University of Tennessee Expands WiFi Access to 102,000-Seat Stadium

The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., recently deployed a new network offering blanket WiFi 6E access to all 101,195 seats in its historic Neyland Stadium, according to a news release. The project’s goal is to provide unlimited content streaming and other modern mobile services to fans during the entire game-day experience. It will also allow for the smooth operation of other stadium services like mobile ticketing, physical security, point-of-sale systems, and communication. The university partnered with HPE Aruba Networking.

“Exceptional game day and special event experiences play an important part in fulfilling our mission to lead the way forward in all aspects of college sports,” said Thomas Moats, Jr., the University of Tennessee Athletics’ assistant athletic director for Information Technology. “Adopting wireless connectivity, including Wi-Fi 6E, from HPE Aruba Networking enables us to achieve our connected stadium goals for supplying next-generation mobile experiences that contribute to an exceptional fan experience.”

Moats also said that applications range from touchless gate entry to monitoring other sporting events to providing children’s entertainment to social media access. It has also improved wait times at all of the stadium’s 26 gates.

The AI-powered management solutions YPE Aruba Networking User Experience Insight (UXI) and HPE Aruba Networking Central on Premises will provide both real-time network health and performance monitoring as well as network optimization and security, respectively.

“With HPE Aruba Networking Central we gain an intuitive management solution that helps us rapidly troubleshoot our network and provides real-time insights for optimizing Wi-Fi performance during fast-moving events,” said Moats. “In addition to supporting a wide range of currently-connected solutions, we’ll be able to roll out many new IoT solutions, such as restroom and lighting management systems for further improved attendee experiences and operational sustainability.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Uvalde Schools Receive AI Security Technology through Grant Program

    AI-powered gun detection and emergency response technology solutions provider Omnilert recently launched the Save Haven Grant program, according to a news release. The first recipient of the grant, aimed specifically at schools that have faced gun violence, will be the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (Uvalde CISD) in Uvalde, Texas.

  • CSU Pueblo Installs Solar-Powered Charging Benches

    Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) recently announced that it has installed four solar-powered charging benches from Bluebolt Outdoor, LLC, according to a news release.

  • Design Firm Populous Acquires Fentress Architects

    Design firm Populous, which specializes in sports and entertainment venues, recently announced its acquisition of Fentress Architects, based in Denver, Colo., according to a news release. Fentress’ primary focus is aviation projects and public buildings like museums, convention centers, and government facilities

  • illustration of a school building under construction

    One District, One Way: Bringing Consistency to K–12 Construction Projects

    From budgeting to closeout, here's how a single playbook can turn chaos into clarity in school construction programs.

Digital Edition