Technology

Posted on April 24, 2019 by staff

The incredible tech behind Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Technology

Premier League club Spurs opened their incredible new stadium this month.

The billion-dollar Tottenham Hotspur Stadium features an array of technology to make most of the club’s relationship with fans.

Tech has been built into the stadium from the ground up thanks to a strategy developed by the club alongside wireless advisory firm, Real Wireless, and some of the world’s top communications equipment suppliers and installers.

The club’s vision was to create the finest stadium in the world for fans, visitors and the wider community, delivering a major new landmark for London.

They also aspired to create the best-connected stadium in the UK.

“Creating an enhanced mobile infrastructure is a major part of our aim to create a truly world-class venue, allowing our fans to be connected at all times,” said Sanjeev Katwa, head of technology at Tottenham Hotspur.

“This system is revolutionary, transforming the way we connect with our fans and staff.”

There are world class mobile voice and data services designed and installed by Shared Access for customers of every major UK operator – Vodafone, O2, EE and Three – as well as wireless emergency and support services, Wi-Fi and technologies for broadcast and event use.  The wireless mobile services include 2G, 3G and 4G, as well as the ability to support 5G when it arrives. There is also PMR for support services, TETRA for emergency services and Wi-Fi – technically architected, supplied and deployed by the club’s official enterprise networking partner, Hewlett Packard Enterprise.“We were delighted to be asked to apply our skills as the world’s leading independent wireless advisory firm to making this ground-breaking new system a reality,” said Real Wireless CEO Mark Keenan.

“We applaud the vision of Tottenham Hotspur to address this at an early stage in the stadium design process and the club’s ambition to bring stadium communications into a new and exciting era.”

Indeed the tech network built by HPE Aruba connects together everything from ticketing to security and electric turnstiles, with video screens and LED signage used throughout the ground.

The design of the ground also needed to incorporate sufficient fibre, space, power and air conditioning to accommodate the mobile operators’ equipment and the various elements of equipment required for a distributed antenna system.

Mobile services to the seating bowl – which has a capacity of 62,062 fans – are provided by antenna located in discreet positions within the roof structure.

The stadium will also host a range of non-sporting events, including concerts, where pitch coverage is required.

It has a retractable pitch can divide up into three pitch-long pieces, housed in steel trays, which can slide underneath the stands and reveal an artificial surface to be used for NFL games and gigs.

Data capability is widely available where it is most needed. A high data rate service is available for the bowl, concourse, podiums, media areas, hospitality areas, conferencing suites and offices, as well as key operational areas such as event control and back of house.

A medium data rate service covers the basement and parking areas, while a low data rate service is available for the stairwells and plant rooms.

At the core of the new system is a fast, scalable and resilient network, designed to enable operational efficiency through centralised systems control and management.

Bluetooth beacon technology was also installed with HPE, enabling the club to engage with fans through the new Spurs Official app that enables wayfinding and proximity marketing to maximise the fan experience at the stadium.