Homerun for RFID

If you’re a sports fan who lives in Oakland, I’m sure the A’s are near and dear to your heart. Let me tell you that you are going to love the new high-tech ballpark that will be located 22 miles south of their current home.

Cisco Systems has described plans for the up-to-$500 million ballpark in Fremont, California.

The 34,000-seat Cisco Field will feature a wireless network on which fans can use handheld devices to watch instant replays, order food and beverages, communicate with friends, and keep score. Fans will be able to buy tickets online, receive their ticket as a file on a smartphone to show at the gate, and visit kiosks inside the stadium to upgrade their seats. Stadium employees will use other handheld communicators that use RFID technology to locate and talk to each other.

The use of RFID and other wireless technologies in this ballpark is sure to be the benchmark for future stadiums around the majors.