The biggest and most reliable Wi-Fi network complemented with the best app support doesn’t matter unless fans know it exists. For Super Bowl LI, where San Jose, Calif.-based Extreme Networks is the Official Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Analytics Provider, fans will be informed about the Wi-Fi capabilities the moment they step inside NRG Stadium.
They’ll be met by one of 20 Wi-Fi Coaches roaming in and around the stadium this Sunday compared with 12 to 15 on a normal NFL game day for the Houston Texans. At its core, a Wi-Fi Coach helps fans with the accessibility, usability and reliability of a stadium network, from kickoff all the way until the final second ticks off the clock. Fans will be able to ask for help accessing the network and interacting with the entire system.
By having Coaches spread out evenly through the stadium, it maximizes the reaction time when a fan needs help, or when there is Wi-Fi connectivity issues for multiple fans.
“The fans will have just as good of an experience at the stadium as they would have at home now with their 60 inch. flatscreen TV,” Michael Lytle, Director of Customer Success at Extreme Networks, remarked about not only the in-stadium connection but also the assistance of the Wi-Fi Coaches.
The 20 Wi-Fi Coaches on Sunday are among the top-performing Coaches from this regular season.
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“They’re the best-of-the-best Wi-Fi Coaches around the league that we assembled to create an All-Star team,” said Lytle, who added that there’s more than 500 certified Wi-Fi Coaches spread throughout Extreme Networks’ 10 stadium partners.
Lytle explained that even beyond helping fans access the wireless network at NRG Stadium, which is the fourth Super Bowl stadium powered by Extreme solutions, Wi-Fi Coaches will be able to highlight the features and benefits of the in-stadium apps in order to enhance the fan experience. Through the in-stadium app, fans will be able to watch replays, Super Bowl commercials, access Fan Mobile Pass and upload fan photos to social media.
Additionally, NRG Stadium will have 1,250 access points throughout the stadium and office area to cater to the 70,000-plus fans watching the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. If a fan experiences an issue with his connection, he’ll have the ability to ask a Wi-Fi coach for assistance, who can then determine if it’s a network connection issue or a fan-related problem. During the entire process, the Wi-Fi Coaches are in constant communication with Network Operations, according to Lytle.
For Extreme Networks, its goal is to make the Super Bowl experience as painless as possible, so fans can always stay connected to not only their friends and family at the stadium but online and across social media, too.