Paul Kapustka – Page 67

Twins to test VR for fans at Target Field

June 21, 2016 by Paul Kapustka

The Minnesota Twins will test virtual reality content for fans at a July 29 game at Target Field. Credit all photos: Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins are partnering with SuperSphere VR to offer 5,000 fans the chance to “virtually” walk with a Twins player onto Target Field. On the July 29 test run, the Twins plan to distribute Google cardboard style virtual reality (VR) viewers to the first 5,000 attendees of the night’s game against the Chicago White Sox. The VR viewer offers users a low-cost means of experiencing VR by placing their phones inside a foldable cardboard headset shaped like a pair of binoculars.

Chris Iles, Senior Director of Content for the Twins, sees this promotion as an excellent way to engage with fans. “It’s giving fans the opportunity to do something they’ve never done before, and we think it will enhance their ball park visit.” Iles went on to explain that enhancing fan engagement is a major, organization-wide goal for the Twins.

Demo spurs another demo

According to Iles, the Twins began exploring VR after seeing a demonstration of the technology at a spring training showcase with Major League Baseball Advanced Media.

Panoramic views are possible with VR technology

Iles and the Twins “saw some potential for using virtual reality to bring fans closer to the game.” After seeing the demo and experimenting with the tech themselves, the Twins got in touch with SuperSphere VR to develop the upcoming VR experiment for Twins fans. SuperSphere VR specializes in VR content production for many applications, including sporting events.

The Twins’ VR content will be distributed to fans at the game only, using a geofencing feature within the MLB Ballpark app. Once fans check in through the Ballpark app they will be able to access the VR content on their phones. Iles expects the content will be made available to all fans, inside or outside the park, through the app later on.

The VR experience will be prerecorded on this first go-around in order to reduce the technical complexity of content delivery. “For this first foray,” Iies said, “we wanted something a little more controlled. That way we can confidently deliver that great experience.”

The Twins VR deployment may be the beginning of broader VR use for the organization. However, it’s still tough to say how VR is going to fit into a broader fan engagement strategy. For now, the Twins are among the first MLB franchises to explore the possibilities presented by VR for fan engagement on the day of the game.

Christopher Meier is an intern for Mobile Sports Report.

Filed Under: Apps, Baseball, Cisco, DAS, Google, Major League Baseball, Minnesota Twins Tagged With: Minnesota Twins, MLB, MLBAM, Mobile Sports Report, Target Field, Virtual Reality, VR, VR viewer

First look at Minnesota Vikings’ new US Bank Stadium

June 20, 2016 by Paul Kapustka

As part of our new STADIUM TECH REPORT for Q2 2016, Mobile Sports Report was allowed inside the still-under-construction US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the new home of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. What follows here are some of the “sneak peek” photos we’re allowed to share with you in advance of our full report coming later this summer. For a more picturesque version of these photos, DOWNLOAD THE REPORT from our site!

Sunset shot of the “viking ship” stadium showing its proximity to downtown. Credit, all photos: Paul Kapustka, MSR

The other side of the stadium, where you can see the glass walls and the “viking ship” video board.

Inside on the main concourse — three concourses will have full 360 degree views of the field.

US Bank Stadium is using railing-mounted Wi-Fi APs to bring connectivity to the bowl — enclosure designed by Wi-Fi deployer AmpThink.

Wi-Fi enclosures do a good job of blending in with the purple-and-silver seating.

Yours truly with a selfie from the field-level suites. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT for more pictures!

Filed Under: Cisco, NFL, Super Bowl, Wi-Fi Tagged With: AmpThink, Cisco, Minnesota Vikings, Mobile Sports Report, NFL, Paul Kapustka, Stadium Wi-Fi, US Bank Stadium, Wi-Fi

New Report: US Bank Stadium sneak peek, Wi-Fi analytics and more!

June 14, 2016 by Paul Kapustka

Our newest STADIUM TECH REPORT features a look inside the Minnesota Vikings’ new home, US Bank Stadium, with a sneak peek photo essay ahead of the venue’s August opening dates. Also included in our latest issue is a feature on Wi-Fi analytics, as well as in-depth profiles of technology deployments at the St. Louis Cardinals’ Busch Stadium, and the Buffalo Bills’ Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Our Q2 issue for 2016 also has a big focus on DAS deployments, specifically at two venues with extra-large attendance issues — namely, the Kentucky Derby and the Daytona 500. You can get all this analysis and reporting by simply downloading a free copy of the report!

From its architecturally striking exterior to its sunny glass-walled interior, US Bank Stadium looks like a jewel for downtown Minneapolis. While we’ll have a full report on the technology inside a bit later this summer, you can feast your eyes on what we saw during a hard-hat tour of the stadium in early June.

On the Wi-Fi analytics side, you can hear from several leaders in stadium Wi-Fi implementations about how they are using data from their networks to improve the fan experience while also finding new ways to boost their own stadium businesses. Our profiles of Busch Stadium, Ralph Wilson Stadium and a bonus profile of the Los Angeles Coliseum all provide in-depth coverage of the unique challenges each one of these venues faces when it comes to technology deployments. And our DAS-focused coverage of deployments at Churchill Downs and Daytona International Speedway illustrate how expanded cellular coverage can provide enough connectivity when Wi-Fi isn’t an economic option. DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY of the report today and get this knowledge inside your head!

Filed Under: 4G LTE, AT&T, Baseball, Cisco, DAS, Daytona 500, Extreme Networks, Horse Racing, Major League Baseball, MSR Guides, NFL, Super Bowl, VenueNext, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi Tagged With: AmpThink, Buffalo Bills, Busch Stadium, Churchill Downs, Cisco, DAS, Daytona 500, Kentucky Derby, Los Angeles Coliseum, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Mobile Sports Report, Moblitie, Paul Kapustka, Ralph Wilson Stadium, St. Louis Cardinals, Stadium Wi-Fi, US Bank Stadium, Wi-Fi

Beyonce fans use 2.64 TB of Wi-Fi at Levi’s Stadium

June 7, 2016 by Paul Kapustka

Beyonce at Levi’s Stadium. Credit: Beyonce.com

Beyonce and her Formation World Tour came to Levi’s Stadium on May 16, and according to stadium network officials the fans in attendance that night used 2.64 terabytes of data on the stadium’s Wi-Fi network, a pretty big number when you realize that only 11,410 users connected to the network.

Following her cameo appearance at Levi’s during the Super Bowl 50 halftime, Beyonce sold out Levi’s (attendance was 46,730) for her May concert, and has added another appearance there on Sept. 17. While the numbers of fans connected to Wi-Fi didn’t even approach Super Bowl numbers — according to the stadium network crew the maximum concurrent user number was 7,820 — it’s possible that those fans racked up more bytes per device, since 2.64 TB is a good-sized number for a regular day of football Wi-Fi activity at wired stadiums like Levi’s.

According to Levi’s Stadium app provider VenueNext, the Beyonce tour did not have in-seat food ordering and delivery turned on for the concert, in what seems to be a trend for nighttime events at Levi’s Stadium. There is also no food ordering or delivery for the Copa America games currently taking place at Levi’s Stadium, according to the stadium staff. We have not yet seen any DAS numbers for the Beyonce concert but will update if we get those stats.

Filed Under: 4G LTE, Apps, DAS, Levi's Stadium, Wi-Fi Tagged With: Beyonce, Formation World Tour, Levi's Stadium, Mobile Sports Report, Paul Kapustka, Stadium Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi

Kentucky Derby gets it done with DAS: Podcast No. 5 looks at Mobilitie’s neutral-host solution for 170,000 fans

June 3, 2016 by Paul Kapustka

Epsiode 5 of the STADIUM TECH REPORT PODCAST is off and running, in which hosts Phil Harvey and Paul Kapustka examine why the Kentucky Derby doesn’t need Wi-Fi but instead uses DAS to serve the wireless needs of its 170,000 race-day guests. With more than 12 terabytes of data used on race day and 20-plus TB used over the weekend, the Derby DAS was a winner… listen in and find out why!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

Here is the link to the podcast on iTunes!

Filed Under: 4G LTE, AT&T, DAS, T-Mobile, VenueNext, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi Tagged With: 4G LTE, AT&T, Churchill Downs, DAS, Kentucky Derby, Mobile Sports Report, Mobiltie, Paul Kapustka, Verizon Wireless

Verizon hits 20+ TB in cellular traffic for Indy 500 weekend

May 31, 2016 by Paul Kapustka

Fans stream into Gasoline Alley at the Indy 500. Credit: Verizon Wireless

As Verizon Wireless expected, fans at the Indianapolis 500 race weekend used more than 20 terabytes of wireless data on the Verizon networks in and around the famed Brickyard track, more than doubling the data used in 2015. Though Verizon had predicted and prepared for the data onslaught, it’s still incredible to think that wireless data use at big events is still doubling every year. How much higher can it go?

For the actual day of this year’s Indy 500 race, Verizon said it saw more than 10 TB of data on its networks; last year on the race day Verizon saw 3.16 TB of data. For the full weekend, the exact total from Verizon was 20.8 TB; last year, the total for the entire weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday events) was more than 9 TB.

According to Verizon, the two highest data usage moments were the start of the race (at 12:19 p.m. local time), followed by another traffic spike at 1:15 p.m., when Juan Pablo Montoya’s car crashed. We haven’t seen an exact attendance number, but various sources said well over 350,000 fans attended this year’s race, the 100th in Indy 500 history.

Filed Under: 4G LTE, DAS, Indy 500, Verizon Wireless Tagged With: 4G LTE, DAS, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy 500, IndyCar, Moblie Sports Report, Paul Kapustka, Verizon Wireless