Internazionali BNL d’Italia unveils revamped site for 2026
The Internazionali BNL d’Italia has long been renowned for offering a unique fan experience on the ATP Tour.
The clay ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome is held at the historic Foro Italico sports complex and features some of the world’s most iconic tennis courts, not least its main stadium, Campo Centrale, and the statue-lined Stadio Pietrangeli. For the 2026 edition of the event, which takes place from 6-17 May, the tournament has announced further upgrades to the stages on which the sport’s biggest stars will do battle.
The Foro Italico’s second court, Grand Stand Arena, has this year been redesigned to stand in the middle of the Stadio dei Marmi athletics track: It has been renamed as BNP Paribas Arena and will have an increased capacity of more than 7,000 spectators.
Meanwhile a new SuperTennis Arena, built opposite Campo Centrale, will showcase polygonal architecture designed to brings fans even closer to the on-court action. The upgrades to the fan experience around the tournament site also include the restoration of historic surfaces, the replacement of large asphalted areas with natural paving, the expansion of equipped green spaces, and the creation of new areas dedicated to fitness, relaxation, and study.
Approximately €160 million has been invested in the restyling project, which aims to make the Foro Italico an increasingly accessible place throughout the year. Other additions to the site, where Carlos Alcaraz and home favourite Jasmine Paolini lifted the singles trophies at the 2025 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, include the enhancement of the Stadio dei Marmi with a new museum route dedicated to Italian sport.
The upgrades in Rome are part of a broader wave of major infrastructure investments across the ATP’s top tier events, including in Cincinnati, Shanghai, Madrid, Paris, and more. These developments have been driven by landmark reforms under OneVision, the ATP’s long-term strategic plan, aimed at elevating the sport’s premium product and enhancing the fan and player experience.
Bedford International Athletic Stadium complete track refurbishment
Bedford International Athletic Stadium has taken a significant step forward with the completion of a major track resurfacing project, helping to re-establish the venue as a competition-standard athletics facility and secure its long-term future for clubs, athletes and the wider community.
The newly resurfaced track facility, run by GLL, the charitable social enterprise, officially reopened recently, marking the culmination of extensive work supported by investment from Bedford Borough Council and delivered through Alliance Leisure, Surfacing Standards Ltd (SSL) and principal contractor Hunts.
An initial reopening in December was marked by a visit from the Mayor of Bedford, Tom Wootton, and Portfolio Holder Cllr Sarah Gallagher. Members of Bedford & County Athletics Club were in attendance, including younger athletes keen to be the first to use the new surface.
More recently, England Athletics CEO Chris Jones and Club Support Manager for the region, Kirsty Fardell, attended a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Mayor and other key figures, before a county open fixture hosted at the venue.
England Athletics CEO Chris Jones said: "This has been a fantastic collaborative effort between Bedford and County AC, GLL, Bedford Borough Council, and we're just pleased to play our part in that, bringing our national age group championships back to Bedford in 2026.
"Without the investment of Bedford Borough Council, this track opening today would not be possible. But our Facilities and Planning Manager, Ed Hunt, and Club Support Manager Kirsty Fardell, have been fundamentally important in terms of advice and guidance around track surface type, managing the relationship between club and facility, contractors, Polytan, and making sure that the design and technical specifications around the facilities were compliant with the requirements of the sport."
Scope of works and delivery
The resurfacing works formed part of a wider programme of investment into the stadium and its surrounding areas. Key elements of the project included a full relay of the athletics track and surrounding areas with a Polytan overlay, black top resurfacing of hard standing areas, installation of a new running rail and the introduction of smart timing gates.
Testing of the new track has now been completed, with certification issued following assessment by a UK Athletics recognised test house. The facility has been measured and assessed to UK Athletics Level 2 Track & Field standards and has achieved UKA TrackMark Certification Units 1, 2 and 5.
In addition, the project includes the purchase of £200,000 worth of new athletics and maintenance equipment, due to arrive over the coming months.
Amy Draper, GLL General Manager at Bedford International Athletic Stadium, said: "We are committed to putting Bedford back on the map for athletics in the UK. This investment allows us to deliver a competition-standard track, welcome new athletes to the stadium and build a sustainable future for the sport locally."
Impact for clubs and athletes
For Bedford & County Athletics Club, which has more than 500 members from across the local community, the resurfaced track represents both continuity and opportunity.
Ewan Wilson, Chair of Bedford and County Athletic Club, said: "We are very grateful to Bedford Borough Council for the investment in the track and the wider athletics facilities. Bedford & County AC is a successful and growing club with a long and decorated past. The resurfaced track secures the future of the club within the town and we look forward to working with GLL to write the next chapter in the club’s history."
Ewan continued: "Bedford & County AC are proud to be the largest Track & Field club in Bedfordshire, with a long history of success. The resurfaced track secures a safe, high‑quality facility for athletes to train on, and we’re delighted to see this investment in the sport. Bedford International Stadium has long been renowned for hosting major competitions, and this redevelopment ensures it can continue to welcome events of exceptional standard for years to come."
Looking ahead
Further work to improve the surrounding areas and internal facilities will continue. The GLL team is focused on maximising the impact of the investment by increasing usage and improving the commercial performance of the centre during 2026.
Extreme Networks deploy Wi-Fi 7 at The Swamp
Extreme Networks, Inc., a leader in AI-powered automation for networking, have announced the deployment of the first Wi‑Fi 7 network in a collegiate stadium at the University of Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, also known as “The Swamp.”
When 90,000 fans pack the stadium this fall, the experience will be faster, seamless, and more connected. Devices come online instantly, fans can share and stream without interruption, and mobile ordering helps keep concessions moving.
With Wi‑Fi 7 under the hood, “The Swamp” isn’t just one of the loudest stadiums; it’s smart, fast, and fully immersive, setting a new bar for what a packed venue can deliver. This initiative complements and will carry over into the University of Florida’s planned stadium renovation, which will modernize the facility with wider concourses, improved entrances and exits, new premium seating options, enhanced concessions, and upgraded scoreboard and sound systems.
“On game day, The Swamp transforms into one of the most electrifying and densely connected environments in college sports,” said Matt Vincent, Assistant Athletics Director, Information Technology at the University of Florida. “As we continue to invest in the fan experience at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, adding Wi-Fi 7 allows us to significantly increase capacity while enabling smarter, real-time connectivity that helps everything run smoothly at peak demand. The NIaaS model from Extreme Networks also provides the flexibility to scale as needed without significant upfront investment, allowing our IT team to operate more efficiently while delivering a consistently high-quality digital experience for every fan.”
A New Era of Fan Connectivity
The new Wi‑Fi 7 network from Extreme will deliver:
- Ultra-fast speeds enabling seamless 4K/8K video streaming, instant social sharing, and real-time stats access.
- Lower latency for responsive mobile experiences, including in-seat ordering and interactive apps.
- Improved device capacity supporting tens of thousands of concurrent connections without performance degradation.
- Consistent coverage across seating bowls, concourses, suites, and outdoor areas.
Transforming Stadium Operations
Beyond enhancing the fan experience, Extreme Wi‑Fi 7 supports more reliable staff communications, faster point-of-sale transactions, enhanced security through HD video and AI-driven monitoring, and seamless integration of IoT technologies such as smart sensors, digital signage, and automated systems. With ExtremeAnalytics, venue teams can gain real-time visibility into crowd movement, concession demand, fan preferences, and dwell times—enabling smarter operational decisions and new sponsorship opportunities.
Norman Rice, Chief Commercial Officer at Extreme, said, “High-density venues push networks to their limits, especially on game day. This deployment demonstrates how Wi‑Fi 7 can set a new gold standard for college stadiums, delivering the performance, reliability, and scale today’s fans and operations demand.”
Dagenham & Redbridge partner with Gemini Sports
Dagenham & Redbridge FC have announced a multi-year partnership with Gemini Sports, a leading provider of AI-powered squad planning and player trading solutions. This landmark agreement marks a major step in bringing the Daggers into the AI era as the club continues to innovate both on and off the pitch.
Gemini Sports’ innovative platform helps elite football clubs achieve recruitment success by unifying disparate information sources like scouting reports, finance & market research, event & tracking data into one Intuitive mobile application, empowering modern football’s technical and executive teams. Gemini will enable Dagenham & Redbridge staff to elevate their talent identification practices with performance tracking, squad planning, and other features equipped to manage club governance in mere clicks.
On the partnership, The Daggers Non-Executive Chairman, Anwar Uddin MBE, commented, “Working with Gemini will allow us to build a recruitment strategy with the club and its values firmly at the centre. Rather than relying on any one individual’s knowledge or network, Gemini provides us with the tools to institutionalise that expertise across the club, ensuring every decision we make is informed by shared insight, robust intelligence, and the fullest possible picture available to futureproof our recruitment.”
The agreement underscores Gemini Sports’ growing influence across football, with existing partnerships in England, France, Italy, Australia, and the Americas. Together, Dagenham & Redbridge FC and Gemini Sports aim to redefine how teams use technology to elevate their operations on the global stage.
For more information about Gemini Sports, visit www.geminisports.ai
YBVR launch City Space on Xtadium platform
City Space has launched on the Xtadium platform, a new virtual reality experience developed in collaboration with immersive technology leader YBVR.
The experience of City Space gives fans a new way to connect with the Club, offering a unique view of the action through immersive VR.
Available exclusively on Meta Quest headsets, City Space allows supporters to relive iconic Manchester City moments and explore immersive 180° content from both the men’s and women’s teams. From key behind-the-scenes perspectives, fans can experience the Club through dynamic and engaging technology.
Xtadium combines traditional 2D video with immersive experiences, giving fans the ability to relive moments from entirely new perspectives. Whether it’s a celebration or the energy of the crowd, the platform places viewers inside the action, offering a first-person view of the matchday experience.
Immersive content brings the atmosphere of the stadium directly into the headset, allowing fans to experience the emotion and intensity of football in virtual reality. As new content is added regularly, City Space continues to evolve, giving supporters more ways to engage with Manchester City over time.
WATCH MANCHESTER CITY CONTENT IN VR WITH XTADIUM
Xtadium gives fans access to Manchester City content in a way that goes beyond traditional viewing. Instead of watching from a fixed angle, supporters can step inside key moments and experience them from within the environment.
The platform offers a more immersive way to follow the Club, bringing fans closer to the players, the crowd, and the energy of matchday, while new content released throughout the season ensures there are always fresh moments and perspectives to discover, making each visit to City Space feel different.
Horácká Multipurpose Urban Arena
A bowl designed and engineered for atmosphere — from high-intensity sports matches and large-scale concerts to more intimate events. A new urban landmark that integrates multiple sports facilities, activating the city centre and supporting local businesses. This is the Multipurpose Urban Arena in Jihlava, Czech Republic, designed by CHYBIK + KRISTOF.
The key challenge in designing a large multifunctional arena was its location — set in direct contact with the historic centre of a city of just 50,000 inhabitants. CHYBIK + KRISTOF approached this constraint as an opportunity: to transform the former 1950s ice stadium site into an active urban destination, building on existing infrastructure and bringing new value to the local community.
For this reason, the arena was conceived as a highly accessible public building, integrating a mix of uses — hotel, restaurant, a fan shop, gym, and a sport hall on the top floor. At the very top, it is crowned by a publicly accessible running track on the roof of the red oval arena. This mix of uses activates the surrounding area throughout the day, supports local businesses in the city centre, and turns the former stadium site into a lively urban destination.
A key factor in the competition-winning proposal was the decision to divide the arena into two volumes: the red oval arena and a taller silver corner building. This strategy breaks down the scale and opens up a space between them, accommodating an outdoor amphitheatre for live sports screenings and open-air cinema.
Read the full article from ISSUE 47 below:
https://issuu.com/mondiale/docs/mdst47_digitallr/16
Sports Illustrated Tickets become partner of Aston Villa
Aston Villa has announced Sports Illustrated Tickets as the Club’s Official Fan Experience Partner.
This exciting new collaboration will see Sports Illustrated Tickets spearhead new premium hospitality experiences around the stadium, including the Sports Illustrated Warehouse, the new multi-use venue at Villa Park.
The partnership with the iconic U.S. brand will also introduce Club SI and Sports Illustrated Tickets Plaza, new and immersive, technology-driven fan experiences to add to the wide-ranging portfolio of hospitality on offer at Villa Park, complemented by Sports Illustrated’s rich, 70-year history of bringing stories to life.
Club SI is a hospitality pavilion blending Sports Illustrated’s iconic storytelling with curated editorial content, premium food and beverage offerings, and a modern social environment celebrating Aston Villa and the wider world of sport. Sports Illustrated Tickets Plaza is a core matchday fan destination featuring pre-match entertainment, stage and big screens, social space, food and beverage offerings, and more.
Together with the Sports Illustrated Warehouse, these spaces will provide a platform for Villa Park to become a year-round destination for fans of sport, music and hospitality alongside community group activities and business events.
Francesco Calvo, President of Business Operations, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with such an iconic, world-renowned brand in Sports Illustrated Tickets. Their desire to create fan-first experiences aligns with our vision to make Villa Park a go-to venue not just on matchdays but throughout the year.
“We hope their expertise will help turn the Sports Illustrated Warehouse into a first-class experience for our supporters and the wider community in the West Midlands and beyond.”
David Lane, CEO of Sports Illustrated Tickets, said: “This long-term partnership with Aston Villa brings together premium hospitality and Sports Illustrated’s iconic storytelling to deliver authentic, unparalleled fan experiences like only an SI brand can deliver.
“By creating a unified platform, we’re transforming how supporters engage with Villa Park across matchdays, year-round sports and entertainment events and digital and in-person experiences alike. This partnership also marks an important step in our continued growth across the UK and European market.”
Elior UK backs Scotland Women as an Official Partner
Elior UK has strengthened its long-standing partnership with Scottish Rugby, becoming an Official Partner of Scotland Women through a new back-of-shorts sponsorship deal.
The partnership saw the leading contract catering and services provider feature on the Scotland Women kit during their Guinness Women’s Six Nations fixture against England at Scottish Gas Murrayfield – a match which attracted a record attendance of over 30,000, making it the largest standalone women’s rugby match ever staged in Scotland. The deal will continue for the remainder of the current season and through the whole of the 2026/27 season.
The agreement marks Elior UK’s first venture into kit partnership promotion in Scotland. The business has worked with Scottish Rugby in the hospitality space since 2008, delivering ‘The Murrayfield Experience’ hospitality offer at Scottish Gas Murrayfield.
Elior UK delivers all conference, event and hospitality services within the suites of the national stadium, supporting Scottish Rugby in hosting hospitality and guests for major international fixtures, including the record-breaking Scotland Women match against England.
Craig Stewart, Managing Director, Stadia, at Elior UK, said: “Given our long-standing partnership with Scottish Rugby, we are proud to be an official sponsor of the national team for this Guinness Women’s Six Nations, at a very exciting time for the women’s game.”
Olaf Gueldner, Scottish Rugby’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “We have a close working relationship with Elior UK’s ‘The Murrayfield Experience’, and over the last year we have expanded that with a variety of new, exciting spaces within the stadium that have been used for our Scotland Men’s internationals as well as the Scotland Women’s match against England on Saturday.
“The fact that Elior UK is now becoming an Official Partner of Scotland Women shows the growth in our women’s team which is itself generating new commercial opportunities.”
HCLTech extend and expand at MetLife Stadium
HCLTech, a leading global technology company, have announced a new extension and expansion of its Cornerstone Partnership with MetLife Stadium, including its new designation as an Official AI Partner to the Stadium, the New York Giants and the New York Jets.
Building on its designation as the Official Digital Transformation Partner of MetLife Stadium in September 2022, the partnership now enters its next phase, with HCLTech exploring the integration of its AI-led capabilities to create intelligent, scalable solutions that enhance customer experiences and support smarter, safer, and more connected environments.
"Our partnership with MetLife Stadium, the New York Jets and the New York Giants demonstrates how strategic collaborations can drive meaningful brand impact and business outcomes," said Jill Kouri, Global Chief Marketing Officer, HCLTech. "We have created experiences that resonate with clients while strengthening HCLTech's brand presence across the strategically important Tri-State market. We look forward to building on the momentum and equity of our relationship by leveraging this multi-year extension as a model for experience-led marketing."
"HCLTech is an indispensable partner as they enable us to explore how technology can transform the customer experience in meaningful ways," said Ron VanDeVeen, President and CEO, MetLife Stadium. "As we continue to innovate, this collaboration will play a key role in enhancing the customer journey while continuing to ensure a secure and seamless experience."
With a growing portfolio of Fortune 500 clients in the United States, HCLTech continues to strengthen its presence through select, long‑term sports and brand partnerships that provide a global platform to showcase its strategic work. MetLife Stadium anchors HCLTech's sports partnership portfolio that has expanded into global golf, cricket and branded hospitality.
Electronic Arts announce landmark collaboration with VISA
Electronic Arts Inc., a global leader in interactive entertainment, have announced a landmark, multi-year collaboration with Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, to deliver the next generation of immersive, player-first experiences across EA SPORTS™ franchises.
Visa is partnering with EA SPORTS franchises EA SPORTS FC™ and EA SPORTS™ College Football, offering in-game rewards and experiences for EA SPORTS’ global community of fans. By combining EA’s interactive, participatory platforms with Visa’s expansive global brand, this partnership demonstrates how the line between sports fandom and video games continues to blur as audiences increasingly play, watch, and connect across both physical and virtual sports.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Visa for one of Electronic Arts’ most expansive brand partnerships to date, bringing more value to fans,” said David Tinson, Chief Experiences Officer at Electronic Arts. “At EA, we bring together a global community of hundreds of millions of fans through interactive play and fandom. That gives us a unique platform to connect sports, players, and culture in meaningful ways. Together with Visa, we’re building for the long term to create more connected, rewarding experiences for fans across some of the biggest moments in sports.”
The partnership will introduce immersive experiences that feel organic, premium and contextually relevant, leveraging dynamic technology designed to enhance gameplay without disrupting the experience. EA SPORTS will create tailored content as part of the partnership to drive meaningful and measurable value for partners and players alike.
“Interactive entertainment has become the new stadium for sports fans around the world, and our partnership with Electronic Arts and EA SPORTS puts Visa at the heart of that experience,” said Frank Cooper, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Visa. “Together, we’re creating meaningful ways for fans to engage with the sports they love, blending digital gameplay and real-world moments while making it more rewarding to play, engage, and connect through Visa and our many partners.”
Key highlights will include:
- Player-First In-Game Experiences:
- Within EA SPORTS FC, players can participate in limited-time challenges and live moments that grant in-game rewards as they play and compete.
- In EA SPORTS College Football, players can unlock in-game name, image, likeness (NIL) sponsorship opportunities within the game’s career mode, Road to Glory, reflecting how real college athletes partner with brands. As players accept branded deals, they receive boosts to their stats and attributes, mirroring real-world sponsorship opportunities for athletes.
- Rewards That Extend Play and Community: Players around the world can earn in-game rewards and participate in a branded Visa Objective in EA SPORTS FC 26, including Squad Building Challenges and a branded Visa Live Game Mode. In EA SPORTS College Football, players can participate in Visa-themed College Ultimate Team (CUT) challenges, featuring curated objectives, lineup-building moments, and limited-time events, to earn in-game rewards and engage more deeply with the Ultimate Team experience.
- Celebrating the Biggest Moments in Sports and Culture: The partnership comes to life at marquee sports moments like the Visa Infinite lounge experience at the EA SPORTS Presents Madden Bowl event during Super Bowl LX week, elevating the fan experience with immersive, premium moments that blend competition, entertainment, and culture, while celebrating the energy and passion of the player fandom.
To learn more about EA’s brand partnership opportunities, visit https://www.ea.com/brand-partnerships.