FC Cincinnati Standardizes on Aruba at TQL Stadium to Deliver Next-Generation Digital, Cashless, Contactless Fan and Event Experiences

Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company (NYSE: HPE), today announced that FC Cincinnati (FCC), the Cincinnati-based Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, has deployed an end-to-end Aruba ESP (Edge Services Platform) network at its new 26,000-seat TQL Stadium to power one of the most ambitious soccer-specific venues worldwide, raising the bar for game day and special event experiences.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210915005267/en/

TQL Stadium, FC Cincinnati's new half a million-square-foot venue, relies on Aruba ESP to drive next-generation, mobility-driven fan experiences. (Photo: FC Cincinnati)

To create its completely cashless, digitalized facility, FCC deployed a combination of Aruba’s wired, wireless and security solutions. Visitor-facing connectivity starts with SeatGeek mobile ticketing and Fortress wireless scanners for fast, paperless entry. For game and other visuals, two massive Daktronics and 14,370 feet of SACO V-STICK S display live images, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics and animations inside the stadium and across the building’s expansive eastern façade.

Operational connectivity includes approximately 200 point-of-sale devices controlled by cloud-enabled Appetize to support the stadium’s 175 food and beverage vendors, enabling FCC to process thousands of game day and special event transactions within milliseconds. Other connected systems range from hundreds of security cameras and door access devices to multiple business applications such as Microsoft Office 365.

“We based every aspect of designing, building and maintaining our stadium on creating next-generation fan experiences,” explained Dan Lolli, vice president of Facilities and Stadium General Manager for FC Cincinnati. “Working with our IT-as-a-Service partner Atomic Data, we determined Aruba was the leader in stadium deployments that provide fans with superior, high-performance, reliable, and consistent experiences while being efficient and cost-effective to manage.”

In collaboration with Atomic Data, FCC selected and deployed a future-ready wireless network comprised of Aruba’s Wi-Fi 6 indoor and outdoor access points (APs) and mobility controllers. For wired networking, FCC implemented Aruba’s access switches at the edge for IP audio and video along with the CX Series switches for access, aggregation and in the data center.