Borussia Dortmund and Extreme Networks bring Wi-Fi 6E-ready network to Germany’s largest stadium

Flexible, scalable, secure wireless and fabric solutions drive modernised in-stadium amenities, a better fan experience and improved operational efficiencies.

Extreme Networks, a leader in cloud networking, has announced that it has been selected to deploy next-generation wireless and analytics solutions for Borussia Dortmund, one of the largest football clubs in Germany.

The new Wi-Fi 6E-ready network, which will be deployed in partnership with Bell Computer-Netzwerke, will modernise experiences throughout team facilities and the stadium and create a foundation for future technology like in-seat concessions ordering and in-stadium AR/VR.

With a capacity of up to 81,365, Borussia Dortmund’s stadium is the largest football stadium in Germany. In addition to Borussia Dortmund’s matches, the stadium also hosts international events including six matches in the upcoming 2024 European Football Championship.

Key benefits:

• Next-generation Wi-Fi for outstanding fan experiences: The new network will provide both fans and stadium operations staff with reliable wireless connectivity, delivering better experiences for training team members and administrative staff, enabling fans to participate in real-time sports betting and supporting use cases like faster mobile ticket scanning. Additionally, because the new network will be Wi-Fi 6E-ready, Borussia Dortmund will be prepared to embrace the next generation of Wi-Fi and can maximise the return on its network investment as it will be prepared for 6 GHz devices and future potential use cases. Operations teams will benefit from reliable, increased bandwidth which can support everything from smart security cameras to cashless transactions and digital signage.

• Automated, secure, scalable operations: With Extreme Fabric Connect, the club will be able to quickly scale its network as necessary, enabling the IT team to automatically provision and configure Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) in offices and team training rooms, as well as indoor and outdoor locations throughout the stadium. Additionally, because Fabric networks support hyper-segmentation, Borussia Dortmund can ensure its operational network is entirely separated from the more accessible fan-facing Wi-Fi network, providing an additional layer of security and preventing a lateral attack from interrupting operations or stalling a match.

• Real-time network insights, improved data-driven strategies: ExtremeAnalytics will provide the Club with real-time insights into activity, users, devices and applications on the Wi-Fi network. As it taps into network analytics, the Club can make better decisions around stadium staffing based on fan foot traffic, identify potential sponsorship opportunities based on what applications fans are using and make better decisions when determining how to evolve services in the stadium to keep fans engaged during every match.

Carsten Cramer, Managing Director, Borussia Dortmund, said: “We want to offer our fans, as well as employees and players, the greatest possible connectivity – both for an impressive fan experience, but also for smooth processes behind the scenes. Our new Wi-Fi 6E-ready network will enable us to find new opportunities for sponsorships and monetisation, lean into new fan experiences like real-time sports betting and ensure we are ready for future use cases that we may not be aware of today. We now feel that we are prepared to increase our goals for technology usage throughout our offices and team operations, and we’re excited to offer fans more modern experiences when they return to matches next season.”

Thomas Mehrfort, Head of Sports and Venues EMEA, Extreme Networks, said: “The network is fundamental to almost all areas of a company’s business, including stadiums and other venues. First-class connectivity is necessary, not only for outstanding fan experiences, but also to ensure new innovative digital offerings and services are fully supported. Borussia Dortmund’s new network will enable it to optimise matchday operations throughout its stadium and lay the foundation so they can build toward a digitally driven future for the club.”