There are more and more free Wi-Fi access points around, supplied by businesses keen to reel customers in, as we edge near a possible triple-dip recession. Recently we have heard of new free Wi-Fi initiatives from KFC, SuperDrug, Stansted and Edinburgh airports and even Great Yarmouth town centre. These join a large amount of UK high street establishments already doing the same (see graphic below).
Today it has been announced that Liverpool FC has installed a “Premier Xirrus Wi-Fi Network at Anfield Stadium” to help improve the fans’ match day experience. The initial deployment of the service will be targeted at the 12,000 seat Centenary Stand and nearby corporate facilities. The Wi-Fi is intended to enable fans to quickly and easily share posts, tweets and media clips of the match experience.
Andrew Robinson, Head of Digital Media and Technology at Liverpool FC said “The added reliability and performance of high capacity Wi-Fi over 3G connections will encourage our fans to use social networks like Twitter and Facebook to share their experiences with fans unable to make it to the game.” Like many other free Wi-Fi services “Sign-in will be via a one-time registration process using an email address”.
Robinson added that Wi-Fi is expected by a growing number of customers “We have to enhance the match day experience as ultimately we are fighting with the living room experience; sitting watching a large flat screen TV in the warm, with internet access and a bottle of beer.” He went on to point out that you can’t take the atmosphere of Anfield into the home you can bring some more home comforts into the stadium.
Watching the video presentation, the free offer appears to rely on a portal web page/app that shows match stats, food and drink offers, sports merchandise retail and offers in-play betting. Further images of a smartphone showed links to share match info and media via YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest etc so access to unrelated web services do appear to be possible. Robinson says the service will be better for the fans, who previously suffered from 3G congestion problems, and helps Liverpool FC give exposure their own offerings and those of business partners.
Home fans will be able to use the new Anfield Xirrus Wi-Fi network for the first time at Liverpool’s game against West Ham on Sunday 7 April. If you miss a goal because you are staring at your smartphone, some other spectator will have surely captured it and shared it on YouTube a few minutes later...
