A smart stadium uses IoT to collect, analyze, and act on data within a stadium. This data may come from the stadium itself or from the mobile phones of visitors. Some stadiums also collect data on surrounding areas, like parking lots.
The main purpose of smart stadium technology is to improve visitor comfort, convenience, and safety. The IoT technology allows visitors to pass security checks faster and without pat-downs, navigate the stadium, and connect to WiFi. Some stadiums even offer exclusive games or AR holograms of team players for visitors to interact with.
Clubs and stadiums also upgrade to smart stadiums for their staff and team or entertainer safety and convenience. For example, IoT crowd analysis can direct emergency services through the stadium’s hallways.
Lastly, smart stadiums tend to have reduced carbon footprints; many stadium owners find themselves drawn to upgrade for this reason, too.
Smart stadium systems use stadium infrastructure, utilities, and employee data to alert staff to visitor needs or keep non-authorized individuals out of secure areas.
A smart stadium must have the ability to recognize visitor mobile phones. Fans expect WiFi connectivity, and they expect it to be fast. They also expect personalized services, so a good smart stadium system may use customer segmentation data to deliver these services—and advertisements. In the same vein, stadiums should incorporate sports news data their targeted advertising strategies.
Weather data might also need to be included, depending on the stadium type.
A smart stadium may also include traffic, smart city, and national security data.
Some of the main challenges to this system include cost, timeliness, security, and visitor privacy concerns. While upgrading a stadium to use IoT technology enables staff to use fresh data, the data itself must update constantly. However, this, coupled with the fact that thousands or hundreds of thousands of visitors can access the system, increases the risk of security breaches.
While the stadium’s IoT system must stand strong against malicious attacks, it must also provide immediate, uninterrupted service. And, while these visitors expect personalized services, they are less likely to consent to their own data—even movement patterns—being recorded.
Infosys: Smart Connected Stadiums
Hawkeye Innovations: SMART Stadium
EDGE Stadium supports Allianz Real Estate’s strong focus on ESG, innovation and digitalisation as they represent essential aspects in the firm’s investment strategy. By 2050, the company is targeting to achieve the decarbonisation of its portfolio by growing its allocation to certified green buildings and energy efficient improvements, for instance. In addition, significant emphasis will be put on tenant experiences, with smart devices enabling data-based decisions on how to improve user wellbeing.