Cisco débuts StadiumVision Mobile
February 4, 2013
Cisco has introduced Cisco StadiumVision Mobile to deliver live video to fans’ mobile devices with the aim of creating an entirely new experience in sports and entertainment venues. The solution uses an intelligent and high-density Cisco Connected Stadium Wi-Fi network to bring high-quality video straight to the latest smartphones and tablets with minimal delay. Sports clubs the Brooklyn Nets (Barclays Center), Real Madrid (Estadio Santiago Bernabéu) and Sporting Kansas City (Sporting Park) are the first to implement StadiumVision Mobile in their venues.
When integrated with an in-venue app, the solution delivers live video and data feeds with minimal delay and offers multiple channels of unique content such as a replay channel, an alternate-view channel (a view of the bench during time-outs), and a data channel (for stats, trivia contests and multi-player games). Cisco says these options create a more interactive and personalised experience and open business opportunities for the venue and teams through targeted advertising, sponsorship activations, promotions, branding and more. The solution was developed with an open interface to meet custom software requirements and seamlessly integrate with in-venue apps.
According to Cisco, StadiumVision Mobile represents the industry’s first proven solution to use multicast over Wi-Fi, which enables one source to be broadcast over an optimised network to many devices in a highly efficient way, and represents a significant advancement over traditional unicast solutions, where one video channel is replicated multiple times across the network to each device.
Additionally, Cisco suggests that StadiumVision Mobile technology dramatically increases scalability, previously a problem in high-density environments, as the potential stress on the network is the same whether one mobile device or tens of thousands are viewing a particular video feed.
David Holland, general manager and senior vice president, Cisco Sports & Entertainment Solutions Group, said the introduction marked a significant milestone for Cisco and the Sports and Entertainment industry. “As prominent teams and customers around the world, such as the Brooklyn Nets, Real Madrid and Sporting Kansas City, begin to use this solution, fans will be able to use their mobile devices to transport themselves to the centre of the action – no matter where they are in the venue. We are empowering our customers to meet the demands of a new generation of fans with media-rich, personalised experiences that translate into significant business opportunities,” he declared.
Enrique Uriel, chief information officer, Real Madrid, CF, said that Cisco StadiumVision Mobile would allow its fans to customise their experience in ways never before possible in the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. “We know the millions of Real Madrid fans desire to be connected and engaged through their devices at all times, and this unique mobile video solution is a brilliant way to take these experiences to a completely new level. We are always looking to add key proven capabilities to complement the existing cutting-edge technology at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, high-density Wi-Fi and HD video solutions, in order to deliver more value to our members, partners and passionate fans inside the venue and around the word,”