SEAT Global Magazine - Exclusive Interviews of Global Sport Executive Issue 09 March/April 2018 | Page 60

CASE STUDY
Gearing up for
the Big Game.
As the home of the Arizona Cardinals and the Fiesta Bowl,
The University of Phoenix Stadium has been no stranger to major
sporting events. But, when it was announced that they would be
hosting the Big Game in 2015, they knew they had to get ready.
With fans increasingly wanting to Tweet, text, and send photos and videos from the game, wireless
data demand was expected to reach unprecedented levels. The stadium is part of the Glendale Sports &
Entertainment District that includes five venues—each requiring its own separate, state-of-the-art wireless
network with the ability to pass off to one another seamlessly. This solution enables wireless carriers to meet
demand during the game, and will serve the venue well into the future as they continue to host major events,
concerts, and conferences.
Challenges
From media to tailgaters to fans, the Glendale
Sports & Entertainment District was expecting
upwards of 150,000 visitors who were predicted
to consume 4 terabytes of data directly before,
during, and after the Big Game. Preparing for
this unprecedented demand was essential, but
presented several challenges:
• The Big Game is an event unlike any other in
the US, with the largest concentration of wireless
users outside of the Olympics.
• The complex consists of 5 distinct venues
that will all be used for various needs during
the Big Game: The University of Phoenix
Stadium, the massive parking lot tailgate area,
Gila River Arena, Westgate Entertainment
District promenade, and the Renaissance
Glendale Hotel & Spa.
• The needs of each venue varied—sometimes
drastically. The number of occupants, indoor
vs. outdoor coverage needs, the relationship
to nearby towers—each had to be
considered individually.
• Concerts, conferences, regular season football
and hockey games—none of these ongoing
events could be disrupted for the installation.