Baylor Outfits New Stadium with Professional Grade Wi-Fi for an Interactive Fan Experience

McLane Stadium is the home football stadium of Baylor University, a private higher education institution located in Waco, Texas. Devoted to delivering an exceptional gameday experience to its fans, in the fall of 2012 Baylor University embarked on a $260 million construction project to build an entirely new stadium on campus.

In today’s mobile-centric world, connectivity solutions are paramount in supporting the desired experience of a fan base particularly among the younger, more technology-oriented demographic. Acknowledging this trend, and eager to provide a more engaging in-venue experience, Baylor University chose Extreme Networks’ ExtremeWireless, outfitting the new stadium with a high density Wi-Fi solution to improve connectivity and enable an overall enhanced fan experience. As an added benefit, to guarantee a quality Wi-Fi experience for users and to establish another touch point with their fans, Baylor also chose to implement the Extreme Networks Certified Wi-Fi Coach Program to provide additional support for fans accessing the Wi-Fi network in-venue

Challenges

• Design and deliver a reliable and secure high-density Wi-Fi network for public use by tens of thousands of fans
• Leverage real-time content through gameday app; provide an interactive and engaging mobile experience for users while in-venue
• Establish visibility and control of users, devices, and applications on the network to ensure a quality experience

Extreme Solutions

• ExtremeWireless™  
• ExtremeAnalytics™
• ExtremeSwitching™
• ExtremeControl™  

Results 

In-Venue, High-Density Wi-Fi Internet Access

• Deliver free, open-access Wi-Fi to guests at McLane Stadium, vastly improving the mobile connectivity of the entire complex

Differentiated In-Venue Experience and Exclusive Content

• Fans access to day-to-day applications and mobile services used at home
• Baylor InGame app provides fans at McLane Stadium access to real-time content and interaction with the university like never before

Network Management

• Granular visibility into solution performance
• Seamless onboarding of personal devices and establishment of detailed network policies to enforce from a single pane of glass
• Leverage location-based services to permit access to certain applications in certain locations while in-venue

Certified Wi-Fi Coach Program for Ongoing Support

• Integrated training package for IT team to implement its very own Wi-Fi Coach program in-venue
• Wi-Fi Coach Program acts as a walking help desk for those who may need additional support accessing the network
• Baylor’s Wi-Fi Coach Program is staffed by undergraduate students studying Management Information Systems (MIS)