This article is sponsored by Verizon.
Home to the Las Vegas Raiders, Allegiant Stadium is the NFL’s newest. The domed arena—a must in the Nevada desert—was constructed at a cost of $1.9 billion, with over $1.1 billion provided by the Raiders. The stadium’s design is bold (its exterior has been compared to a spaceship and Darth Vader’s helmet), comprising 28,000 tons of steel, 75,000 feet of digital billboards, and enough concrete to triple the length of Vegas’s famous Strip.
Its most exciting feature, though, may be that the Allegiant is one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the country, if not the world. Cutting-edge Wi-Fi, cashless transactions, and thousands of video screens are just a few of the innovative public-facing technologies making up the future of football arenas.
Totally cashless experience
The Raiders’ website notes that it’s the “the first venue in American pro sports to open as a cashless venue,” accepting instead Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and debit/credit cards. More than just a Covid-era policy, going cashless leads to faster service, shorter lines, and more time spent watching the game. For those old-school fans who do bring cash, the stadium is outfitted with plenty of cash-to-card kiosks (basically, reverse ATMs).
Traditionally, stadiums and other packed spaces are internet dead zones. It’s difficult—and expensive—to provide service to 65,000 people gathered in an area the size of a couple city blocks. But Cox Business teamed up with the stadium to provide 227 miles of fiber-optic cables and 1,700 Wi-Fi access points to provide high-speed internet across the entire stadium. Taking it up a notch, or shall we say yard, the Raiders also paired with MatSing to install 27 high-performance antennas, saturating the stadium in 4G and 5G coverage.
Thousands of 4K screens
Allegiant boasts over 2,200 screens provided by Cisco Vision, most of them in 4K. Which means fans are never out of sight of the action, even when they’re out of sight of the field. Plus, with multi-camera live streams, the stadium is future-proofed to handle augmented and virtual reality replays.
A Raiders app for fans to find parking and check concession lines
Among NFL team apps, the Las Vegas Raiders rule the league. While most teams’ apps provide scores, news, and analysis, the Raiders’ goes further by catering to fans at the stadium. On-site fans can switch to “Stadium Mode” and get access to events, parking information, directions, and even real-time information on concession lines.
The world’s largest 3D-printed structure
Adorning the interior of Allegiant Stadium, the Al Davis Memorial Torch commemorates the long-time owner of the Raiders franchise. Standing 85-feet tall and made out of carbon fiber and aluminum, the torch is the tallest 3D-printed structure in the world. The stadium’s 55,000-square-foot Peristyle Club encircles the illuminated memorial, with the massive glass walls and circular area behind it revealing a view of the Strip.
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Extensive, integrated tech infrastructure supports an even more robust on-site experience, including thousands of IoT devices, digital signage, and edge computing. Completed in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic was in its first, fraught year, Allegiant Stadium is sure to delight eager fans when it opens officially for its first full season this year.
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