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Premier League club Tottenham recently

opened its new London stadium after spending

millions to create more than 1,600 WiFi access

points and 700 Bluetooth beacons, ensuring

fans are able to utilize crowd-density apps and

other technology. Many facilities are upgrading

heating, cooling and ventilation systems to

scrub air as it circulates through their buildings,

while others are toying with the use of QR codes

to monitor the health of their patrons.

“We’re extrapolating off these trends that have

already existed, and I think we’re going to kick-

start into 2025 even though it’s only 2020,” said

Jason Jennings, director of strategy and digital

integration for the sports and entertainment

group at Mortenson, which is wrapping

construction on the Raiders’ new $2.4 billion

stadium in Las Vegas. “The technology is going

to be deployed much faster because of the value

it has for the fan experience and public health.”

Even the way facilities are cleaned will change.

No longer will hosing down seats and sweeping

up trash left by fans be enough. Venue giant

ASM Global recently announced a new hygiene

protocol for its 325 facilities worldwide, noting

the importance of hewing to international

health recommendations from the likes of

the Centers for Disease Control and the World

Health Organization.

Few professional teams have been willing to

divulge their reopening strategies, whether that

be potential seating layouts or infrastructure

upgrades. The rapidly changing social and

political environment coupled with the

unpredictable nature of the virus have made

planning difficult. But the Miami Dolphins

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