Dallas Cowboys deck out new stadium with Cisco video technology

The Dallas Cowboys this week signed a deal to outfit their brand new stadium with immersive and interactive video technology from Cisco.

The Cowboys will equip their $1.1 billion stadium with Cisco Connected Sports technologies – including Cisco StadiumVision and IP phones and infrastructure. The technology provides sporting and events facilities with thousands of high-definition video monitors and digital signage customized for a particular event. StadiumVision also allows fans to interact with the event experience by taping and accessing instant replays on a handheld device and sharing it with other participants, or with anyone on the Internet.

Cisco StadiumVision is also in use at the new Yankee Stadium and at Toronto's Rogers Centre, home of Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays.

The deal between Cisco and the Cowboys makes the new 3 million square-foot Cowboys' Stadium the most technologically advanced entertainment venue in all of North American football, Cisco says. It even has the world's largest HDTV video board. 

The technology will also help the Cowboys create new revenue streams by enticing more people to attend more events at the venue via the interactive video experience, and through signage campaigns targeted at the event demographic.

"We want fans to have experiences you cannot come close to having at home" on an HD TV, said Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, during a press conference announcing the Cisco/Cowboy collaboration.

The stadium will have 3,000 HD TV displays in the concourse, club or concessions areas featuring customized game footage and real-time information. The Cowboys can customize displays with pre-event, event and post-event content, such as out-of-town games and scores, team trivia, weather, traffic and news, in addition to the actual game or event.

Fans in the 300 luxury suites will be able to choose video options from a touch-screen IP phone.

Attendees should never lose sight of the event – wherever they are in the stadium, according to Cisco CEO John Chambers.

"One-third of fans are moving throughout the stadium all of the time," he said during the Webcast press conference.

In addition to being the new home of the Cowboys, the stadium will host the 2011 Super Bowl, the 2010 NBA All-Star Game and the 2014 NCAA men's basketball tournament, as well as concerts and other spectator events.

AT&T is also involved in the Cisco StadiumVision implementation.