Dive Brief:
- Madison Square Garden is expanding its partnership with Cisco to boost connectivity, in part through centralized management and automation of its network infrastructure, the arena announced Wednesday.
- The arena already deploys Cisco networking and wireless hardware. With the expansion, the focus is on improving wireless connectivity.
- “Cisco’s expertise in building high-performance network infrastructure enables us to provide seamless connectivity for artists and fans alike,” Doug Jossem, executive vice president of global sports and entertainment partnerships at MSG Entertainment, said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
Wireless connectivity and the solutions that rely on it, like cashierless concessions technology, are top goals for venues, according to a 2025 stadium connectivity white paper by Verizon and Stadium Tech Report, which surveyed stadium technology professionals between July and August this year.
Improved in-venue connectivity for fans was named as a top initiative by 60% of respondents, the survey found, followed by cashierless concessions technology (57%) and improving in-venue connectivity for operations, including electronic point-of-sale, security and broadcast and production, named by 54% of respondents. Walk-through security screening followed at 46%, with 42% saying that IoT and smart facility management was a top initiative. Smart facility management includes improving the connectivity of automated controls for lighting, HVAC, air quality, energy monitoring and predictive maintenance.
Cisco tools Madison Square Garden already employs, it says, include its Catalyst brand of switches and its Catalyst Center, which provides centralized IT network management and automation.
“Through our new partnership, we look forward to exploring opportunities to further integrate Cisco technology across the venue’s digital footprint,” Rob McQueen, vice president of global sponsorships at Cisco, said in a statement.
The arena also uses Cisco’s Identity Services Engine to provide a foundation for secure connectivity across the venue’s IT network. It integrates with the Catalyst Center to help technology teams automate operations. The network service provider’s Nexus 9000 series switches, managed by the Nexus Dashboard, are also used to ensure that MSG’s AI-ready data centers can deliver more computing power, speed and security, according to the release.
