Powernet has returned to the Lindner Family Tennis Center for Cincinnati’s Western & Southern Open professional tennis tournament as the event’s Official Wi-Fi Provider. Powernet expanded its free-access, public Wi-Fi network to cover the entire tournament venue, which measures just under 20 acres.
Utilizing Wi-Fi technology from Ruckus Wireless, the large outdoor venue has been outfitted by Powernet with 80 outdoor access points, building a network that will support the nearly 200,000 fans attending the nine-day event, which opened Aug. 15.
The facility will be one of the first and largest outdoor venues in the country operating on faster, more scalable 802.11ac wireless network standards, which is up to three times faster than the the most recent technology, 802.11n.
The Wi-Fi upgrade will allow fans faster access to live scores, results and event information on the new tournament mobile app, and live streaming of more than 200 hours of tournament action on ESPN3.
In addition to broadband network access for fans, Powernet will also be showcasing new Wi-Fi analytics technology. Powernet’s Wi-Fi solution will use location-based analytics to provide tournament officials in-depth statistics regarding crowd patterns, attendee demographics and other pertinent information. This type of service can be used to enhance the fan experience by providing event-goers with real-time, location-relevant event information on the network home page.
“With one year under our belts at the event, we’re really looking to provide Western Southern Open organizers and fans next-level, robust Wi-Fi service,” said Alli Stevens, Powernet CEO. “Powernet’s ability to bring state of the art technology to large venues with enhanced Wi-Fi and data solutions makes this a great partnership for everyone involved and lets us deliver an experience that will keep fans coming back year after year.”
The network was limited to the food court area during the 2014 event. Powernet engineers began work expanding the network to cover the entire venue this past May. .
“This is a major amenity that our fans have come to expect,” said COO and tournament director Vince Cicero. “Together with Powernet, we’re creating a unique experience that allows fans to stay up to date on the activity from any of our 16 courts and various entertainment venues, no matter where they are at the venue.”
The $7 million tournament includes many of the biggest names on the ATP World Tour and WTA professional circuits, with Roger Federer and Serena Williams taking top honors in the men’s and women’s tournaments last year.
