Legends ASM taps Boldyn to enhance fans’ entertainment experience

Since providing Sunderland’s Stadium of Light with a Premier League-quality communications infrastructure, Boldyn Networks has furthered its partnership with Legends ASM to equip the First Direct Arena in Leeds with “an advanced 5G infrastructure” accessible to fans and to all mobile network operators.

A product of a takeover by Legends group in 2024, ASM Global is a global producer of entertainment experiences. It offers venue and event strategy and management services that are based on locally tailored solutions and technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s venue network spans five continents with a portfolio of more than 350 arenas, stadiums, convention, exhibition centres and performing arts venues.

Sports and music fans have ratcheted up their demands of the experience they receive at arenas. Music fans attending concerts now want their live experience to be different and more engaging than before. Furthermore, Boldyn said, with 87% of event goers posting to social media at an event and 77% accessing their tickets digitally, the high speed and uninterrupted service marks a major development in the experience available at live entertainment venues in the UK.

The shared network infrastructure provider believes that fans will have a “revolutionising” and entertaining experience when they can access state-of-the-art 5G mobile connectivity at a large venue. This includes being able to quickly access the arena, order food and drinks from phones, uploading HD videos four times faster, easily finding friends at the event, and getting home smoothly and safely.

In its other projects, such as that in Sunderland, Boldyn Networks has developed a business model and technology stack for high-demand density (HDD) use cases. To deliver connectivity in the Legend ASM venues worldwide, Boldyn is deploying a neutral host 5G distributed antenna system (DAS) solution at the First Direct Arena – a major entertainment venue based in Leeds city centre, hosting live music, comedy, entertainment shows, corporate and sporting events.

“Boldyn’s state-of-the-art network is transforming the way visitors experience events at our arenas,” said Martin McInulty, general manager at First Direct Arena. “In the UK, fans in Leeds are the first to benefit by having the ability to capture ‘wow’ moments in ultra-HD and sharing them with friends and family in real time.

“The new seamless, robust 5G connectivity also enables best-in-class venue management. We’re excited with how connectivity can optimise everyone’s journey at our venues, and we will continue leveraging Boldyn’s infrastructure to unlock the power of the ‘future wow’.”

Paul Osborne, chief commercial officer for UK and Ireland at Boldyn Networks, added: “We are incredibly proud to provide high-speed 5G mobile connectivity to Legends ASM’s passionate fans.

“We want to enhance the experience for everyone, from visitors to staff, by providing a platform for a range of new digital services. Our deployments also demonstrate the power of shared infrastructure.”

The arena is being equipped with advanced 5G infrastructure that all UK mobile network operators can access and enable their subscribers to enjoy the benefits. Mobile operator O2 – with whom Boldyn is working with at the Stadium of Light project – is the first network to sign up their customers connect to the network.

Robert Joyce, director of mobile access engineering at O2, said: “Given our long-history of giving our customers access to the best live entertainment, it’s only natural that they will be the first to benefit from our next-generation 5G network at venues across the country.

“We are committed to improving the connected experience for our customers no matter where they are, including in busy locations such as stations, stadiums and arenas.”