Wisconsin putting WiFi in their football stadium

Only saw a tweet, but they are spending $6.3 million to upgrade wifi for fans attending Camp Randall.

That's nice and all for them, not necessarily bad. But am I the only fucker who doesn't needs WiFi during games? Anyone I really keep that in touch with is probably watching the game. As long as you can get calls, were good IMO

The last game I went to at SS was against Boise. It took forever for anything to load and even for texts to go through. I don't know what the infrastructure is around E. Lansing, but I thought it was horrible. I had the same problem at the Rose Bowl. My phone must have been trying to ping off different towers to get a signal and by the second quarter I had to turn it off with 15% battery. I showed up to the tailgate with 80%.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:That's nice and all for them, not necessarily bad. But am I the only fucker who doesn't needs WiFi during games? Anyone I really keep that in touch with is probably watching the game. As long as you can get calls, were good IMO

Aren't you also a student or recent grad? As you get older, you'll know more and more people that couldn't give two shits about a MSU football game. And some of those people may even be very important to you where you will want to have contact with them during a game.

But you're missing the real value in this. When Tanfan goes up for a game, think about how much more quickly he'd be able to post that he's giving up on the team?

Seriously though, when I'm at sporting events, I usually use the internet on my phone at half time/intermissions. Check scores, stats, maybe check the message boards, etc.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:That's nice and all for them, not necessarily bad. But am I the only fucker who doesn't needs WiFi during games? Anyone I really keep that in touch with is probably watching the game. As long as you can get calls, were good IMO

Yeah, I'm with this for sure. The only time I ever use my phone at the game is if I'm calling during a review or something, to hear what the TV is saying. Or I'll call my old man at half time, if he isn't there. Nothing really important enough for me to demand Wi-Fi for. I do understand people's complaints, however.

InTenSity wrote:The last game I went to at SS was against Boise. It took forever for anything to load and even for texts to go through. I don't know what the infrastructure is around E. Lansing, but I thought it was horrible. I had the same problem at the Rose Bowl. My phone must have been trying to ping off different towers to get a signal and by the second quarter I had to turn it off with 15% battery. I showed up to the tailgate with 80%.

Yeah, I remember that at the Rose Bowl. Didn't you have a bunch of pictures coming in, too, that it kept trying to download? That's not even anything that you have control over, unless you turn your phone completely off. Whether it's all the concrete and steel or the thousands of people connecting through just a couple of towers in the area, signal strength usually sucks in stadiums/arenas, so if nothing else, I appreciate wifi at stadiums to help save battery.

InTenSity wrote:The last game I went to at SS was against Boise. It took forever for anything to load and even for texts to go through. I don't know what the infrastructure is around E. Lansing, but I thought it was horrible. I had the same problem at the Rose Bowl. My phone must have been trying to ping off different towers to get a signal and by the second quarter I had to turn it off with 15% battery. I showed up to the tailgate with 80%.

I can't imagine gHost even got through kickoff.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:That's nice and all for them, not necessarily bad. But am I the only fucker who doesn't needs WiFi during games? Anyone I really keep that in touch with is probably watching the game. As long as you can get calls, were good IMO

Hear, hear, Next thing you know having an effing Starbucks in each corner will be required.

I guess it gives you something to do while sitting through the endless time-outs and replays analyzed more thoroughly than the Zapruder film.

Other Teams Pursuing That wrote:That's nice and all for them, not necessarily bad. But am I the only fucker who doesn't needs WiFi during games? Anyone I really keep that in touch with is probably watching the game. As long as you can get calls, were good IMO

I rarely text during games, but it's nice to be able to check the scores of other games without losing 20% of your battery.

I like looking at the ESPN game tracker with up to the minute stats

I can understand if you want to check out online stats, keep track of other games or connect with friends during the game but this is 2014. Do you really need free WiFi to do all that?

MiamiSpartan wrote:
Yeah, I remember that at the Rose Bowl.  Didn't you have a bunch of pictures coming in, too, that it kept trying to download?  That's not even anything that you have control over, unless you turn your phone completely off.  Whether it's all the concrete and steel or the thousands of people connecting through just a couple of towers in the area, signal strength usually sucks in stadiums/arenas, so if nothing else, I appreciate wifi at stadiums to help save battery.

Yes, my family had a group chat or something going on, I never downloaded all the messages either. All I know is it killed my battery. Then again you've seen the problems I've had at the Sandbar, and there I have to either turn it off or connect to their wifi, to stop my phone from killing itself.

I just think that the wifi would help conserve batteries, free up some space on the couple of towers they have around E. Lansing and make it so people can quickly check things they want to check.

You just know some dork will be watching it live on an ESPN online stream while actually at the game.

Giant Moose wrote:You just know some dork will be watching it live on an ESPN online stream while actually at the game.

Depending on what replays they show or don't show at the stadium, that might not be a bad idea. Also, what if you have seats in one of the endzones and can't see the other side of the stadium very well. Streaming the game to see what is going on would be great.

Floyd Robertson wrote:I can understand if you want to check out online stats, keep track of other games or connect with friends during the game but this is 2014.  Do you really need free WiFi to do all that?

I just wish there was better cell service. WiFi won't help me get a text, and I do like to text with my mom about the game (I have season tix but my mom usually watches from home. And yes, my mom and I are the biggest MSU football fans in the family). I remember at the Notre Dame game in 2010, I could receive texts, but couldn't send them--though sitting under an overhang didn't help. And God forbid you need to make/take a call. The only thing WiFi would help with is checking stats/other scores. I can wait to do other stuff until after the game (though I do have a pregame ritual/superstition of being a dork and checking in to SS on Foursquare and posting a "Go State Beat ____ " Facebook status; it usually secures a win).

like the idea of putting wifi in. It is 2014, every stadium should have wifi, or at least good cell service on game days.

Don't think it will help attract/keep students nearly as much as some ADs seem to think it will.

InTenSity wrote:Depending on what replays they show or don't show at the stadium, that might not be a bad idea. Also, what if you have seats in one of the endzones and can't see the other side of the stadium very well. Streaming the game to see what is going on would be great.

That sounds good in theory, but there's a delay just with a radio feed. I have to imagine the online streaming video feeds is even more delayed. Will that really help to watch the play on the other side of the stadium?

Fat Guy on Couch wrote:

That sounds good in theory, but there's a delay just with a radio feed. I have to imagine the online streaming video feeds is even more delayed. Will that really help to watch the play on the other side of the stadium?

Perfect! Watch the play live, then watch it again to see what you missed! I doubt I would ever do this, just because of the battery drain and the fact that I live in Florida.

Wifi would help unclog some of the towers. I also don't see why people wouldn't want to enhance the gameday experience. If people want to be on twitter, or facebook, or even reading a book, who cares, as long as they are at the game and filling up seats. Maybe I would go to a game against Colorado State if there was available wifi. Isn't the NFL talking about putting it in the stadiums?

InTenSity wrote:
Perfect! Watch the play live, then watch it again to see what you missed! I doubt I would ever do this, just because of the battery drain and the fact that I live in Florida.

Wifi would help unclog some of the towers. I also don't see why people wouldn't want to enhance the gameday experience. If people want to be on twitter, or facebook, or even reading a book, who cares, as long as they are at the game and filling up seats. Maybe I would go to a game against Colorado State if there was available wifi. Isn't the NFL talking about putting it in the stadiums?

Some have it. At least I know that Sun Life Stadium has it. It's actually kind of slow, though. Maybe it was a lot of people on it and they didn't set it up with a lot of bandwidth (last time I was there was for the Orange Bowl, so with mostly out of towners, that could have made for more people posting on facebook, twitter, etc. to people back home). I'd hope they didn't pay $6 million for that.

Cool. Maybe knowing they can facebook about how drunk they are with increased efficiency will get the students in their fucking seats by kickoff.

Chitown_Badger wrote:Cool. Maybe knowing they can facebook about how drunk they are with increased efficiency will get the students in their fucking seats by kickoff.

Everyone knows this is only an MSU issue... copycats

InTenSity wrote:

Everyone knows this is only an MSU issue... copycats

The UW student body accepts your challenge.

InTenSity wrote:The last game I went to at SS was against Boise. It took forever for anything to load and even for texts to go through. I don't know what the infrastructure is around E. Lansing, but I thought it was horrible. I had the same problem at the Rose Bowl. My phone must have been trying to ping off different towers to get a signal and by the second quarter I had to turn it off with 15% battery. I showed up to the tailgate with 80%.

So frustrating. I had a first cousin who was in town from Nashville with his fiancee to visit family. They were t-shirt Boise fans and decided to go to the game, without even having any idea that I would be going or my tailgate. Got in touch with him a few days before and of course invited them, gave them directions, etc. Told him to call/text me when he was on his way up. I never heard from him. I texted him once, no response.

Halfway through the game I got a flurry of texts and VMs from him looking for me that were delayed by 3-4 hours because of traffic. I felt fucking awful. Still do. No idea if he believed me or not that I never got the stuff on time.

Chitown_Badger wrote:

The UW student body accepts your challenge.

Why would they show up for a game against Minnesota? I get that you are "supposed to be long-standing rivals" but I feel like in current times that's about the same as our "rivalry" with Indiana.

Giant Moose wrote:
Why would they show up for a game against Minnesota? I get that you are "supposed to be long-standing rivals" but I feel like in current times that's about the same as our "rivalry" with Indiana.

You must not be from Wisconsin.  The hatred for all things Minnesota there is unreal.  Honestly, I'd guess all the students there for kickoff are from either Wisconsin or Minnesota and the late arriving ones are from out of state or really don't care about football (and go to games as a social experience).  I'm from Wisconsin but went to MSU.  I hate the Gophers with a passion that's almost as deep as my UofM hatred.  UofM > OSU> Minnesota, but those are my top 3 when it comes to hated Big Ten teams (and really, I didn't hate OSU nearly as much until Uncle Urban got there).

Also, it looks like that pic is from an 11 AM CST kickoff....if MSU games kicked off at 11 AM, how many students do you think would be there that early?

Goud21 wrote:

You must not be from Wisconsin.  The hatred for all things Minnesota there is unreal.  Honestly, I'd guess all the students there for kickoff are from either Wisconsin or Minnesota and the late arriving ones are from out of state or really don't care about football (and go to games as a social experience).  I'm from Wisconsin but went to MSU.  I hate the Gophers with a passion that's almost as deep as my UofM hatred.  UofM > OSU> Minnesota, but those are my top 3 when it comes to hated Big Ten teams (and really, I didn't hate OSU nearly as much until Uncle Urban got there).

Also, it looks like that pic is from an 11 AM CST kickoff....if MSU games kicked off at 11 AM, how many students do you think would be there that early?

My point was why would current UW students care about this supposed football rivalry? Since 1995, Wisconsin is 17-2 against Minnesota. All the current students have ever known is that Minnesota sucks. Their students probably feel the same way our students feel about the MSU-IU football rivalry.

How the **** did anyone enjoy football games in 1988?

Oh that's right..just fine, thanks   

Jesus Chriminey people are pussies these days. And I'm not that old..  

Sponge Worthy wrote:How the **** did anyone enjoy football games in 1988?

Oh that's right..just fine, thanks   

Jesus Chriminey people are pussies these days. And I'm not that old..  

Should we still travel like people did in the 1880's? If there are improvements or advances in technology, why do I have to become Amish in order to go to a football game? If some people enjoy using their phones in between timeouts, quarters, half-time, TV time outs, replays, the 2 minutes in between plays, why shouldn't they? Standing in line for concessions, standing in line to go piss, tailgating before and after the game, leaving the game and trying to use a phone.

I'm surprised that more people aren't for wifi in a stadium, strikes me as odd.

Giant Moose wrote:
My point was why would current UW students care about this supposed football rivalry? Since 1995, Wisconsin is 17-2 against Minnesota. All the current students have ever known is that Minnesota sucks. Their students probably feel the same way our students feel about the MSU-IU football rivalry.

Eh, I guess it just goes deeper than that. When the MSU basketball team was crushing Michigan in the 2000's, did you care less about the game because Michigan basketball wasn't very good?? It's always good to beat up your rival. In Wisconsin, beating up on Minnesota in football is a big deal. The rivalry extends to basketball and hockey. The Minnesota hockey team has taken it to Wisconsin quite a bit the last few years which makes winning the football game even more important for Badger fans and students. And yes, hockey is that big a deal in both states. Wisconsin has as many students show up for hockey games as MSU has total fans show up some nights lately. I think last year they sold 3500 student hockey season ticket packages

Goud21 wrote:When the MSU basketball team was crushing Michigan in the 2000's, did you care less about the game because Michigan basketball wasn't very good??

Yes, actually. It's why Wisconsin over that time period became our main basketball rival.

InTenSity wrote:
Should we still travel like people did in the 1880's? If there are improvements or advances in technology, why do I have to become Amish in order to go to a football game? If some people enjoy using their phones in between timeouts, quarters, half-time, TV time outs, replays, the 2 minutes in between plays, why shouldn't they? Standing in line for concessions, standing in line to go piss, tailgating before and after the game, leaving the game and trying to use a phone.

I'm surprised that more people aren't for wifi in a stadium, strikes me as odd.

(in my best Obama voice) Look..I get the technology and the advantages, but I think a live football game is one of the best ways to enjoy a Saturday ever. And the last thing I, in particular, want to worry about, is anything going on in the outside-world. There are plenty of people to talk to, meet, share excitement on the game, etc to pass the time. What ever happened to just focusing on the game? It's not so hard. Why is a 3 minute break or even a halftime something that should take people's focus off what is in the middle of the stadium? There are tons of activities, from the cheerleaders to the video boards to the band to Zeke the Wonder Dog there to entertain people. And standing in lines is a great way to just relax and maybe chat someone up..

I just think the silly need to be attached to a phone is just another sign that people's priorities are kinda fuccked up these days. And then there is the cost of the infrastructure. I believe it will get lower and lower and MSU, for example, is smart to let the technology catch up and then invest perhaps a lot less than 6Million fucking dollars so that students and fans have this little convenience taken care of. Shit, I'd rather see the money spent on lights in the stadium, for one. I don't care that they're "free" when ESPN or Fox or ABC televises..I think it's hokey and there is no reason we couldn't/shouldn't have permanent lights that look cool up there (year-round) beaming down on the field.

Again, I think the time will come, but if this is the stuff that makes a fan a better fan..Meh..

Sponge Worthy wrote:

(in my best Obama voice) Look..I get the technology and the advantages, but I think a live football game is one of the best ways to enjoy a Saturday ever. And the last thing I, in particular, want to worry about, is anything going on in the outside-world. There are plenty of people to talk to, meet, share excitement on the game, etc to pass the time. What ever happened to just focusing on the game? It's not so hard. Why is a 3 minute break or even a halftime something that should take people's focus off what is in the middle of the stadium? There are tons of activities, from the cheerleaders to the video boards to the band to Zeke the Wonder Dog there to entertain people. And standing in lines is a great way to just relax and maybe chat someone up..

I just think the silly need to be attached to a phone is just another sign that people's priorities are kinda fuccked up these days. And then there is the cost of the infrastructure. I believe it will get lower and lower and MSU, for example, is smart to let the technology catch up and then invest perhaps a lot less than 6Million fucking dollars so that students and fans have this little convenience taken care of. Shit, I'd rather see the money spent on lights in the stadium, for one.  I don't care that they're "free" when ESPN or Fox or ABC televises..I think it's hokey and there is no reason we couldn't/shouldn't have permanent lights that look cool up there (year-round) beaming down on the field.

Again, I think the time will come, but if this is the stuff that makes a fan a better fan..Meh..

It might not make a better fan, but football teams need to find a way to fill their stadium. NFL is already starting to struggle with this problem, and so is the NCAA. Why not add the convenience that people might want? This board is going to have mostly die hard, I'd go to a football game if it was -20, played in the deep Alaskan tundra, with only my piss to keep me warm, attitude. The casual fan might make a decision to go or not to go based on what else there is to do that day. What if the married guys want to go, but their wife is almost due and they strike a deal where he can go to the game, but has to book ass out of there if he gets a text or call. It has already been documented in this thread that not all texts and calls are going through to people. MSU is hurting to get people to show up, and we already know that having a championship caliber team doesn't attract enough fans. Add amenities that will encourage people to show up, rather than alienate people who aren't as die hard.

InTenSity wrote:
It might not make a better fan, but football teams need to find a way to fill their stadium. NFL is already starting to struggle with this problem, and so is the NCAA. Why not add the convenience that people might want? This board is going to have mostly die hard, I'd go to a football game if it was -20, played in the deep Alaskan tundra, with only my piss to keep me warm, attitude. The casual fan might make a decision to go or not to go based on what else there is to do that day. What if the married guys want to go, but their wife is almost due and they strike a deal where he can go to the game, but has to book ass out of there if he gets a text or call. It has already been documented in this thread that not all texts and calls are going through to people. MSU is hurting to get people to show up, and we already know that having a championship caliber team doesn't attract enough fans. Add amenities that will encourage people to show up, rather than alienate people who aren't as die hard.

Well I can see all that..I guess I just have a hard time believing that this is a tipping-point issue for people, but perhaps it's time to call these guys??

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