Top 4 Stadium Techs of ‘18: From In-Seat Charging to 5G

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More than 60 new sports stadiums are set to open around the world within the next two years. These new facilities will be centers of pride and excitement for their communities and a key pillar of each will be great technology.

But fans don’t have to wait for the ribbon-cutting ceremonies to start taking advantage of the latest, greatest tech at their favorite sports arenas. A multitude of exciting innovations will start appearing in stadiums in 2018 that are sure to enhance the experiences of millions of fans; innovations like “high density” WiFi and in-seat device charging. It’s an exciting time to be a fan. Here’s a breakdown of the Top 4 innovations that will make their debut over the course of the year:

1. 802.11ax WiFi

Staying engaged with the game and connected with your friends means having great Internet access. However, the current WiFi standard, 802.11, has primarily been designed for in-home and in-office users. Putting 50,000 fans in one single stadium bowl results in interference and limits the total aggregate bandwidth available in the facility. However, the new standard of 802.11ax, has several design changes which specifically address “high density” WiFi deployments, such as a stadium.

Most importantly, a technology called Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) which allows the WiFi network to significantly improve how it manages a network with many simultaneously connected devices. Paired with uplink scheduling, this means that instead of “talking over” each other, individual clients can now be assigned their own small set of frequencies called subcarriers, making sure that your phone is able to access a clean, fast WiFi signal even within a busy network.

2. 5G Mobile Networks

As popular as in-stadium WiFi is, cellular connectivity is even more popular. Every single person in the stadium can be assumed to have an active, connected mobile device with them – possibly more than one. The next generation of cellular connectivity, 5G, is now in the works. Although 5G devices are not expected to become mainstream until the early 2020’s, that timeline matches exactly with the opening of any stadium that’s being designed today.

Two key proving ground events for 5G technology are taking place in just the next month. First, AT&T is rolling out a product called “5G Evolution” at the Super Bowl in Minneapolis.  Second, Intel is deploying 5G services to the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.  It’s not a coincidence that these are both sporting events – the user density and bandwidth demands of the stadiums mean these are the most challenging Radio Frequency (RF) environment possible – so the operators, carriers, and equipment manufacturers will all learn a lot about how to design 5G services to meet real-world demands.

3. In-Seat Charging

As everyone knows, the more you use your phone, the faster the battery drains. To bring new apps like augmented reality to a stadium, fans need to be able to use their phone without worrying about running out of power. Charging has been a difficult solution in public spaces, hindered by everything from incompatible cable connectors, to broken ports clogged with food and sticky soda.

With Apple’s embrace of Qi wireless charging in the latest iPhones and broad adoption across Android manufacturers, a new option has opened which makes in-seat charging possible. As it is wireless, a Qi charging pad can be located in a public place and sealed.  It can be built to be waterproof, beer proof, and soda proof. There’s no plug to wear out and no cable to carry around. Built in to the arm rest of a seat, wireless charging can give your phone a top-up every time you set it down.  It’s a practical solution that will see new stadiums being designed with the wiring and power feeds needed to support connected seats.

4. Stadiums Designed for E-Sports

E-Sports is pushing its way in to the mainstream. In October, the first dedicated e-sports stadium in the US opened in California, the Blizzard Arena Los Angeles – hosting events such as the Hearthstone Championship, Overwatch Contenders Playoffs and World of Warcraft Arena Championship. With a capacity of only 450, though, the in-person seating is limited. E-Sports fans represent a huge potential market for stadiums to host live, in-person and streamed events at venues with much larger seating capacities.

To provide a great experience for a live e-sports event, however, infrastructure and facilities must be in place for gaming. Most importantly, everyone needs a great view of all the in-game action – only visible on a screen. It’s in conflict with the traditional design of a stadium, where the field or court is first, and the screen is typically a secondary element to help you see “better.”  Instead, if the screen is the primary focus, the flow and design of the facility can be radically rethought. E-Sports stadiums will not only bring in their own fan base, but will push the envelope for technology to be integrated in stadiums for all kinds of sports.