.
The funding has been secured after Virtex partnered with Meta and Echo VR. It is hoped the funding round will expand the reach of the platform.
Virtex places a focus on esports and seeks to remove the “limitations” of the real world to redefine the fan experience through experimentation and innovation to create live shows and events.
