Real Madrid

Cisco and Real Madrid C.F. have signed an agreement by which the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium will continue to be a model for leading technology innovation by combining the Club's sports entertainment vision and state-of-the-art Cisco® Connected Sports Solutions to provide soccer fans with a completely innovative experience.

As the first soccer club in Europe to deploy the Cisco Connected Stadium Wi-Fi solution, Real Madrid C.F. is poised to make the Santiago Bernabeu 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.

Providing new ways to reach fans and enabling enhanced fan experiences:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.

Cisco will help to build the foundation for a unique visual fan experience at the Santiago Bernabeu 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.

"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 customised game environment and provide fans with new options to interact and share their experiences via their mobile devices."