Sporting Events on a Next Level
This is the next generation of the fan experience, and it’s starting to become a reality thanks to connected stadiums and the underlying communication networks that they rely on. A blueprint of exactly what the next-gen fan experience will look like was arguably created by Verizon, a partner of Ciena, in early 2021 when they launched in-stadium 5G solutions for fans attending Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Dubbed the "5G SuperStadium," the in-app experience allowed fans to engage with different camera angles and project AR overlays. Verizon's partnership with Epic Games also resulted in fans being able to interact with players in a virtual stadium environment.