Hampshire County Cricket Club’s Ageas Bowl is set to give fans an innovative game-day experience after it announced a partnership to become the UK’s first fully-connected Samsung stadium.
The electronics giant will install two first-of-their-kind connected full HD LED screens measuring a combined 1290ft² (120m²) as well as over 200 wi-fi access points to transform the commercially-known Ageas Bowl into a world class, high-tech venue.
“The Ageas Bowl has a track record of innovation, and this partnership with two industry leading organizations will enable us to lead the way in the development and use of new technology, and will have a hugely positive impact on the match-day experience,” said David Mann, chief executive officer for The Ageas Bowl.
The new displays are said to not only enable fans attending matches at the 16,500-capacity stadium to get an enhanced view of the action from any seat but with built-in wireless networking they will allow real-time fan engagement.
The stadium’s connected screens will be the first to interact with fans using this technology, where they will be able to engage with competitions and match information, while sponsorship opportunities will be given a new twist.
“Samsung is delighted to partner with The Ageas Bowl to transform this site of sporting history to a world-class connected stadium, designed to create a welcoming environment for cricket fan and sports enthusiasts,” said Ben Holmes, head of display, Samsung UK.
The installation of the giant screens and high-speed wireless network is scheduled for completion by the end of April 2018 in time for the County Championship and NatWest T20 Blast – a fast-paced version of cricket focused on fan entertainment and where engagement is likely to be high.
The project will also partner with telecommunications provider Onecom and its newly launched venture Evolve AV to bring expertise to future-proof the venue for emerging technologies and fan connectivity.
Darren Ridge, chief executive of Onecom, said, “These high-profile screens and the associated network capabilities were Evolve AV’s response to The Ageas Bowl’s challenge of increasing fan engagement and helping it realize its ambition to be a world-class sporting venue.”
“Thanks to our close relationships with Samsung, we were able to advise on and source technology which meets those goals and allows for continued expansion at The Ageas Bowl and innovation in the future.”
January 24, 2018
