Every person who has gone to a live sporting event has struggled with Internet connection at some point. It makes sense: pack tens of thousands of people in close quarters, with smartphones in the pockets of the vast majority, and networks become congested quick. The Super Bowl is the single largest American sporting event and the Wi-Fi network needs to be up to the challenge.
Extreme Networks has been the Official Wi-Fi Analytics Provider of the Super Bowl for the last four years, and will be again this season/year. Since first becoming a partner, Extreme has seen Wi-Fi usage increase from 3.2 terabytes of data in Super Bowl XLVIII to an astounding 11.8 terabytes of data during Super Bowl LI this past February.
11.8 terabytes of data is the equivalent of a single-spaced typewritten stack of paper 333 miles high or 5,130 hours of Netflix streaming. Chief Marketing, Development & Product Operations Officer for Extreme, Norman Rice, believes that this data output is just the beginning. “11 terabytes – do we see it going up? The answer is yes. The faster the devices that connect to the Wi-Fi network, the more data growth you will see,” Rice said. “It will continue to push the envelope as the next-generation of devices are deployed and adoption rates go up.”
The Super Bowl is an event unlike any other. “Super Bowl Sunday is effectively a holiday,” Rice said. “People watch it in movie theatres in South America – it has become a global event, must-watch TV.”
If you’re one of the lucky 66,655 people to have a seat in US Bank Stadium for Super Bowl 52, you probably want the world to know it. “It’s a trophy, a status symbol. The Super Bowl is a microcosm of the celebrity experience,” Rice said. “People want to know what it’s like, what people are participating in.”
Extreme is the company tasked with making sure that your selfies, shares and videos go up on social networks without a hitch. “Real time affirmation is crucial for social media to thrive,” adds Rice.
While fans use Wi-Fi to connect with others and share experiences from the event, vendors and security personnel are using Wi-Fi to sell merchandise and communicate with each other. “Wi-Fi affects everyone at the Super Bowl, from the parking lot, down to the field,” Rice said.
On the customer service side, Extreme employs Wi-Fi coaches who are on call whenever there is a problem. “It’s a crucial service to keep businesses up and running through any issues,” Rice said. 90 percent of the time the issue is on the device’s side, but the Wi-Fi coaches are trained to identify the problem quickly and get the user back online. “We have each of our venues nominate a coach to participate in the Super Bowl,” Rice said. “It’s an honor, you’re the best Wi-Fi coach from your area and you are rewarded with a trip to the Super Bowl.”
Security at the Super Bowl is intense. The NFL coordinates with the Department of Homeland Security to provide a safe atmosphere for the fans and players. To do that, they need to be able to have instantaneous communication that they can count on. Extreme provides that, and has to be prepared when political guests show up, like Vice President Mike Pence at Super Bowl LI , because the Secret Service takes over any channels they need.
On the field, the players are fitted with RFID chips in the shoulder pads that provide stats like velocity, distance and ball speed. These stats are used for training and medical evaluations in case of injury. They are also the source for the weekly updates on Madden ‘18.
One of the most notable moments of the big game is the Super Bowl Halftime Show. Lady Gaga’s performance at last year’s Super Bowl was one for the ages. The lights and pyrotechnics at that show were connected to the Wi-Fi. “We didn’t know how the halftime show would impact the Wi-Fi experience,” Rice said. “We had to make adjustments in real time based on information we received from ExtremeAnalytics
.”
As the New England Patriots came back against the Atlanta Falcons in last year’s Super Bowl, Extreme provided a social media data visualization. With the game-tying touchdown, Snapchat usage soared as fans captured the reactions around the stadium. That information is valuable for a variety of reasons. “If you see a spike in Snapchat, what does that mean?” asks Rice. “Is there a way to change the broadcast to better identify with that audience?”
While Extreme won’t be doing the in-stadium Wi-Fi for Super Bowl LII like they did for Super Bowl LI, they will be providing Wi-Fi at Super Bowl City and the NFL House. In addition, Extreme will be deploying ExtremeAnalytics in-stadium during Super Bowl LII to monitor activity and provide comprehensive data about network usage.
All these different aspects of the Wi-Fi – Secret Service security, coaching communication, social media sharing and powerful pyrotechnics – speak to the faith that the Super Bowl staff have in the network and importance of deploying reliable Wi-Fi analytics that can track activity and provide information in real-time in order to adjust network bandwidth when needed.
As technology continues to accelerate and the industry’s newest phones automatically connect to open Wi-Fi networks, more focus will be put on analytics and fast, reliable Wi-Fi. Extreme is on the forefront of the industry and the Super Bowl is one of the best case studies on how to succeed in this arena.