263 new wi-fi access points will be added for fans to connect their devices.
In today's world of connectivity, mobile devices, and social media, the Blue Jackets get credit for working to be at the front edge of the fan experience. For anyone that's spent a game in the CBJ Social Suite, or has followed the team's Twitter account, you know that the team is working to engage with the sports fan of today.
To that end, they've taken a big step in the right direction by announcing a move to provide wi-fi for fans at each and every home game. From the team's press release:
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Mobilitie, the nation’s largest privately-held provider of wireless infrastructure, have announced the installation of a high-density Wi-Fi system at Nationwide Arena that will provide guests with high-speed wireless connectivity on any mobile devices used within the arena. The network enables fans to stay connected and allows for greater interactivity during games and special events.
The Mobilitie network encompasses 263 access points strategically placed throughout Nationwide Arena. In addition to serving fan-facing areas in the seats and concourses, the network will also support high-speed connectivity in all of the arena’s press facilities, locker rooms, meeting spaces and offices. The Wi-Fi system complements the neutral host Distributed Antenna System (DAS) that Mobilitie installed in April 2013 to improve cellular coverage within Nationwide Arena.
"We are always striving to provide the very best in-arena experience for our fans and this enhancement enables us to better serve the changing needs of our customers," said Larry Hoepfner, Columbus Blue Jackets Executive Vice President of Business Operations. "Fans attending games and special events now expect a fully immersive experience and the addition of this network furthers that active engagement and opens the door to a host of future applications."
One can speculate that, with the All Star Game coming to Columbus this season, the team felt the need to ramp up the fan experience even more. This will go a long way toward making it that much more interactive to attend a Jackets game.