AFC Wimbledon, the League One football club that in November last year moved into a new stadium on Plough Lane, Wimbledon, is streaming premium content across its network of displays throughout the venue following the installation of a MediaStar IPTV solution.
For AFC Wimbledon fans, the move to the new stadium, which is just 250 yards away from the club’s original site, is significant. In 2002 the club was founded by supporters of Wimbledon FC. The team was committed to returning to the Wimbledon area and building on the new stadium started in 2018.
The MediaStar system was specified and installed this year, in time for AFC Wimbledon’s first home match of the 2021-22 season. Over 30 display screens are located throughout the venue including a large-format display pitch-side, in the bars and concourse area, in the team shop and throughout the hospitality suites.
A combination of MediaStar 782 Media Players, LAN-Caster 783 and 784 gateways, and 798 HDCP encoders work in tandem to securely deliver live and recorded content, including coverage of matches taking place in the Cherry Red Records stadium. The system is flexible, allowing the premium content to be changed on the fly using MediaStar Media Manager’s jump commands.
AFC Wimbledon is also one of the first MediaStar customers to make use of the Analytics Module in Media Manager Version 11, launched earlier this year. This gives the club detailed insight into how and where content is being played across their network and providing them with ‘proof of play’.
“Currently we are using MediaStar to stream live content, but our next goal is to get our digital signage system, which is also enabled by MediaStar, up and running, so we can fully optimise the solution by offering advertising and promotions to sponsors,” said Ivor Heller, commercial director at AFC Wimbledon. “It is exciting to be in this position and if we can create a revenue stream from our IPTV infrastructure that will be hugely beneficial to us.”
Mark Stanborough, sales director EMEA and APAC at MediaStar Systems added: “Everything is in place to add digital signage functionality now. We are very proud to be involved in this venue, the opening of which is testament to the hard work and determination of the club’s fans, who have made this co-operative venture a success. We look forward to continuing to support AFC Wimbledon with their streaming and digital signage needs long into the future.”
