Major League Baseball Advanced Media is searching for ways to boost mobile network connectivity at all MLB ballparks. The MLBAM has recently partnered with Qualcomm making them an official technology partner of the media and Internet arm of Major League Baseball, according to Matt Cutler of Sport Business. The Qualcomm engineering team “will be working directly with sport organizations to address connectivity challenges” and every MLB ballpark, according to Cutler. This will not be a quick process; engineers from Qualcom will make assessments and reviews of each ballpark over a two-year period.
The goal is to have Wi-Fi, 3G, and 4G readily available for everyone who enters a MLB ballpark. At some MLB ballparks the cell phone coverage is terrible, limiting attendees the power to use their phones to the fullest. Today we have the technology to pretty much do anything from our cell phones, the MLB recognizes this and they want their ballparks to not only be suitable for today’s technology but for future technologies as well.
“Mobile data traffic is exploding, particularly in high-traffic areas such as Major League Baseball ballparks,” said Anand Chandrasekher, senior vice-president and chief marketing officer for Qualcomm. “Qualcomm has been preparing for an astounding 1,000-times increase in data demand, and we are leading the charge with MLBAM to provide passionate baseball fans with access to digital content, resulting in unparalleled in-ballpark experiences.”
Joe Inzerillo, MLBAM senior vice-president of content technology and chief technology officer said: “Collaborating with an industry leader such as Qualcomm is a critical step in understanding and executing on the engineering challenges to achieve scalable, reliable in-venue connectivity. Consumer demand continues its ascension as the majority of MLB.com traffic comes from mobile devices, a line our fans first crossed in July 2010. Qualcomm’s experience and expertise will be a valuable resource in this process.”
This is definitely a move in the right direction for the MLB. After all the complaints they have been receiving they’re finally making the proper moves to make sure their fans are satisfied at all MLB ballparks across the United States. With the Dallas Cowboys stadium leading the way it will be interesting to see how far organizations will go to satisfy the needs of the consumer. The 49ers new stadium in Santa Clara will be ready for the start of the 2014 National Football League season so definitely keep your awareness geared to that project.
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