Tennessee announces plans to build a robust Wi-Fi network at Neyland Stadium
By Keith Farner
Published:
Tennessee has initiated the installation of a very high density Wi-Fi network at Neyland Stadium in order to modernize the fan experience.
“We know Vol Nation has been looking forward to this,” Athletics Director Danny White said in a release. “And we appreciate everyone’s patience. This is a very big, complex project. The bones of Neyland Stadium date back to 1921, and as it grew over several decades, no one could have planned for how we’d deliver a strong Wi-Fi signal through tons of concrete and steel. But we have a great partner that knows how to get this done at a venue like this. It’s exciting to get the ball rolling, because this will elevate the experience of every single fan who visits Neyland Stadium.”
The goal is to integrate a robust Wi-Fi network that will ultimately service the entire stadium and surrounding plazas.
Work around Neyland Stadium will progress through the duration of the 2023 football season, with limited Wi-Fi capabilities for fans during the fall, and then it will extend into the summer of 2024. Connectivity improvements will be phased, as different areas in and around the stadium will realize coverage at different times throughout installation.
The project’s initial focus is connectivity at the gates and plazas surrounding the stadium to maximize efficiencies at digital ticketing entry points.
Work will then transition to the interior seating areas, with installation throughout the lower seating bowl, then the premium areas and upper deck. At the completion of the project, nearly all areas—including vomitories, concourses, concessions and plaza spaces—throughout Neyland Stadium will have reliable access to Wi-Fi.
Execution of this project means the placement of 1,800 connectivity points. Each of those points will service an approximate 55-seat area and require the installation of cabling.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
