Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) has unveiled plans to turn Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) into one of Australia’s most technically advanced stadium.

MCC CEO Stephen Gough said, “I am delighted that the MCG will soon be one of the most connected stadiums in the country. This is a significant investment to improve and personalise the MCG customer experience and also operate a more efficient stadium.

“This will take the fan experience to another level with significant improvements to the MCG’s connectivity. This increased capacity will be great news for the four million people who visit the MCG each year.

“We have witnessed new technologies in action elsewhere and we want to ensure the MCG remains one of the greatest stadiums in the world,” said Gough.

The improvements include a super-fast, secure, high-density WiFi network, an exterior LED lighting system that will enhance the visual appearance of the MCG and allow teams/clubs to personalise and theme the stadium for their fans, an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system to deliver digital content to high-definition displays throughout the MCG and best-in-class facilities for media and broadcasters that will enable faster supply of event content to fans around the world.

The works are the next phase in a $45 million investment by the MCC, which has already delivered the two largest, high-definition scoreboards in Australia and the next generation of high-definition television production facilities.

The IPTV solution will see installation of 800 high-definition screens. Fans will be able to watch high-definition replays and keep track of the action as it unfolds. Coupled with existing screens, a total of 2800 televisions around the stadium will mean that fans won’t miss a moment.

One of the central pillars of the MCG technology improvements surrounds the ability to theme the stadium in the colours of the home team.

Approximately 240 LED lamps will light the entire underside of the upper area of Level 4 seating, enabling the exterior of the stadium to be lit up in team/club colours, allowing AFL and cricket tenants to differentiate their home matches.

Gough said, “Whether you are a Collingwood, Hawthorn or Melbourne Stars fan, you want to feel like you are at a home game. We can now add to that true home team feeling at the MCG.”