Wired Stadiums Offer Sneak Peek at Future

S A N   F R A N C I S C O, Sept. 27 -- Scoring tickets to a big game is a major coup — it sure beats watching on TV or listening in on the radio.

But for fantasy sports fanatics and other information junkies, afree chair near an Internet-connected computer might be almost asattractive as a top-dollar seat on the 50-yard line.

With those sports fans in mind, 3Com Inc. has started anadventurous experiment at the home of football’s San Francisco49ers that it thinks might catch on nationwide.

3Com, which just renewed its naming rights to the formerCandlestick Park through next season, has set up about 50transmitters in the stadium in recent weeks.

First in the luxury boxes and eventually in regular seats, thosetransmitters will let fans use handheld computers to getstatistics, discuss the game with other watchers and people athome, and possibly even order food for delivery.

High-Tech Sneak Peek

High-tech amenities have been popping up in other stadiumsacross the country, but 3Com is believed to be the first to installwhat is known as a wireless local area network. The company hopesto show potential customers — other sport arenas, airports andconvention centers, for example — that such a network offers moreconvenience and faster response times than a hard-wired system.

At 3Com Park, a fan will able to celebrate a touchdown byexchanging high-fives with the stranger in the next seat and thenfiring off an Internet message to a friend at home.

3Com, based in Santa Clara, Calif., thinks there will be demandfor the service, and is even trying to figure out whether it’ssomething people would be willing to pay for.

“Very clearly, entertainment has changed,” said David Katz,the company’s vice president of strategic alliances. “Peopleexpect more in the form of information and multiple videocommunication.”

While NFL attendance hit a record high last season, the leaguefully supports giving fans more to do at games — despite theimplicit suggestion that the action on the field may no longer beenough to keep people entertained.