Vodafone Create Game Changing 5G Enabled Fan Experience

On Sunday, 20th October we worked alongside Vodafone Business to launch a #5Gamechanger fan experience for VIP guests at the Wasps vs London Irish Gallagher Premiership rugby game, at the Ricoh Arena.

VIP guests where provided with exclusive content streamed from state-of-the-art 360° cameras located in the tunnel, dug out and South stand — which is closed to fans, allowing only our VIPs to enjoy the action from this vantage point.

Accessed via an app on the Samsung Note 10+, footage was streamed from camera to seat in real time, offering an up close and personal view of the match along with pregame and halftime activities. Fans could switch between the three cameras within the app and explore the full 360° angle by rotating the Samsung Note 10+ or scrolling across the screen.

The experience was part of the newly installed #5Gamechanger seats delivered by sports marketing agency, CSM. In a prime location beneath the Director’s box, Vodafone’s VIP seats are super comfortable, heated and via a dedicated home screen guests were able to order snacks and drinks to their seats at lightning speeds; update social media and check in on live game stats, meaning they really are the best seats in the house.

Anne Sheehan, director of Vodafone Business in the UK says “customers can now experience 5G throughout the stadium – it provides an opportunity for us to grow fan engagement with applications such as live-streaming video, mixed reality experiences, and real time access to on-pitch information.”

The Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G, paired with Vodafone’s 5G network, allows fans to stream the exclusive content up to 10 times faster than 4G, with amazingly low latency.

Latency is incredibly important for delivering this kind of fan experience. Any perception of lag – or delay – between what’s happening on the pitch and what’s unfolding on your handset immediately breaks your immersion.

We are proud to have helped Vodafone unlock a wholly immersive experience, resetting the standard of expectations amongst its customers. As Wasps legend Jimmy Copperth says “It’s not just about getting out there and playing rugby, these days there is so much technology involved.”

This is just one of the 5G-centred projects we have worked on with Vodafone in recent months. Click here to view the launch we created for the brand’s 5G network, and click here to learn what we did to bring the benefits of 5G to life with Vodafone and the Mayor of London.