AI and 5G unite bringing sports fans closer to the action than ever before
Press release issued:
Groundbreaking new technology is set to revolutionise match day and how fans experience sport following successful trials at a major stadium. The innovation, the first of its kind in the UK, could transform traditional sports venues into fully smart-enabled stadiums, offering fans unprecedented levels of interaction and connectivity.
For years, fans have struggled to get a signal at a game. Thousands of people trying to get online at one time leaves everyone frustrated with large venues struggling to meet growing demand and absorb the high costs of telecoms infrastructure. A recent series of trials of the technology at the 30,400-seat MK Dons football stadium in Milton Keynes demonstrated how this challenge can be overcome.
For fans, this will mean:
High-quality live video streaming from multiple camera angles, including exclusive behind-the-scenes views.
AI-driven team performance insights and historical data.
Live player statistics.
Interactive chatbots.
Immersive 3D stadium mapping.
Real-time queue navigation.
Food and beverage ordering directly from your seat.
Enhanced safety and security features.
For football clubs, this technology, powered by Weaver Labs’ Cell-Stack, could be a game changer. A collaboration between Madevo and Nokia will offer real-time insights during live matches. Using video analytics such as player coordinates generated by Nokia, teams will be able to gain valuable information on formations, tactics, and other critical aspects of the game.
During these trials, fans were able to stream four high-quality live video feeds, directly to their mobile devices, all at the tap of a screen. Meaning fans need never miss crucial match moments or struggle to access basic digital services during live games.
Beyond enhancing the fan experience, the technology also has the potential to address long-standing operational challenges for broadcasters and event organisers. This includes network congestion, cabling complexity, and unreliable 4G performance during high-attendance events.
ARANA project lead, Weaver Labs’ CEO, Maria Lema, said: “Project ARANA proves the transformative power of intelligent connectivity. By bringing computation and decision-making to the edge, we’re showing stadiums what future-ready infrastructure can deliver: real-time insight, seamless experiences, and the foundation for entirely new services. This is a glimpse of what the next generation of digital venues will look like.”
Dr Alex Mavromatis, Co-founder and CEO, UoB spin out company Madevo, which has developed cutting-edge AI models for the trials, said: “Many fans now choose the comfort of home to watch matches, enjoying high-quality streams, instant replays, multi-screens, and no queues. We recognised that the in-stadium experience was lagging behind what fans are able to enjoy at home.
“Today’s fans want the best of both worlds, the excitement of being there live, with the digital comfort and insights they’re used to at home. Our technology, built on research from Bristol’s Smart Internet Lab, bridges that gap, turning live viewing into a deeper, more connected experience. Whether it’s sharing clips in real time, ordering food from your seat, or diving into game stats, fans are now part of the action like never before.”
Professor Dimitra Simeonidou OBE, Director of the Smart Internet Lab at the University of Bristol, added: “We are thrilled to see this new platform technology in action. Thanks to 5G broadcast capabilities, the app offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional cellular solutions which is particularly important for large sporting venues where mobile connectivity is often unreliable during peak usage. We are excited to see how these technologies can dramatically reshape how we experience live events.
“This successful trial also marks a key milestone for Bristol’s Smart Internet Lab as we celebrate our 10th anniversary. It is also part of our broader mission to define the future of connectivity through the development of 5G, 6G and large-scale platforms such as JOINER — a UK-wide testbed for future networks research and innovation.”
For fans wanting to experience the technology for themselves, it will be available during additional trials at Stadium MK early next year, featuring more applications and even greater fan engagement.
Further information
Project Arana How it works: By leveraging OpenRAN technology and Weaver Lab’s secure software management platform, Cell Stack, the stadium’s existing network infrastructure was seamlessly integrated with a 5G, cloud-based private telecom network. Enhanced with Madevo’s AI cloud technology, which enables stadiums to host their own private AI network, the trial delivered ultra-fast, reliable connectivity allowing fans to access a range of real-time digital services, all running smoothly over the same network.
About the Smart Internet Lab The Smart Internet Lab at the University of Bristol is one of the UK's most renowned Information and Communications Technology (ICT) research centres which addresses grand societal and industrial challenges.
The collaborative research hub links academia, industry and government to drive shared innovation in advanced connectivity. Since 2015, its researchers have been working across optical communications, wireless systems, AI-driven networks and edge and cloud systems, turning complex ideas into working prototypes and pioneering new forms of connectivity. A decade on the Smart Internet Lab is celebrating the innovations that are impacting everyday lives while committing to a future where communication knows no limits.
The Lab’s 100 experts on 5G radio/wireless, optical communications and networks challenge the complexity of tomorrow's world by fusing research expertise and innovation in a range of research areas such as: IoT, 5G and Beyond, Future Transport Networks, Smart Cities, Autonomous Networks, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Network, Convergence, Mobile Edge Computing and Network Softwarization.
The Lab is also part of JOINER, an innovative project which offers a testbed for developing and trialing AI solutions.
JOINER is an international scale open experimental platform for future networks research, development, and innovation, born out of the UK.
It unites academia, industry, and regions to drive new research, innovation and accelerate research translation and commercialisation.
By federating 14 labs and testbeds across the UK, JOINER advances technology readiness, end-to-end system solutions, network automation, telco cloud, security, spectrum, and NTN powered by emerging AI. JOINER positions the UK as a global leader in intelligent, AI-driven next-generation networks.
About Weaver Labs Weaver Labs is a UK-based deep tech company building the next generation of intelligent connectivity infrastructure. Through Cell-Stack, their Network-as-a-Service platform, they enable organisations to deploy, manage, and monetise private 5G networks and edge services with unprecedented agility.
From large-scale venues to high-density environments, Weaver Labs is helping stadiums transform connectivity into a strategic asset, powering real-time fan experiences, operational automation, and new revenue-generating digital services.
By turning connectivity into an open, programmable, and intelligent capability, they empower industries, cities, and venues to unlock new value and deliver richer digital experiences built on flexible, future-ready infrastructure.
About Madevo Madevo is the only AI-first platform of industrial AI agents, built to turn unused operational data into real-time, predictive decisions. Madevo's privacy-first system runs securely on-prem or in the cloud, with two core strengths: Madevo AI Agents: Domain-ready, human-quality agents that answer plain-English questions with instant, traceable insights.
