Liverpool FC scores connectivity upgrade at Anfield

Football fans all over the globe tune in to watch Premier League matches online, but for those watching games in stadium, the digital experience can be challenging.

As with any live event, being there in person and experiencing the atmosphere is unlike anything else, but many large older venues face challenges enhancing the fan experience digitally due to a lack of mobile connectivity.

Anfield is one of football’s oldest and most historic venues, home to the iconic Liverpool FC since its formation in 1892. One of English football’s most successful clubs, Liverpool are also one of the most widely supported sports teams in the world.

The Reds will play Brentford FC in their first home game of the new Premier League season, and the game will mark a turning point for connectivity in Anfield, after the club partnered with Extreme Networks to address poor mobile signal.

“Similar to other venues, Liverpool FC was challenged by the need to engage with their fans,” says Markus Nispel, CTO EMEA at Extreme Networks.

“Liverpool has an estimated 700 million to 1 billion fans they can connect with through their digital platforms. However, the challenge arises when fans come to the stadium.”

A lack of connectivity not only hampers fans’ ability to share their experiences and engage with digital apps, but it also limits Liverpool’s ability to monitor fan activities and cater to their demands – something Extreme Networks has previously addressed in the US with the NFL, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, and the National Hockey League, and has now expanded its efforts to Europe and Asia.

“Liverpool wanted to be at the forefront. They had an existing Wi-Fi environment that only covered the concourse – the area behind stands – while the wider environment wasn’t connected,” explains Nispel.

Although the deployment of Wi-Fi within Anfield began in 2022, initial efforts were prolonged due to a delayed expansion of the Anfield Road stand, that led the construction firm involved – Buckingham Group – to go bankrupt in August 2023.

Drew Crisp, SVP of digital at Liverpool FC, adds: “Anfield is an enduring symbol in UK football history and has stood for 139 years, hosting countless historical moments and legendary matches. With Extreme Wi-Fi, we’ve brought the stadium into the digital age, seamlessly blending our rich history with modern innovation.”

Extreme Networks also provides connectivity for one of Liverpool’s great rivals, Manchester United, and like the logistics of fitting 1,200 network components in Anfield was as challenging it was in Man United’s famous Old Trafford home.

Currently, Anfield seats 61,000 fans, and Extreme Networks expects around 50-70% of them to connect to its Wi-Fi during games.

Not only are these seats now connected, but Extreme Networks’ Wi-Fi also extends to concession stands, video surveillance, and mobile ticketing areas outside of the ground. This means ticket gates can be extended to allow a streamlined flow of fans and facilitate commercial activities outside the stadium.

During matches, fans can connect with friends, use loyalty apps, and watch the game on their phones if they happen to be away from the pitch.

Alongside this, Extreme Networks’ analytics and cloud solutions provide valuable insights to the IT, marketing, and stadium operations teams.

“The marketing team can observe fan behaviour, websites visited, and potentially strike marketing partnerships with that data,” explains Nispel.

Net gains

Stadium operations can also benefit from crowd analytics, helping to optimise the placement of facilities to manage crowd flow.

This includes identifying popular concession areas, tracking fan foot traffic, and understanding app usage across the stadium. It also involves pinpointing peak moments during games when fans are most digitally engaged and identifying where they most often congregate. With this data, the Club can determine areas in the venue that may need more staff.

In partnership with Verizon Business, Extreme Networks enters a fine-tuning phase post-deployment to optimise app design and network performance based on real-time crowd behaviour.

With this in hand, future augmented and virtual reality use cases could revolutionise the in-stadium experience.

“Fans want a similar experience to watching from home with replays and data, but enjoyed within the stadium,” says Nispel. “AR and VR can enrich the in-stadium experience by providing different camera angles and replays,” something Nispel expects to see in the next three to five years.

Extreme Networks is also researching energy optimisation: “Though Wi-Fi access points already have low energy consumption, more dynamic solutions can be implemented,” says Nispel. “AI can also help optimise energy use specifically in venues not used all the time.”

Drew Crisp, senior vice president of digital at Liverpool FC, adds, “Anfield is an enduring symbol in UK football history and has stood for 139 years, hosting countless historical moments and legendary matches. With Extreme Wi-Fi, we’ve brought the stadium into the digital age, seamlessly blending our rich history with modern innovation.”