January 25, 2018 1 Comment
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Digital Transformation

The Big Game Delivers Big Digital Experiences

Did you know that the day following the Big Game is one of the most common days of the year for Americans to call in sick to work? Now, don’t get any ideas – but the point is that in the U.S. we take the Big Game very seriously. It’s become a de-facto holiday of sorts, complete with elaborate menus, carefully planned parties, and of course, the ever-popular halftime show.

When the New England Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, February 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium – home of the Minnesota Vikings – one of the NFL’s newest and most technologically advanced stadiums will be on full display, with Cisco playing a key role in bringing a cutting-edge digital experience to everyone in attendance.

Every year, the Big Game drives record-setting levels of traffic across the venue’s network, and this year promises to be no exception. At last year’s Game in Houston, more than 11 TB of traffic crossed the network. With Cisco Connected Solutions in place in Minnesota, U.S. Bank Stadium stands ready to deliver the secure, reliable and fast digital experiences that passionate fans demand.

U.S. Bank Stadium opened prior to the 2016 NFL season and was immediately heralded as one of the most cutting edge sporting venues in the world. Which comes as no surprise, as Minneapolis has long been a tech-forward city, particularly where its sporting venues are concerned.

U.S. Bank Stadium joins Target Field (Minnesota Twins), Target Center (Minnesota Timberwolves), Xcel Energy Center (Minnesota Wild) and the Mall of America in deploying our Connected Sports & Entertainment Solutions to provide the city, its residents and its visitors with the best digital experience at five of the area’s biggest attractions.

At the core lies Cisco’s Digital Network Architecture, providing a secure and flexible platform on which the entire operation relies. U.S. Bank Stadium boasts Cisco Connected Stadium Wi-Fi, a high-density wireless network that provides the secure and reliable connection fans demand to engage and share these memorable experiences. This is powered by more than 1,350 Wi-Fi access points. It also hosts one of the largest Cisco Vision deployments in the industry, with more than 2,200 HD displays throughout the concourse, concession and club areas of the stadium to keep fans on top of all the action and event needs with live video and dynamic content.

While the venue is well-equipped to provide today’s football fans with the digital experiences they crave, the Vikings’ technology team has always maintained a keen eye towards innovating for the fans of tomorrow. Whether the next big thing proves to be augmented reality, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, or something else entirely, U.S. Bank Stadium has the right digital platform in place to evolve and adapt as game-day experiences and expectations change too. So with that all settled, that leaves only one important question up for debate – what is your go-to Big Game snack?