- The University of Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium will be the first college stadium to get a Wi-Fi 7 network this fall, enhancing connectivity for 90,000 fans.
- The $400 million planned stadium renovation includes upgrades to gates, seating, concessions, and video boards alongside the new Wi-Fi 7 deployment.
The University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, also known as “The Swamp,” will be the first-ever college stadium to receive the Wi-Fi 7 network for faster device connectivity starting this fall.
According to a release, Extreme Networks, Inc., based in Morrisville, North Carolina, will deploy the cloud-driven Wi-Fi 7 network and, “when 90,000 fans pack the stadium this fall, the experience will be faster, more seamless, and more connected. Devices come online instantly; fans can share and stream without interruption and mobile ordering helps keep concessions moving.”
Implementing the new Wi-Fi 7 network will also carry into UF’s planned $400 million stadium renovation, which is in its final planning stages. The renovation will include upgrades to the entry gates, concourse, seating, concessions, restrooms, video boards and sound systems.
“On game day, The Swamp transforms into one of the most electrifying and densely connected environments in college sports,” UF Assistant Athletic Director for Information Technology Matt Vincent said in the release. “As we continue to invest in the fan experience at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, adding Wi-Fi 7 allows us to significantly increase capacity while enabling smarter, real-time connectivity that helps everything run smoothly at peak demand. The NIaaS model from Extreme Networks also provides the flexibility to scale as needed without significant upfront investment, allowing our IT team to operate more efficiently while delivering a consistently high-quality digital experience for every fan.”
According to the release, the new Wi-Fi 7 network will deliver:
- Ultra-fast speeds enabling seamless 4K/8K video streaming, instant social sharing, and real-time stats access.
- Lower latency for responsive mobile experiences, including in-seat ordering and interactive apps.
- Improved device capacity supporting tens of thousands of concurrent connections without performance degradation.
- Consistent coverage across seating bowls, concourses, suites and outdoor areas.
“High-density venues push networks to their limits, especially on game day,” said Norman Rice, chief commercial officer at Extreme, in the release. “This deployment demonstrates how Wi‑Fi 7 can set a new gold standard for college stadiums, delivering the performance, reliability, and scale today’s fans and operations demand.”