Venues gear up for a digital future

AEG's David Jones highlighted the growing importance of digital communication at the popular New Technology Panel at ILMC 24 and explained about AEG's moves to provide wi-fi access for fans and venues. Now the San Jose Mercury News announced that the NBA's Golden State Warriors have launched a free Wi-Fi network within their Oracle Arena However, the Wi-Fi network is said to be only the tip of the technological iceberg for the Warriors. "We're really just scratching the surface," Warriors' team president Rick Wells told the Mercury News, "I really feel like sports will benefit as much as anything from technology today." In addition to the Warriors' free Wi-Fi network, the team's management has also installed a new antenna system that will improve cell phone reception within the arena, tackling one of the most common complaints from sporting patrons. Finally, the Warriors have most recently launched an iPhone app for fans.  Other venues are similarly gearing up for the digital age: The NFL's San Franciso 49ers  announced that their new stadium will be crafted with an eye to appeasing the technological needs of their fans and when the New York jets and Giants built their new MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, they spared no expense in giving fans the technology they desired. The stadium partnered with Verizon to create a "high-speed wireless network" to allow fans the ability to utilize their phones as they wished and an app was released allowing fans access to up-to-the-minute team information, parking alerts, and information on which concession lines were the shortest.