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Story URL: http://management.silicon.com/itdirector/0,39024673,39158100,00.htm

Photos: High-tech at the heart of US sport
Contactless payments, e-ticketing and everybody's gone surfin' in the bleachers...

By Will Sturgeon

Published: Friday 21 April 2006

AT&T Park, home to the San Francisco Giants, is, as its name and location would suggest, perhaps the most high-tech baseball stadium in the US, despite the traditional design.

Every single seat has high-speed wireless internet access. Bill Schlough, CIO of the Giants, told silicon.com: "At the start of 2004 I think we were one of the largest wireless implementations in the world."

He said despite the Park occupying a fairly small plot of land beside the Bay the rollout was far from easy.

Schlough said: "We've got four different levels and concrete everywhere, so to make sure we can reach every nook and cranny we have to have access points everywhere." But he's confident every single seat can get on the internet: "We're talking hundreds of people, not thousands making use of this but people are realising they can come to the game and perhaps get some work done. It's probably not true in every area of the US but for this area it makes absolute sense and we could have 42,000 people all online."

And when the sun is shining he believes such an opportunity may tempt more people out of the offices.

In terms of getting the system up and running, Schlough told silicon.com "being AT&T Park certainly helps". But being a focal point at the heart of Silicon Valley also helps. The tech-savvy fans have a greater expectation and the wealth of innovation in the Bay Area means Schlough is constantly exposed to potential.

Schlough says, importantly, his CEO and the club's owner both support his vision. "It's not like I have a blank chequebook but I have a lot of support here," he said.

Photo credit: Will Sturgeon