Ericsson has been chosen as the ‘connectivity partner’ for Chelsea Football Club’s home stadium Stamford Bridge.
The deal will see Ericsson providing free Wi-Fi for visitors to the ground, via the deployment of small cells. The company will design, build and operate the network itself.
Speaking of the roll-out, Ericsson senior vice president Arun Bansal said: “Our research indicates that people want to use their digital devices wherever they go, and the urge to connect is even greater at a Chelsea FC home game.
“Through this partnership, we will ensure the connectivity at Stamford Bridge matches the quality of the football. We look forward to exploring further options that will enable Chelsea FC to take the digital experience to the next level.”
Chelsea won its fifth Premier League title in 2016/2017, selling out every home match as it did so. The sheer volume of photo and video sharing taking place on match days according to Ericsson, “stretched cellular networks to their limits.”
The company has partnered with a number of sports clubs and stadiums across Europe to provide small cell as a service. These include Legia Warsaw and the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, home of rugby team Wasps.
