The Camp Nou and other club facilities are being progressively transformed into smart urban areas fitted with the very latest generation technologies
FC Barcelona and the city of Barcelona have signed a collaboration agreement to intensify relations in innovation processes and technological solutions. In this regard, the deal will allow development of the Smart Espai Barça, the upheaval and potentiation of the digital innovations on the club facilities to turn them into ‘smart’ spaces at the service of members, supporters and the people of Barcelona.
FC Barcelona continues to work for the city, integrating in a natural, quality, sustainable and environmentally friendly manner state-of-the-art technologies and the spaces around the stadium. The idea is for the Smart Espai Barça to be developed into a new technological district in the city, with 2.0 spaces and all the very latest innovations, making visits to the premises, either to watch matches or visit the stadium, a truly unique experience.
Smart strategy
FC Barcelona's smart strategy means much more than a 2.0 stadium and the implementation of Wi-Fi, for associated innovations will optimise the overall facilities. The main objectives include offering new services to members and fans, to improve the experience for people visiting the club 365 days of the year. And also to increase their loyalty by offering greater interaction with Barça. The facilities are also to be made more efficient and sustainable, thus reducing any negative impacts on the city. And this new technology will also generate extra income thanks to the sale of more personalised products.
La Masia, new Smart Lab
In the first phase, the club will be testing several technologies and services at La Masia, in the Ciutat Esportiva and the New Miniestadi. In fact, the La Masia-Oriol Tort Training Centre will in the next few months be becoming a Smart Lab to experiment with a series of latest generation solutions. For example, there will be access to contactless technologies, camera security and surveillance, the deployment of electric vehicles, new mobile apps with better services, beacons showing personalised messages and touch screens.
As the new facilities are constructed, the process will be intensified. In particular, there will be a Wi-Fi service on which work has already begun this season. And this will not require any investment from club funds, as it is all being provided by means of a sponsorship deal. There will eventually be 1,079 Wi-Fi access points, as defined by the following phases:
- Wi-Fi is already available in the Camp Nou Boulevard, the Barcelona Supporter Services Office (OAB), the Plaça de la Font de Canaletes and the South Goal forecourt, currently in the test phase.
- In autumn 2015 it will be extended to the Camp Nou Experience and Ice Rink.
- In winter 2015 there will be Wi-Fi in the Palau.
- In spring 2016 it will available inside the Camp Nou and in adjacent zones.
The outcome will be a veritable Smart Stadium that will enable users, among other things, to purchase catering product on their mobiles, personalise commercial offers, publish content on social networks and enjoy increased functionalities on their Barça apps, offering members the full 2.0 experience.
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Synergies between the city of Barcelona and FC Barcelona
Barcelona is a trendsetting city in terms of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), both internally and in interaction with the local people. It is the leading sports club in the world in terms of social networks and new technologies, and is doing its bit to help the city to become a world leader in terms of Mobile and Smart technologies.
In 2011, the club helped get the Mobile World Congress (MWC) and the Smart City World Congress to be awarded to the city. Medication with GSMA, the body that runs the MWC, played a large part in ensuring that Barcelona is the Mobile World Capital until 2018. And the collaboration agreement between the Mobile World Congress and FCB has developed a number of business opportunities and helped promote the city internationally.
FC Barcelona, pioneering club for the 2.0 member
In recent years, FC Barcelona has risen to the top of the world ranking of sports clubs in terms of social networks and new technologies, with an official website in nine different languages that generates more than 170 million visits a season and is of major use to members and fans. 30% of the transactions made by fans are now made via the website, 600,000 seats in the stadium are released for sale each season, and 40% of ticket sales are made by this online method.
In recent years, the club has won Social Star Awards for the way it handles social networks, where it has more than 180 million followers, more than any other sports club in the world.
FC Barcelona apps
All of these digital apps are the result of a strategy at the service of Barça members and supporters around the globe. The club has been completely transformed in order for them to enjoy the broadest possible range of digital services, including no fewer than 12 million downloads from the app services (Seient Lliure App, Official App and Passport App); online transactions for members and supporters clubs, processes for participation with co-creation workshops to identify Smart and Mobile initiatives, thus producing completely 2.0 members
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As for Barça apps, the Members App is about to be released, which will be a fundamental tool for interacting with the club. It’s functions include the digital season ticket (to enter the stadium with one’s mobile) and the OAB chat (for direct communication with the Barcelona Supporters Services Office).
Statement by Dídac Lee, director of the Media and Communication Department and head of New Technologies:
“Technology has to serve to expand the Barça sentiment around the world and, most of all, facilitate communication and the Barça experience to all members and supporters. The implementation of Smart technologies on our facilities will allow us to improve the experience of 2.0 members and make our premises an important part of Barcelona, a smart and innovative city”.