SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Extreme
Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXTR) today announced an agreement with the
National Football League (NFL) to become the Official Wi-Fi and
Wi-Fi Analytics provider of Super Bowl LI. This announcement
follows Extreme's wired and wireless deployment at Super Bowl LI
Stadium in Houston, Texas and
marks the first time that Extreme has implemented its wired and
wireless solution at a stadium hosting the season's most
anticipated game. This is the fourth Super Bowl powered by
ExtremeAnalytics™.
Since Extreme announced its partnership with the NFL in 2014, it
has deployed its end-to-end software-driven
ExtremeWirelessTM networking solution throughout 10 NFL
stadiums to support the league's increased focus on advanced
wireless standards. As a result, in-stadium wireless usage has
increased from one terabyte to 3.5 times that on game day as a
result of the increased number of fans accessing Wi-Fi networks
game to game, year over year. The Ravens are only in their
second season with public-facing Wi-Fi, and the team's average
Wi-Fi adoption percentage is 34 percent – peaking to 40 percent
adoption in some games – that's over 28,000 concurrent users on the
network. In addition, fan engagement has grown significantly with
easy access to team-developed mobile apps: in 2016 the Philadelphia
Eagles Game Day App became one of the top five sports apps accessed
by fans during games at Lincoln Financial Field, an increase of 4X
from in 2015.
Fan usage of the NFL's Super Bowl Game Day app also skyrocketed
in the last year, receiving the most hits to date at the 2016 Super
Bowl. Other notable trends collected throughout NFL Stadiums
include an increase in streaming content and social media apps. In
2016, Snapchat emerged as the number one bandwidth intensive app in
stadiums powered by ExtremeAnalytics, followed by Facebook. All of
this data was collected, analyzed and made actionable through
ExtremeAnalytics, which is currently deployed in 18 NFL stadiums.
With this network visibility, the technical teams in each stadium
are able to adjust their wired and wireless strategy to support and
anticipate the unique needs of their fans.
As part of Extreme's wireless support, 20 certified Extreme
Networks Wi-Fi Coaches™ will be at Super Bowl Stadium on Super Bowl
Sunday assisting fans with Wi-Fi connectivity and access to the
Super Bowl Game Day App. The Wi-Fi coaches will interact with fans
before the gates open to ensure they have all of the information
required to access Super Bowl Stadium's network. They will also be
in constant communication with the stadium's Network Operations
Center and continuously monitor social media for Wi-Fi connectivity
alerts. This program is in place to elevate the fans' Super Bowl
experience and enable them to capture and share their memories on
their mobile device.
NRG Stadium Wi-Fi Deployment Key Facts
- Local Support and Partners – Ahead of the 2016 NFL
season, Extreme Networks partnered with 5Bars, Harris County Sports
& Convention Corporation, the Houston Texans, and the Houston
Super Bowl Host Committee to deploy the high-density Wi-Fi solution
at NRG Stadium which is hosting this year's Super Bowl.
- Uniquely Designed for Super Bowl LI Stadium – Trained
network architects surveyed the stadium and considered all the
parameters of the physical structure to design a deployment
strategy that fit the needs of Super Bowl LI Stadium.
- Robust, Secure Wi-Fi Connectivity – 5 Bars installed
ExtremeWireless custom under seat access points (APs) and their
enclosures throughout the seating of the stadium. The project also
included outdoor coverage, along with club, suites, field,
administration, and back office areas. The total system
included 1260 access points installed throughout the stadium
complex.
- Referenceable Analytics – In addition to deploying its
wireless solution, Extreme also implemented ExtremeAnalytics, which
enables the IT team at Super Bowl LI Stadium to monitor the network
bandwidth, ensuring it reaches every fan in the stadium on game
day.
Executive Perspectives
Michelle McKenna-Doyle, CIO and
SVP, The National Football League
"In 2013,
the NFL implemented a new wireless standard to support the needs of
fans in every stadium. This initiative was incredibly important to
the League as fans now expect seamless connectivity and are
capturing their memories and experiences through their mobile
device. We are proud to have updated over 28 NFL facilities to meet
this new standard, and look forward to working with our partner
Extreme Networks as we continue to implement more advanced wireless
capabilities."
Dave Wheat, Chief
Administrative Officer, Buffalo Bills
"Offering secure,
reliable Wi-Fi connectivity at New Era Field is critical to the
in-stadium experience for our fans. High-density Wi-Fi is also an
asset that supports and enables our organization's strategic
business initiatives. With ExtremeWireless and ExtremeAnalytics,
we're able to better understand the evolving mobile engagement
behaviors and preferences of our fans, and incorporate this
intelligence into the broader goals of our organization. This
includes the integration and enablement of key fan engagement
tools, which drive a more valuable, convenient, personalized
experience for our fans. As a result, the Bills are able to
form a stronger and more meaningful connection with our fan base
while supporting the overarching goals of the
business."
Roy Sommerhof, SVP of Stadium
Operations, Baltimore Ravens
"Providing an excellent fan
experience at M&T Bank Stadium is a top priority for the
Ravens' organization. In today's mobile world, our fans
expect to stay connected on game day, and view in-stadium Wi-Fi as
an essential component to meet these expectations. With Extreme,
the Ravens deployed a high-density Wi-Fi solution at M&T Bank
Stadium prior to the 2015 NFL season. We have one season of
fan-facing Wi-Fi under our belt, and the engagement numbers
continue to climb as we continue into the 2016 NFL season. With
peak Wi-Fi usage reaching as high as 40 percent, it's safe to say
that our decision to invest in this technology has already proven
successful."
Don Smolenski, President,
Philadelphia Eagles
"For fans today, attending a game goes
far beyond just watching the action on the field. We all want to
experience the same connectivity in-stadium that we enjoy during
our everyday lives, whether that means interacting with friends and
family, keeping up with scores and replays from around the league,
or personalizing the in-stadium experience. Our partnership with
Extreme Networks has allowed us to enhance the stadium experience
for Eagles fans and has helped us to better understand the mobile
trends and engagement in and around Lincoln Financial
Field."
Norman Rice, EVP of Global
Marketing, Supply Chain and Corporate Development, Extreme
Networks
"Following Extreme's wireless implementation
across ten NFL stadiums, we've seen how the network and analytics
capabilities are driving the unique business goals of each team. By
collecting key learnings through ExtremeAnalytics, we've helped our
customers leverage that data to further improve the fan experience.
We're thrilled to provide our wireless at the Super Bowl for
the first time and support the NFL and its fans at the biggest game
of the year."
Additional Resources
- Extreme Networks Super Bowl LI Page
- ExtremeWireless™ Product Page
- ExtremeAnalytics™ Product Page
- ExtremeControl™ Products Page
- ExtremeManagement™ Products Page
- Connect with Extreme
via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google+
Forward Looking Statements:
Statements in this
release, including those concerning the Company's partnership
with National Football League (NFL), the relationship's
potential for optimizing fan engagement, in-stadium wireless and
fan application usage, and the NFL's ability to monitor the network
bandwidth in areas of critical business functions and event
management are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
"safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements speak only as
of the date of this release. Actual results or events could differ
materially from those anticipated in those forward-looking
statements as a result of certain factors, including: the
effectiveness of our solutions as compared with our customers'
needs; a highly competitive business environment for software
equipment; the possibility that we might experience delays in the
development or introduction of new technology and products;
customer response to our new technology and products; and a
dependency on third parties for certain components and for the
manufacturing of our products.
More information about potential factors that could affect the
Company's business and financial results is included in the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including, without limitation, under the captions: "Management's
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations," and "Risk Factors". Except as required under the
U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Extreme
Networks disclaims any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements after the date of this release, whether
as a result of new information, future events, developments,
changes in assumptions or otherwise.
About Extreme Networks
Extreme Networks,
Inc. (EXTR) delivers software-driven networking solutions that help
IT departments everywhere deliver the ultimate business outcome:
stronger connections with customers, partners and employees. Wired
to wireless, desktop to data center, on premise or through the
cloud, we go to extreme measures for our customers in more than 80
countries, delivering 100% insourced call-in technical support to
organizations large and small, including some of the world's
leading companies in business, hospitality, retail, transportation
and logistics, education, government, healthcare and manufacturing.
Founded in 1996, Extreme is headquartered in San Jose, California. For more information,
visit Extreme's website or call 1-888-257-3000.
Extreme Networks, ExtremeWireless, ExtremeManagement,
ExtremeAnalytics, ExtremeControl, Extreme Networks Wi-Fi Coaches
and the Extreme Networks logo are either trademarks or
registered trademarks of Extreme Networks,
Inc. in the United States and/or other
countries. Other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners.
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SOURCE Extreme Networks, Inc.