Full Transparency
Our editorial transparency tool uses blockchain technology to permanently log all changes made to official releases after publication. However, this post is not an official release and therefore not tracked. Visit our learn more for more information.
More of our content is being permanently logged via blockchain technology starting [10.23.2020].
Brady or Foles, Pats or Eagles, Boston or Philly. There’s a lot of talk about who will emerge the winner this Sunday night at Super Bowl LII. But notably, buzz is also growing around the host city, Minneapolis, and for good reason. Working together with the City of Minneapolis, Verizon, a proud sponsor of Super Bowl LII, has built a state of the art communications network that will deliver a wall-to-wall multimedia experience to each and every one of the game’s expected 100 million viewers, whether in their seat at U.S. Bank Stadium or watching the nation’s favorite game at home.
Modern Super Bowls require state-of-the-art networks. The teams, referees, fans, media, halftime entertainers and security staff all need high speed connectivity and network capacity capable of handling the tremendous amounts of data used for everything from instant play-by-play analysis to streaming the halftime show or tweeting about a blown call. And demand is only growing.
During the 2014 Super Bowl, fans used 1.9TB of data. In 2017, data usage jumped to 11TB. This year, that number is expected to climb even higher, and Verizon is ready to meet the ever-growing challenge.
As any coach will tell you, preparation is the key to success on game day. Our network engineers have spent months planning, testing and drilling for all scenarios to prepare our network, and we’ve created a new series of short videos, part of our Best for a Good Reason campaign, that take you behind the scenes and show just what it takes to prepare for Superbowl LII.
Our engineers have installed 1200 antennae across U.S. Bank Stadium on handrails and under seats. We’ve run enough fiber to wrap around the entire field 3,000 times. We’ve been up on the skywalks checking antennae and walking each and every row of the stadium ensuring our signal is strong. We’ve even installed small cells on poles around the stadium.
You’ve likely heard us talk about the need for more spectrum or policies that support deploying modernized networks, like streamlined permitting processes. These policydebates may seem esoteric in the abstract, but the state-of-the-art communications network we built in Minneapolis demonstrates how next generation mobile networks can deliver powerful consumer experiences.
Hosting a Super Bowl is a whole city endeavor. In addition to the 73,000 fans inside the stadium, Minneapolis is expecting more than one million visitors. So, just as we prepared the network inside the stadium, Verizon has also made major upgrades outside the stadium in places that will benefit the community long after the Lombardi trophy is hoisted on Sunday night. For example, we’ve built a new system throughout the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport that boosts network capacity by 1,000 percent. In addition, we’ve literally hidden—in plain sight—230+ small cells throughout the city that blend into the urban landscape in places like street lights, traffic signals and utility poles.
Building the best communications infrastructure in the world takes strategic planning, creative thinking, hard work and the best engineers in the world. We’re proud to play a part in Super Bowl LII and look forward to a great game on Sunday. Stream on, Minneapolis.
Get news and updates from Verizon's public policy team delivered to your inbox.
For related media inquiries, please contact story.inquiry@one.verizon.com
