Large Public Venues

The Future of Large Public Venues Is Now

Fran Finnegan, Vice President, In-Building Networks and DAS Real Estate | March 9, 2023

For Large Public Venues (LPVs) to be competitive and secure the best artists and events, they must leverage technology to provide the ultimate fan experiences, while staying cost conscious. There are more opportunities than ever to increase customer and fan engagement and maximize profits. In this blog, we'll take a look at some of the most innovative solutions for LPVs today.

5G

In today’s digital world, it is no longer enough to just share a photo with friends when attending an important event; nowadays people want to romanticize the overall experience with a video montage on social media and engage with followers in real time. If it’s not on social media, did it even happen? The demand is increasing for 5G to enable faster data speeds (the foundation for those real-time social media activities mentioned), mission-critical applications, real-time analytics of games, fan data aggregation, instant replays, location tracking, and more. A Distributed Antenna System (DAS) network will provide dedicated wireless capacity that does not rely on the macro network using cellular towers. LPVs partner with trusted infrastructure providers, such as American Tower, to ensure their wireless network will meet 5G requirements and the growing data-hungry demands of users across all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

Cashier-less Retail

Imagine you’re at the concert of your favorite artist. For me, it’s seeing U2 at Croke Park in Ireland. You need a beverage for your dry throat from singing your heart out to “A Beautiful Day.” Instead of waiting in a long line, and potentially missing “With or Without You,” you’re able to walk quickly to the retail store, scan your account, pick out your beverage, and head straight back to your seat—all in a matter of minutes. Cashier-less retail, or automated checkout, promises fans an improved experience, while also cutting operational costs by requiring fewer employees. By utilizing devices, such as sensors, cameras, and tracking technology, retailers can accurately keep track of inventory in real time, resulting in increased overall efficiency.

Accelerated Access and Entry

With facial recognition technology, event-goers no longer need to wait in lengthy lines. This improved entry process not only increases efficiency but also benefits security, with its added layer of protection against potential threats. Those who opt-in can enjoy a hassle-free experience and fast access into their favorite venues.

Virtual Reality Experiences

Virtual Reality (VR) experiences are another exciting innovation for LPVs. With today's technologies, it's now possible for customers to be fully immersed in an interactive virtual world within the walls of a stadium or arena. As an example, say you’re at Gillette Stadium^® watching my favorite team, the New England Patriots^®, play live in person. With this application, you can step into VR, where you’ll be standing next to Coach Bill Belichick on the sideline, strategizing his next play against the New York Giants^®. VR experiences allow users to unlock restricted territory and engage with unique content, while still enjoying all the benefits of being surrounded by their fellow fans in a real-life setting. They also provide venues with an additional source of revenue, as attendees will often pay extra for these immersive experiences.

LPVs have come a long way since the days when cash was king and paper tickets were all you needed to get into a show or game. Today's technologies offer endless possibilities for increasing engagement, creating new revenue streams, and streamlining operations. These transformative applications will generate enormous data with low-latency requirements, and venues will need a network infrastructure that can scale easily, based on their needs. American Tower, a leader in wireless infrastructure, has been designing and building DAS networks for LPVs since 2005. Today, we not only provide wireless networks that are optimized for MNOs, but we are working with LPVs on hybrid networks, cloud solutions, and edge computing to enable these low-latency applications. Planning must start now to prepare for these use cases. Don’t get left behind. Discuss your vision today with our dedicated team.