When the fans of Wycombe Wanderers return to watch their team at Adams Park next season, they will be able to enjoy a number of new upgrades at the ground which will modernise the match day experience and complement the team’s recent success on the pitch. 

Following the Couhig family’s recent acquisition of 75% of the shares in the club, an agreement has been reached with Landways to design, build and operate a brand-new digital infrastructure throughout the ground which will initially be used to support a high-density, stadium-wide Wi-Fi system. 

Plans are also underway to use Landways’ innovative fibre and power infrastructure to deploy a number of other systems such as new large digital screens, pitch-side advertising panels and a new audio system. Audio-visual enhancement is also coming with the addition of 65 high-quality screens, supplied by Vestel, which will expand the experience for all fans, sponsors and corporate guests at Adams Park. This will hugely improve every room, bar and box, as well as improving the audio-visual technology used at the Training Ground.

Landways is a leading provider of high-quality digital systems and it is expected the new system at Adams Park will make it one of the best-connected venues in the UK with reliable, ultra-fast speeds for smartphones and other devices.

As well as providing excellent connectivity to the internet, Landways’ infrastructure will also be the platform for a range of new digital services at the ground to enhance fans’ experience and, in a post-Covid 19 world, to make their visit to the ground a safe one. These new services will include digital ticketing, cashless payments and a range of exciting new content.

Adams Park Stadium is getting a major digital overhaul with Landways set to install their pioneering connectivity solution throughout the grounds. Photo by PRiME Media Images.

Rob Couhig, Chairman of Wycombe Wanderers said, “I am delighted to announce our new partnership with Landways and the first stage of a programme of investments in the infrastructure at Adams Park.

“Coming from the US, where investment in digital technology at sports venues has been going on for several years, we knew that there was a big opportunity to deliver the same benefits to the fans and sponsors of Wycombe Wanderers and this was one of our considerations when we invested in the club.

“I believe in the power of digital technology to improve customer experience, reduce costs and help businesses grow. We have big plans for Wycombe Wanderers and the current Covid-19 crisis has not deflected us from our long-term ambitions. Whether we are engaging with the club’s fans when they are at home, on the move, or coming to the stadium, we believe that digital technology presents us with many options to improve that relationship, deliver better service and keep our loyal fans engaged.

“When we came to the UK, we visited a number of other clubs to see how their digital systems were performing. We were amazed to find that most clubs had no viable way for fans to connect with them when they were at the ground with local mobile networks overloaded and the few existing Wi-Fi systems providing either very poor or no service at all. Landways was the only business that was able to demonstrate to us that they could deliver a high-speed, reliable service which not only compares well with the best US systems, but actually exceeds them. They are a natural fit with our ambitions, and we look forward to working with them.”

Landways’ Chief Executive, Chris Smedley, said, “We are excited to be working with the team at Wycombe Wanderers. The club has achieved a huge amount on and off the pitch in recent years and the Couhig family’s recent acquisition has signaled the start of a new era.

“We share a common view that it will soon become essential for sports clubs to use digital technology to engage with and get to know their fans: a trend that the Covid-19 crisis will accelerate. This can only be done with modern, flexible digital infrastructure, something which Landways specialises in.

“Under our Infrastructure as a Service proposition, Landways is putting up all the capital investment in these new systems, in return for a long-term partnership with the club to help them align costs with new revenues and achieve their ambitions for a fantastic fan experience at Adams Park.