The Kraft Group - Winning Off the Field with Wi-Fi
Published: January 12, 2023
With enhanced fan experience as a top priority, the Kraft Group embarked on a mission in 2012 with Extreme Networks. The goal was to provide high-density Wi-Fi to all guests at Gillette Stadium. This mission was marked by significant challenges, as this is one of the largest stadiums in terms of Wi-Fi throughput and capacity. The stadium, required approximately 65,000 fans to be connected simultaneously, representing up to 22 gigabytes of traffic during each event.
In the short term, the Kraft Group needed a Wi-Fi network solution that allowed thousands of users to connect while receiving high-quality content consistently. However, with users becoming increasingly digitized, new demands started to emerge. The Kraft Group soon realized that by partnering with Extreme, options were endless and business outcomes better than expected.
Challenges
- Provide high-density Wi-Fi to tens of thousands of Gillette Stadium guests
- Scalable solution to enable growth alongside stadium developments and new initiatives
- Future proof network to support new in-stadium technologies and evolving fan expectations
"We’re able to extend the reach of the network beyond what a traditional network can do. Our gate entry turnstiles are all Wi-Fi based, when our employees get off of a shuttle bus, they’re able to jump on the Wi Fi network to clock in to hit our employee applications for checking purposes. And then over half of our point of sale terminals are actually attached to the Wi Fi network, which expands our reach profoundly."
Extreme Solutions
- Extreme Wireless™
- ExtremeCloud™ IQ
Results
- Scalability beyond the reach of a traditional network
- Introduction of new in-stadium technologies and services like wireless entry turnstiles and employee applications
- Reliable, resilient Wi-Fi connectivity for all stadium guests and employees