After a long winter, the time has finally come again: baseball is back.
Earlier this month in Florida and Arizona, MLB teams reported to their respective Spring Training camps and die-hard fans across the nation regained hope that this will be their team’s year (not you, Orioles fans). For a sport that values tradition above almost all other things, not much has changed in the MLB from previous years. The mound is still sixty feet, 6 inches from the plate and, no, there are not yet “Robo-Umps” calling balls and strikes.
There was an announcement just last week, however, that is sure to bring baseball fans into the 21st century.
Following an agreement between network equipment company Extreme Networks and the MLB, Wi-Fi 6 technology will be installed in 16 major league ballparks by the year 2026. Among those stadiums that are expected to receive the technology are Boston’s Fenway Park, Cleveland’s Progressive Field and St. Louis’ Busch Stadium.
Wi-Fi 6, as we’ve covered in previous blogs, is super-fast Wi-Fi that provides users with never-before-seen broadband speed. It is difficult to scale venues that hold 20,000 to 40,000 users (like stadiums), and that explains why you may not be able to post a picture from the game to your Twitter or Instagram while you’re in the stands. Extreme Networks, however, has experience at this scale, given a similar deal they’ve made with the NFL, and is able to deliver Wi-Fi 6 technology to fans seamlessly.
This exciting news from the MLB will prove to revolutionize the stadium experience for baseball fans, once it is safe and responsible to enter ballparks once again. Whether fans are looking to navigate the concourse, order food or post on social media, the Wi-Fi 6 equipped stadiums will allow attendees to connect easily and at faster speeds than ever before.
For more on the agreement and how it will promise to revolutionize the in-person experience for MLB fans, see here for the official Extreme Networks press release announcing the news.