Real Madrid C.F. Will Transform the Experience for Spectators and Visitors at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

Cisco Connected Sports Solutions will help Real Madrid enable innovative and unique visitor and fan experiences

Madrid, 15 November 2011 – Cisco and Real Madrid C.F. today announced that the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium will continue to be a model for leading technology innovation bycombining the Club’s sports entertainment vision and state-of-the-art Cisco® Connected Sports Solutions to provide soccer fans a completely innovative experience.

First of its kind in Europe

As the first soccer club in Europe that will deploy the Cisco Connected Stadium Wi-Fi solution, Real Madrid C.F. is poised to make the Santiago Bernabéu one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world.

Once the new high density Wi-Fi network is deployed, fans will be able to easily utilise their mobile devices and smart phones to quickly and reliably access several applications specifically designed to engage with the Stadium, as well as accessing Internet and social media during the game. Encouraging fans to use the Connected Stadium Wi-Fi network for Internet connectivity will also help to free up cellular networks, allowing spectators to text and call throughout the games, something that can be challenging nowadays.

Along with Cisco StadiumVision®, the two solutions will allow Real Madrid C.F. and its sponsors to connect with fans in entirely new ways. And by bringing high-definition video of the game to the numerous screens located throughout the stadium, spectators will be able to catch all the action and enjoy exclusive content, even when away from their seats.

“We are always looking to have cutting-edge technology and security and to offer a unique fan experience,” said Real Madrid C.F. CIO, Enrique Uriel.“When Cisco’s Connected Stadium Wi-Fi and StadiumVision are available at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, Real Madrid C. F. will take the fan experience at the Stadium to another level. These leading solutions will leverage all the potential of a state-of-the-art custom-built, high-speed network and new applications, thereby allowing us to connect and engage our fans in ways never seen before in Europe. We are excited to deliver a more customized game environment and provide fans with new options to interact and share their experiences via their mobile devices.“

Providing new ways to reach fans and enabling enhanced fan experiences

• Next-Generation Mobile Experience: At the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Cisco will deploy a high-density Connected Stadium Wi-Fi network that will enable a richer, more interactive, customised social experience for fans through their smart phones and mobile devices. With the Connected Stadium Wi-Fi network, Real Madrid C.F. will be able to:

o   Allow fans to share their game-day experiences with the thousands of supporters at the Santiago Bernabéu, and with millions more around the globe, via social media applications easily accessible from their mobile devices.

o   Provide customised applications that create an immersive and interactive game-day environment, allowing fans to use their smartphones to engage Real Madrid in a more personalized fashion.

o   Help ensure consistent and reliable connectivity to thousands of fans by efficiently off-loading all data traffic and freeing up the entire cellular network bandwidth for phone calls and text messages.

o   Provide a new communication channel which Real Madrid staff will be able to use for security and operational purposes and other services, including a better service to the press and other media.

o   In addition to this, there’s a whole spectrum of new possibilities to access content and engage with visitors during non-gaming days, especially for the Bernabéu stadium visiting tours.

• Customised Digital Content to Augment the Game-Day Action: In addition, Cisco will help to build the foundation for a unique visual fan experience at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Through a network of high-definition (HD) displays throughout the stadium, the Cisco StadiumVision solution will provide Real Madrid C.F. with a centrally managed digital media system:

o   Existing brand partners, advertisers and sponsors will be able to engage fans taking advantage of highly dynamic and targeted HD video opportunities that could be customised during the game based on the area of the stadium. Video will also make it possible to capture the attention of all the spectators during a significant moment in time, such as a goal.

o   Spectators in hospitality suites will be able to enjoy the match in HD and take advantage of new services and customized content distribution by simply changing the channel using the interactive Cisco IP Phone located in the suite.

o   New multimedia and communication channels will be created in order to provide a better experience at the Stadium corridors, bars and ticket offices.

To enable these experiences, the Cisco Connected Stadium network at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium will be designed to support the large volumes of high-definition video and Wi-Fi traffic that are generated during matches.

By deploying Cisco Connected Sports solutions, Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and Real Madrid C.F. will be able to provide innovative and unique experiences to fans today and well in the future.

Supporting quotes

• David Holland, general manager and senior vice president of Sports and Entertainment Solutions Group at Cisco.

“Cisco is delighted to be working with Real Madrid C.F. in order to make the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium the most innovative in the country and a model of reference in Europe.Industry leaders need to think creatively about how they can utilise the network as the platform to change the rules of the game and further engage fans. We are excited to see Real Madrid continuing to lead the way.“

Supporting Resources

• For more information on how Cisco is transforming the Sports and Entertainment industry, please visit: Cisco Sports & Entertainment
• Cisco Connected Sports
• Cisco Wireless

About Real Madrid C.F.

With a 109 year-old-history and considered by the FIFA as ‘The Best Club in the Twentieth Century’, Real Madrid C. F. is the most prize-winning soccer club in the world. Its universality, respect and competitiveness values have turned Real Madrid into an institution always changing in order to keep those values that make the Club a worldwide reference.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO, news, filings) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate with reach other.  Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com.  For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

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