Cisco technology spreads the game around new Yankee Stadium

by Stevie Smith - Nov 12 2008, 13:00

Here’s a cool piece of media news for those dedicated fans of the New York Yankees who are patiently awaiting the April 2009 opening of their team’s new stadium.

Specifically, beyond providing a worthy home for the legendary baseball team, the new stadium will extend the fan experience by providing expansive networked video and data coverage courtesy of Cisco’s StadiumVision technology.

What that essentially means is that rabid Yankee fans, regardless of where they may be situated within the stadium, will be able enjoy the live game, keep tabs on stats, catch sports news stories, and even check weather and traffic details -- all without ever having to miss a pitch.

The introduction of Cisco’s state-of-the-art StadiumVision will see Yankee Stadium arrive as the most well connected and video-enabled stadium in the world of baseball, and will integrate video, voice, data, and wireless services across a network of versatile screens spread throughout the facility.

“We chose Cisco as the network provider for the new Yankee Stadium because they understand our business needs, our future goals and our vision for creating a unique experience that caters to our fans,” enthused Yankees COO Lonn A. Trost in an official statement

“Cisco will help us capitalize on industry trends and transitions, such as the current migration from standard-definition to high-definition video in venues and at home, to give our fans the most state-of-the-art game-day experience in all of baseball for years to come,” he added.

According to the Yankees, the organisation will be working closely with Cisco to create a more interactive, personalised and immersive sporting experience that will see StadiumVision emerge as a cost-effective method for delivering live game coverage and customised fan-facing content to each of the stadium’s HD displays.

Those display screens will be incorporated throughout the stadium, including concession areas, the suitably named Great Hall, the official Yankees Museum, and also in-stadium restaurants and bars.

Beyond providing live game coverage from virtually every corner of the stadium, the StadiumVision displays will also provide up-to-date sports scores and news, Yankees trivia, and other news and weather content.

Then, once the game has ended, the screens will become direction boards to point fans towards the exits while also showing important traffic information relevant to leaving the stadium. In the event of an emergency, the system’s displays can also be used to show evacuation instructions around the stadium if so required.

While most Yankee fans will be able to freely enjoy StadiumVision’s benefits on the price of a regular ticket, the stadium will provide touch-screen IP phone features for those situated within premium luxury suites. The Premium Luxury Fan package will enable fans to order delivered concessions and merchandise product without having to drift from the on-field action.

Cisco and the Yankees are also gearing the new stadium for future technological inclusions by equipping it with the ability to host mobile devices that will see regular fans ordering concessions, viewing instant replays, and chatting with friends inside and outside the stadium without having to leave their seats.

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