The new AI-powered Starbase Connection converts fan-submitted photos into customized Dallas Cowboys hype videos shown on electronic screens at AT&T Stadium. [Photo: AT&T, Edzer Roukema]
From AI-powered fan engagement to boosted internet access, Dallas-based AT&T and the Dallas Cowboys kicked off several new or enhanced fan experiences this season at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium.
A recent extension of the 30-year collaboration between AT&T and the Cowboys “continues a partnership that has grown alongside the evolution of sports, entertainment and fan engagement,” Cody Kuecker, lead manager of sponsorships at AT&T, told Dallas Innovates.
AT&T secured naming rights for the stadium in 2013.
Tech-enabled connections
Under the extended partnership, fans can enjoy four new tech innovations and one upgraded feature.
The new AI-powered Starbase Connection converts fan-submitted photos into customized Cowboys hype videos on the stadium’s video board, AT&T said. Fans submit photos before a game. Then, The Famous Group’s AI-driven Vixi Story Magic technology transforms those photographed fans into stars of hype videos.
Meanwhile, Reception Connection puts fans in a mixed-reality “catch-and-complete” passing scenario alongside quarterback Dak Prescott, and Connected Cam streams live fan videos directly to the video board.
On the internet front, the new AT&T Turbo Live setup gives every fan at AT&T Stadium access to a high-priority network. This even includes access for customers of other cellphone service providers.
To help fans get around, the new AT&T Stadium wayfinding system provides instant no-download-needed navigation. A fan can use the wayfinding function through the Cowboys app or stadium kiosks.
Augmented reality comes into play with the upgraded Pose with the Pros activity. Previously, fans could snap AR-powered photos with current players. The update adds Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and legendary former players, Kuecker said.
“AT&T is not only at the core of our fan experience and engagement ability, but they provide the foundation of technology and connectivity that drives everything we do operationally,” Jerry Jones, the team’s owner, president and general manager, said in a statement.
“Being able to trust and depend on that like we have for 30 years, and now, knowing we will grow and continue to innovate, is as important a part of our future as anything could be,” he said.
AT&T’s vast fiber-optic network
AT&T’s fiber-optic network at the stadium anchors its partnership with the Cowboys. AT&T said it operates more than 261 miles of fiber and nearly 1,000 antennas at the venue. The network helps power mobile ticketing, stadium operations, video sharing, real-time fan experiences and other activities.
“The Dallas Cowboys are all about community, and one of our biggest goals is to create a direct connection with our fans,” Charlotte Jones, chief brand officer and co-owner of the Cowboys, said in an AT&T blog post. “Innovation helps us deepen that connection, and it’s part of what sets us apart, not just as a sports organization, but as a culture and a lifestyle.”
Crowning the Fan of the Year
Aside from this year’s tech rollouts and upgrades, AT&T is the presenting partner of the Cowboys’ soon-to-launch Fan of the Year program. The season-long nomination campaign celebrates “some of the Cowboys’ most passionate and deserving fans,” Kuecker said.
Fan of the Year nominees will be eligible for a prize package awarded to the ultimate winner. The package includes a new mobile device, complimentary wireless service for up to four lines, $2,500 to spend at the Cowboys’ online shop and two tickets for a tour of the team’s headquarters at The Star in Frisco.
Perhaps the biggest star of the prize package: a VIP game day experience. AT&T said this includes two pregame sideline passes for the Jan. 3 home game against the New York Giants, a pair of game tickets, on-field game-day recognition and a parking pass.
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