Fans at Croke Park are to benefit from major tech improvements thanks to a partnership between the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and global telecoms giant Ericsson.
As official technology partner for the next three years, Ericsson will advise the GAA, the Irish and international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, on all ICT-related matters and optimise mobile connectivity at the Croke Park stadium in Dublin.
Ericsson will help the GAA to implement future-proof, scalable and functional technology at the 82,000-capacity Croke Park, with the aim of enhancing patrons’ matchday experiences in the coming years.
In working with the GAA, Ericsson will draw on best practices gained from working on similar projects around the world.
The company last year deployed stadium experiences for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the Uefa Euro 2016 football championships in France.
“Connectivity and mobility enable new experiences in an emerging internet of sport,” said Aogán Ó Fearghail, president of the GAA.
“With Ericsson’s expertise, Croke Park will become a stadium of the future and a leader of sports technology.”
The GAA promotes Gaelic games such as hurling and Gaelic football as well as the Irish language.
It will be aided by the expertise and local knowledge of Ericsson’s team of 1,360 employees based in Athlone and Dublin.
John Griffin, head of Ericsson Ireland, said: “Croke Park holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Irish people everywhere and in the year when we celebrate 60 years of Ericsson’s presence in Ireland we are delighted to partner with the GAA and show our commitment to the Irish society.
“With more than 40 per cent of the world’s mobile traffic passing through network equipment supplied by Ericsson, we are perfectly positioned to support the GAA in meeting growing demands, improving stadium connectivity, and ensuring the best possible digital experience for fans.”
IMAGE: Ericsson/GAA
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