Bucks showcase technology elements at Fiserv Forum

The Milwaukee Bucks have equipped the new Fiserv Forum with 850 LED screens that hang throughout the venue’s concourses, concession areas, main entrance, luxury suites, and of course, above the 17,500-seat bowl.

The screens, which will display anything from realtime games or concerts to sponsor content, will ensure fans are part of the entertainment experience from anywhere in the building, said Robert Cordova, the arena’s chief technology officer said. 

Of course, the largest screen in the arena is suspended above the seating bowl– the $10 million 4,000-square-foot center-hung scoreboard. 

Cordova today led a tour of Fiserv Forum’s technology offerings, including its central technology center, which is the control site for the 850 screens throughout the venue, and video production room. The central technology center is the building’s main technology control site, but it is connected with a total of 250 miles of fiber to 19 smaller control rooms, Cordova said. 

To keep visitors connected, the arena has 500 access points to generate high-speed, free WiFi throughout the building and a distributed antenna system that brings 20,000 megabytes per second of cellular data bandwidth, Cordova said. 

“From a technology standpoint, the whole theme is how do we put in a strong foundation?” Cordova said. “Because we don’t know what the experiences will be two, three, or four years from now with virtual reality and augmented reality.”

Player tracking devices have also been installed on the catwalk area above the bowl for both home and visiting teams to analyze plays and individual performance. It will track metrics such as player speed and position.

“Twenty-five times a second these devices are recording where the players are on the court,” Cordova said. “The teams and consumers can access this information to improve play or understand the team.”

The $524 million dollar arena will open on Aug. 26 with the Bucks’ grand opening event and block party. The venue will be home to the team and to Marquette University men’s basketball, along with a variety of entertainment events.