Page 71 - Computer Power User - February 2017

to view live action, replays, and multiple Further, using the stadium app
camera angles. “And don’t forget huge VenueNext developed for the game,
video scoreboards,” Kapustka says. “With Bloom was able to seamlessly order food
the couch the ultimate competition, and drinks to his seats. “If Houston can
teams realize they need to make the simply match the connectivity of Santa
game-day experience better than ever and Clara from last year, then it will be a
are turning more and more to technology successful Super Bowl,” he says.
to help make that happen.”
And fans are enthusiastically taking The New Gridiron
advantage. Super Bowl 50, for example, To get an idea of how far the Super
set several records for Levi’s Stadium, Bowl and football in general have
including records concerning data usage, advanced technically over the decades,
unique Wi-Fi users, concurrent users, consider that until recently, a fan couldn’t
and peak Wi-Fi bandwidth. The game even watch a replay of 1967’s Super Bowl
also generated a reported 4.3 billion 1, despite NBC and CBS broadcasting
views of related content on Twitter and the game simultaneously (the only time
155 million-plus fan interactions on that’s happened), because the tapes
Instagram, making Super Bowl 50 the used to record it were erased following
most socially shared Super Bowl ever, the contest. For Super Bowl 50, CBS
according to Keith Bruce, last year’s Super reportedly utilized 70 cameras, including
Bowl Host Committee CEO. those integrated in end zone pylons and
“Technology is everything at the Super those part of the groundbreaking Eye
Bowl,” says Taylor Bloom, co-founder Vision 360 system, which essentially stops
of SportsTechie. “From the broadcast a replay at any point to sweep 360 degrees Mobile apps are becoming increasingly
to connecting fans at the stadium with around before continuing the replay. important to NFL fans, including in terms of
quality Wi-Fi, the entire spectacle runs on Today, though, you don’t even need enhancing their in-stadium experience. The
increasingly sophisticated technologies.” to leave the practice field for examples stadium app for Super Bowl 50, for example, let
Bloom says the Wi-Fi performance in of technology’s increasing influence fans order food from mobile devices and have it
Levi’s Stadium during Super Bowl 50 on football. Take the MVP (Mobile delivered to their seats.
was the best he’s experienced anywhere. Virtual Player), for example. The

Live & Wireless: The Massive Data Usage A Super Bowl Generates

Sometimes, the numbers say it all. This is definitely true when Interestingly, Comcast documented the top 10 moments responsible for
considering how important wireless access, mobile apps, and the most data traffic experienced during the Super Bowl at Levi’s Stadium.
technology in general have become to sports teams and fans attending List toppers included the introduction of 50 Super Bowl MVPs, Lady Gaga
games. Just consider data from various resources related to last year’s singing the National Anthem while the Blue Angels flew over the stadium,
Super Bowl 50 at Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area where the opening kickoff, and the first coach’s challenge. Rounding out the list
71,000-plus fans watched. was fan’s usage of apps to help them return home and to their hotels.
According to MobileSportsReport.com, Super Bowl 50’s 10.1TB of Wi-Fi Paul Kapustka, editor of Mobile Sports Report, says there’s always the
usage in the stadium set a single-day record for a Super Bowl. Comcast potential for issues to pop up concerning the new wireless network that
stated that equates to 1.2 million photos at 2MB each or streaming was implemented at Houston’s NRG Stadium prior to this season when
6,000-plus hours of HD video. The 10.1TB bested the 6.23TB recorded it experiences the “ultimate stress test” that is a Super Bowl crowd. For
at 2015’s Super Bowl. Of the 10.1TB, 9.3TB reportedly stemmed from years, after all, Super Bowl game-day wireless traffic has essentially
fans’ usage of the free Super Bowl network. Another 453GB was tied to doubled each year, and there’s “no plateau yet in sight,” Kapustka says.
media usage. Super Bowl 50 also broke records for unique Wi-Fi users That said, he says the deployment and equipment teams behind the new
(27,316) and concurrent users (20,300). Also impressive is the 15.9TB network have a good track record for stadium deployments and have had
of combined cellular data MobileSportsReport.com states the four major a full season to work out the kinks. “Between them and the NFL’s own
U.S. cellular carriers saw on their networks in and immediately around tech team, which helps oversee Super Sunday activities, I don’t foresee
Levi’s Stadium during Super Bowl 50. any issues for the fan networks for Super Bowl LI,” he says.

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