High-speed Wi-Fi will create a foundation for modern fan experiences across AAPB parks
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) today announced that it has selected , a leader in cloud networking, as the Preferred Wireless Technology Provider of the AAPB in a new multiyear partnership. SRS Partners, the exclusive sponsorship agency for the American Association, brokered the relationship with Extreme Networks on behalf of the league.
As part of the partnership, Extreme will deploy flexible, scalable, high-speed Wi-Fi solutions across select AAPB ballparks, enabling teams to offer fans modernized experiences including mobile ticketing, cashless payments and in-seat concessions ordering, as well as improved functionality within the AABaseball.TV app. For staff, better connectivity within the ballpark will help increase operational efficiency and improve the performance of devices like portable card readers and staff communication. Further, as technology-reliant amenities like self-serve checkouts and AR/VR experiences become more popular, AAPB teams will have the network infrastructure necessary to adopt new innovations and continue enhancing fan experiences.聽聽
Extreme was also named as a Preferred Supplier of the AAPB, giving teams access to additional solutions including . Teams can quickly access and analyze generalized network data to gain insight into fan preferences, including popular applications, moments of peak user engagement and locationing data around the flow of foot traffic within the ballpark, which can help drive decisions around ballpark staffing or identify potential partnerships. Additionally, teams who choose to leverage ExtremeCloud鈩� solutions like the platform will have full visibility into and control over devices, applications and users on the network within a single platform, simplifying network management.聽
鈥淲hen fans come to an AAPB game, we want to offer them the modernized, seamless experience that they expect, and that extends to the moments when they鈥檙e using mobile devices and other technology during the game,鈥� said Joshua Schaub, Commissioner of the American Association of Professional Baseball. 鈥淓xtreme has a proven track record of working with professional sports teams around the world. With this partnership, we are paving the way forward for teams across our league to take both fan experiences and behind-the-scenes operations to the next level, and investing in solutions that will scale with us as we continue to innovate and grow.鈥澛�
鈥淗igh-speed wireless connectivity in a ballpark really lays the foundation for all other amenities, operations and even the general reputation of a team or league,鈥� said Kevin Wittnebert, Director of Venues, Sports & Entertainment at Extreme Networks. 鈥淲hen fans are not only engaged with the game itself but also impressed by the standard and speed of services like how quickly they can pull up a mobile ticket or purchase refreshments and get back to their seat, it helps to build loyalty and bring them back throughout the season. Extreme works with sports leagues around the world to help optimize their operations and create incredible experiences for fans, and we look forward to working with the AAPB to help them drive toward their goals as an organization.鈥澛�
