Enhancing the In-Game Experience for Wisconsin Badgers Fans

Camp Randall Stadium is outfitted with high-density Wi-Fi network, IPTV system and 26 Pro Series SunBriteDS displays.

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What’s a stadium to do when crucial parts of the infrastructure obscure fans’ views of the field?

There are a couple options. Either the stadium can go through serious construction, or it can use technology to offer new, alternative views of the action so no fans go home feeling gipped. One of these options is more realistic than the other.

For Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., the decision was a no-brainer. Home of the beloved Wisconsin Badgers, the stadium has a lot of historical significance. However, it was not exactly technologically up-to-date until recently. There was little to no cell service inside of the stadium, no Wi-Fi, and there weren’t many displays offering views of the game besides the video board at the north end of the stadium.

Last summer, University of Wisconsin’s athletic department teamed up with AT&T to transform the stadium from a dead zone to a wireless hot spot. Alongside a high-density Wi-Fi network and IPTV system, the stadium was outfitted with 29 55-inch Pro Series SunBriteDS outdoor displays on the lower deck.

Photos: Camp Randall Stadium Upgrade

“Having the SunBriteDS screens hanging from the bottom of the upper deck area allows our fans access to video they didn’t previously have, which is a critical part of the game-day experience,” says Justin Doherty, senior associate athletic director for the University of Wisconsin.

The athletic department was no stranger to SunBriteTV, which was recently acquired by SnapAV. It had chosen SunBriteDS to install a few displays in Camp Randall Terrace not long ago, and says the displays stood up well to the harsh summer heat and cold Midwestern winters.

So when the stadium noticed that some fans’ view of the large video board was partially obstructed by the upper deck overhang, it mounded 29 new SunBriteDS’s to give fans a closer view.

“State-of-the-art broadcast facilities and a strong base of loyal season ticket holders are both important parts of the success Wisconsin has experienced with its football program,” says Doherty. “All of us who worked on this project — and it was indeed a team effort, with our technicians and subcontractors working alongside the stadium’s staff — are proud of what was accomplished.”

Next: SunBriteTV Goes to Comic-Con

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