FSM
Feature
How Multi-Cloud Is Central To Creating Unrivalled Fan Experiences At Sporting Events
By Richard Bennett, Head of Industry Solutions & Strategy, EMEA, VMware.
In recent years, new technologies have fundamentally altered the live, in-stadium experience expected by sports fans. Presence alone is no longer enough. Fans require a connected experience, enveloped through mobile devices and an evolving mix of media platforms. For example, the 2022 FIFA World cup saw fans consume over 800TB of data within stadiums, watching live replays, posting on social media on masse, and ultimately pushing local mobile networks to the limits.
As the Rugby World Cup reaches the latter stages, similar expectations and challenges await organisers as they seek to provide an exceptional experience to hundreds of thousands of fans in-stadia, and many millions more worldwide. However, it’s impossible to accommodate demand for spots in stadiums, and there will be a limited number of individuals who can reliably access virtual streams. As such, it’s more important than ever that fans are provided with consistent, rich media and content experiences, no matter where they are located.
A significant increase in demand will ultimately examine the tournament’s ability to deliver connectivity at scale, far beyond the capability of traditional IT environments could support. The key to thriving will be the embracement of a multi-cloud strategy, where organisations utilise cloud computing services from multiple vendors to run their applications, instead of just a single-cloud stack. A strong multi-cloud strategy, which enables any app to be managed across any cloud to any device, could be hugely beneficial for large scale, live sporting events. And by combining multi-cloud with edge computing, which focuses on real-time data processing and communication between devices, stadiums can empower real-time interaction with users.
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Here are my top three use-cases for multi-cloud: 1. Providing Exceptional Insights, In Real-Time
Sport drives an intense connection between fans and their favourite teams and stars. There is an enthusiasm to feel as connected to the game they love as possible, by receiving insights around game preparation, line-ups, tactics. In short, the extraordinary emotional reaction and tribalism that comes with being a fan is unmatched.
In years gone by, rugby fans may well have settled for browsing the match-day programme or listening to the ‘Ref Radio’ – a communications channel that provides referee commentary. However, expectations have shifted. Today’s fans require an entirely new experience, covering the full match-day lifecycle. They desire insights that cover training and injury updates, game build-up and post-game analysis. They also want the option to review the Television Match Official decision (TMO) through their mobile device as they see it on the big screen to review different angles and settle debates with fans around them.
This is the area in which a multi-cloud strategy can enhance real-time connectivity, engagement and scale. 5G, telco and edge clouds work together seamlessly to provide the required computing power, and the low-latent connectivity to scale multi-media content from within the stadium to end-user devices around the world. Stadiums will find that, through multi-cloud, they can deliver the right applications, at the right moment, through a local connectivity point with telco edge and 5G, for the best possible content experience.
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