Spanish LaLiga club Barcelona has agreed a sponsorship deal with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which becomes the official edge-to-cloud partner of Espai Barça for the next four seasons.
The deal will equip club facilities, including the new-look Camp Nou, with HPE Aruba Networking and HPE Greenlake Cloud technology, which will enable real-time data analysis and implementation of integrated security solutions.
The agreement is part of the sponsorship programme associated with the future Camp Nou. The club recently agreed deals with Fortinet, which will serve as the official cybersecurity partner of the new-look stadium, and ONCE Social Group, which will promote accessibility at the venue.
TK Elevator was announced as the first signing of the sponsorship programme, which is designed to attract firms operating in the B2B and B2C sectors.
The deal with HPE will enable the entire Espai Barça campus to offer personalised services and experiences adapted to fans. New services that will be made available to fans will include gamification and virtual reality.
HPE will also deploy an advanced high-speed secure wireless network at Camp Nou, the capacity of which will increase from 98,000 to 105,000 once its expansion project is completed. HPE GreenLake Private Cloud Enterprise will also modernise the stadium’s IT infrastructure to provide simplified workload management, improved automation, and greater data security.
The Camp Nou expansion is the focal point of the wider Espai Barça venture. The stadium will also be fully covered by a roof, while improvements to maximise its economic potential will be carried out, along with bringing the venue up to date in terms of innovation, technology, sustainability and accessibility.
Juli Guiu, vice-president of marketing at Barcelona, said: “The alliance with HPE is a step forward towards creating a digitally connected and secure environment for Espai Barça. Their extensive experience in connectivity and edge-to-cloud solutions will allow us to offer personalised experiences for our members, fans, significantly improving their interaction with the club both on match days at the Spotify Camp Nou, as well as in the different activities that are organised on the future campus.”
Alfredo Yepez, HPE’s senior vice-president and managing director in Latin America and Southern Europe, added: “Technology is integral to the global growth and expansion of sports, as well as accelerating innovation. HPE is delighted to be the new official edge-to-cloud partner at one of the world’s leading football clubs to enhance the visitor and fan experience by providing cutting-edge technology for Espai Barça and the iconic Spotify Camp Nou.”
