Lower.com Field delivers frictionless fan experience with facial recognition and other AI-enabled experiences using Aruba ESP

“为从抵达到出发的所有参与者提供了一个很好的连接体验，需要一个能够处理语音，视频，音频和数据的超电网网络，”哈拉姆斯·体育集团船员的所有者信息技术副总裁Brandon Covert解释说。

To continue its leadership tradition as the first Major League Soccer (MLS) club in the U.S., the Columbus Crew envisioned creating a next-generation seamless fan journey when it began designing its new stadium.

“为从抵达到出发的所有参与者提供了一个很好的连接体验，需要一个能够处理语音，视频，音频和数据的超电网网络，”哈拉姆斯·体育集团船员的所有者信息技术副总裁Brandon Covert解释说。"Deploying best-of-breed wired and wireless infrastructure was fundamental to running the complex applications we intended to adopt."

阿鲁巴is Clear Choice for Stadium Leadership

As it has for nearly 30 years, the Columbus, Ohio-based Crew took a holistic approach to designing its new 20,000-seat Lower.com Field and updating surrounding facilities. The initiative considers fans, guests, team members, and event attendees from start to finish.

“是否无触觉的票务和风扇入口s, state-of-the-art player facilities, or digitalized operations, technology is the common denominator," Covert says. "All of it requires high-performance, secure, reliable Wi-Fi and wired networking."

The Crew evaluated prominent networking options before selecting an end-to-end solution by Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company. "After looking at the many technologies and solutions we needed to integrate, Aruba was the clear choice for building a foundation that enables us to deliver premier experiences efficiently and cost-effectively," Covert says.

Unified, Intelligent, and Automated Network Delivers Success

对于较低的网领域，以及随附的团队和学院空间，船员占据了众多Aruba ESP解决方案。The Wi-Fi 6 network is comprised of阿鲁巴的530系列室内接入点(APs) under seats and in VIP suites, along with the 570 Series outdoor APs. To manage the WLAN the Crew selected7200 Series Mobility Controllers。

On the wired side, the Crew's is leveraging the intelligence, automation, analytics, and resilience technologies built into the阿鲁巴CX Switching portfolio。这包括CX 8400交换机系列，CX 6300开关系列用于聚合，以及用于边缘访问的CX 6200交换机系列。

工作人员还简化了有线和无线管理，最终推出了有线和无线管理阿鲁巴动态分割by implementingClearPass for network access control (NAC)and policy management. In addition, it deployedAirWave用于网络管理。自动化和协调交换机配置，监控和故障排除，该团队还采用了NetEdit。

提供独特，抵达的经验到出发

Exceptional network-supported experiences begin even before Crew fans arrive at the venue. Using the team's unique opt-infacial recognition ticketing systemfans upload a selfie to their Crew account for contactless entry. Upon arrival at the stadium, a solution by便门identifies the fan and seamlessly permits them to continue through the gates.

"Our facial recognition system, which is unique to our MLS team, enables fans to redeem all of their tickets with one glance, including everyone in their admitted group," Covert says. "This technology significantly speeds entry when funneling thousands of fans into the stadium, cutting the time it takes for fans to enter the stadium by more than 50 percent."

Alternatively, fans can use the traditional mobile phone scan powered by轴, which checks a ticket in a tenth of a second.

The stadium also utilizes AI-based touchless security screening byEvolv Express，非侵入性的，步行安全体验，每小时3,600人屏蔽3,600人，比传统的金属探测器快10倍。

"As the first stadium in the country to combine Wicket, Axess, and Evolv, we're leveraging the network to provide a genuinely frictionless, fast, non-invasive, and safe ingress experience," Covert says.

Ultra-low latencies deliver true real-time streaming

无论是游戏日还是特别活动，现场活动经常从62,000平方英尺的公共广场开始。它配备了一个巨大的视频显示板，作为8,700个总平方英尺之一达克罗吉斯LED displays throughout the stadium. During special events, the plaza's video board can stream concerts, watch parties, and other public event content.

Inside the stadium, the two main Daktronics video boards at either end of the stadium are capable of variable content zoning. This allows each to display one large image or to be divided into multiple zones to show any combination of live video, instant replays, game information and statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.

"Our network ensures our IPTV content syncs tightly with the actual movement on the field," Covert says. "While many stadiums struggle with delay that's noticeable, our network reduces latencies to under half a second, which is almost indistinguishable to the human eye, making our streaming near real-time."

“我们对我们可以创造的先进照明制作令人兴奋，让粉丝和客人返回，”隐秘说。“拥有网络支持的最先进的照明能力，也使我们能够吸引国家和国际艺人的其他类型的创收活动。”

照明创新创造了令人难忘的环境

所有照明由Daktronics管理显示控制, the video displays and lighting bring together fan engagement, revenue generation, and production efficiency to create unforgettable game and event atmospheres.

“我们对我们可以创造的先进照明制作令人兴奋，让粉丝和客人返回，”隐秘说。“拥有网络支持的最先进的照明能力，也使我们能够吸引国家和国际艺人的其他类型的创收活动。”

Enabling cloud-based solution for cashless POS

客人设施还包括遍布整个体育场的移动茶点订购和无现金支付，通过无线连接和与基于云的销售点（POS）的集成来支持venuenext.。

“在半小时内只有15分钟即可为20,000人服务，我们可靠，高性能的网络对于迅速送回座位，”哈斯拉姆斯运动集团网络经理Jeff Patton说，这是至关重要的。

Digitalizing Player, Coaching, and Staff Experiences

Ensuring players, coaches, and staff have modern digital support is also critical. That's why the Crew has extended its network to include new indoor and outdoor team development facilities for its vertically integrated club.

For example, the Crew has opened the 42,000 square foot OhioHealth Performance Center as part of its soccer complex. There, network-supported amenities include a 40-person theater for players and coaches to revisit matches and practices captured by the Crew's AI-enabledSpiideo.camera and video analytics system.

Outdoors, on practice surfaces and the stadium's pitch, cutting-edge hydronic undersoil heating and grow lights bySubAir Systemskeeps turf strong throughout the season. It utilizes sensors and the network to deliver automated zonal control and live response to field conditions, including raising the field temperature by 23°F to 28°F to offset chilly weather.

Streamlined, Simplified Management Exceeds Expectations

从IT角度来看，跨所有设施的统一有线和无线网络创造了显着的效率。“我们是一个小型IT团队，管理运行复杂系统的超电网环境，所以Aruba的易于管理是关键，”Patton说。

The Crew's IT staff is particularly excited about Aruba's automation capabilities, including Dynamic Segmentation for simplifying and securing the network by unifying policy enforcement across the wired, wireless, and VPN infrastructure.

"The ability to plug in a device and have the network decide where that device should go, based on how it's being used, will be a real plus going forward," Patton says.

根据巴顿,NetEdit也将一个管理员istrative benefit. "NetEdit's switch configuration repository and automation tools will enable us to get new switches up and running fast," he says.

Overall, the Crew's network and intuitive management solutions are surpassing their promise. "Although I'm very new to Aruba, everything is simple, straightforward, and easy to learn," Patton says. "Whether we're discussing network performance or administration, our Aruba solution has exceeded my expectations."

即将到来：“刚走过”和其他创新

Moving ahead, the Crew plans to continue augmenting its network to provide all constituencies with the latest experiences.

这包括评估Aruba的基于云的A一秒的解决方案，例如阿鲁巴Centralfor proactive network management,User Experience Insight (UXI)用于实时检测和修复Wi-Fi事件，以及Air Passfor seamless device handoffs between cellular networks and Wi-Fi. The Club will also consider Aruba'sLocation Services支持实时人群智能。

Regardless which additions the Crew makes, the club intends to leverage its future-ready network for ongoing entertainment innovations, such as exploring checkout-free refreshment purchasing.

"No matter how we evolve our offerings, we planned and built our new network with the intention to continuously innovate," he adds. "We're excited about the many ways Aruba is ensuring we can fulfill our fan experience and soccer operations missions."