“The Baylor In-Game App offered all kinds of activities for our fans: live stats, the in-game videos, etc.,” she says. “So if you were in the stadium, you’d be able to, on your device, watch video replays or major plays of the game.”
Orr also says the network and app implementations have ultimately created stadium-sized happiness in Baylor fans.
“This has been a lovely year for all of us because the fans have really enjoyed the access,” she says. “Through social media and through the app, everyone feels like they had access to the excitement that’s happening at the stadium. We’ve had many compliments…the students are happy.”
Tips to Equipping Your College’s Stadium with High-Density Wi-Fi
Partner with a good vendor
Bob Hartland, Associate Vice President for IT Infrastructure at Baylor says colleges will increase their chances of a successful network implementation if they partner with a suitable vendor.
He says this was the case with the relationship between Baylor and Extreme Networks.
“It may come to some surprise, but private universities don’t have the pockets of some NFL teams, and in terms of throwing resources,” Hartland says. “That was a key component in choosing Extreme Networks as a partner. The beauty with that is
<divclass=”pullquoteleft”>Extreme Networks is the official Wi-Fi provider of the NFL.
having the trust and working relationship with these two groups, we were able to get involved early, and they helped us to get a better understanding of the systems.”
Visit other stadiums
Orr says colleges looking to build a new stadium and/or implement a high-density network should see how other schools completed theirs.
She says seeing what others have done with their stadiums and networks will show you the do’s and don’ts when it comes time to build yours.
“It really is important to visit,” Orr says. “When you’re building something beautiful you want it all to be beautiful, including the technology.”
Find what network works best for your college’s stadium
Leibovitz says colleges should realize that just because one type of network works for one college doesn’t mean it will work for others.
“Wi-Fi isn’t one size fits all,” he says. “It’s hard to make an assumption a technology vendor that has Wi-Fi products that works well in a classroom doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to fit in a stadium. Then there’s the fact that not all stadiums are going to be the same, and there are some things that have to be taken into consideration.”
Look into Wi-Fi coaches
Orr says having the support of Wi-Fi coaches helped her IT staff work with the new network. She says the coaches helped the staff understand the network, and prepared them for any needed fine-tuning.
She says the partnership resulted in a topnotch network, and fantastic user experience.
“Having professional service on the ground with you when you roll out an implementation is critically important because it’s well planned and doesn’t happen by accident,” Orr says. “It’s great to have your partner there with you to train and support your staff and help with the fine tuning to get the best experience you can.”
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