English Premier League football club Liverpool has agreed a partnership with cloud-driven networking company, Extreme Networks, to enhance the fan experience at Anfield stadium.
The multi-year deal names Extreme as Liverpool’s official Wi-Fi network solutions provider and official Wi-Fi analytics provider. Deployment is due to begin later this year.
As a part of the agreement, Extreme will outfit Anfield with Extreme Wi-Fi 6 access points to deliver the latest generation of wireless connectivity and enable fans to take advantage of digital amenities like mobile ticketing and concessions and participate in-stadium activities like non-fungible tokens (NFTs). It will also provide the club with the infrastructure to roll out immersive new services like AR/VR in the future.
With ExtremeAnalytics, Liverpool will gain real-time data, including fan foot traffic, app usage across the stadium, popular concessions and points in the match when fans are most digitally engaged. These insights will enable Liverpool to make data-driven decisions, deliver more personalised fan experiences and improve operational efficiencies on match day.
The wireless network will be managed by ExtremeCloud IQ, which helps stadium officials monitor and control Wi-Fi capacity and efficiency, configure devices and gain visibility into real-time analytics. This will help the club streamline management and performance of the network, and scale IT operations within Anfield.
Drew Crisp, Liverpool’s senior vice-president of digital, said: “This deal will provide supporters with the latest generation of wireless connectivity and enable them to take full advantage of our best-in-class digital offerings while visiting Anfield.
“Our home stadium is renowned for its storied history and Extreme will enable us to improve the digital fan experience on the ground, while also providing the critical insights we need to keep innovating and improving digital journeys for our fans.”
The Liverpool deal comes after Extreme agreed a partnership with Premier League rival Manchester United in January. Norman Rice, chief operating officer of Extreme Networks, said: “Connectivity is the foundation of next-generation mobile services like biometrics, interactive stadium apps and on-demand concessions at large venues.
“In a stadium like Anfield, which houses 54,000 fans, Extreme will provide next-generation wireless connectivity and deliver a goldmine of network insights that will help Liverpool Football Club better understand its fanbase, unlock new revenue streams and improve overall matchday operations.”
