Carousel Industries helps power NHL draft through improved Wi-Fi

CAROUSEL Industries of North America Inc. worked with a California company to improve the Wi-Fi at First Niagara Center in New York.
CAROUSEL Industries of North America Inc. worked with a California company to improve the Wi-Fi at First Niagara Center in New York.

EXETER – Carousel Industries of North America Inc. worked with a California company to upgrade technology at First Niagara Center in New York before the 2016 National Hockey League draft begins later this month.
Extreme Networks Inc., based in San Jose, Calif., entered into a strategic relationship with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres to improve the Wi-Fi where the team plays in the First Niagara Center before the June 24-25 draft. The draft is expected to attract more than 20,000 people to the center, including teams, press and fans.
James Marsh, Carousel’s chief revenue officer, said his company and Extreme have formed a three-year partnership, and as a result, Carousel is one of its tech providers. Carousel also worked with Extreme last year to improve Wi-Fi at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo, N.Y., home of the Buffalo Bills.
Marsh said the Sabres stadium – like the Bills stadium – was in need of upgrades. He said fans want to be able to access immediate updates through their smartphones while at sporting events, and now, thanks to the upgrades, they will be better connected. Marsh noted that the stadiums and teams will be better able to market their merchandise through the improved technology.
“Fans want immediate updates while at these events,” Marsh said in a recent phone interview. “They will be completed connected .. This is the latest and greatest wireless technology.”

According to a news release, Extreme sought to meet specific operational requirements that would deliver reliable mobile connectivity for stadium operations and an interactive experience for fans. The Buffalo Sabres deployed Extreme’s full connectivity and analytics solutions to enhance Wi-Fi connectivity, improve game day operations and support mobile services such as ticketing and concessions.
First Niagara Center was outfitted with Extreme’s flow-based 802.11ac Wave 2 technology, including new access points delivering location-based application analytics and upgraded speed, along with more capacity and enhanced security.
The release said that the project for the Buffalo Bills exceeded performance and adoption rates typically seen across large venues nationwide, with more than 37 percent of fans adopting the new network to take advantage of free, uninterrupted Wi-Fi service.
“After seeing the impact of the wired and wireless solution at the Bills’ Ralph Wilson Stadium, we opted to deploy Extreme’s wireless and analytics solution at First Niagara Center to support our team and fans during the upcoming NHL draft and season. As a host arena, First Niagara Center is responsible for meeting very specific requirements that ensure coaches, players, press and fans have the reliable Wi-Fi they need to stay connected. We’re confident that we’ll meet this goal with the help of Extreme and Carousel,” Michael Gilbert, vice president of administration, Buffalo Sabres, said in a statement.
Marsh said Carousel is now working on wireless upgrades at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough where the New England Patriots play. He said Carousel also has upgraded Camden Yards for the Baltimore Orioles and Fenway Park for the Boston Red Sox.
“This puts us into a very unique niche vertical where stadiums now require much more focus around tech solutions so they can have a real, live relationship with the fan in the seat,” Marsh said.
Nikki Nemarich, Carousel’s vice president of marketing, said Carousel’s technology could be used anywhere there are stadiums and arenas, such as institutions of higher learning.
“This has implications beyond professional sports teams,” Nemarich said.

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