August 21, 2007—Bright lights, the emerald sheen of the turf, familiar faces on a jumbo screen, and huge Styrofoam hands: What makes a football game exciting for many fans is the feeling of being included in an adrenaline-fueled experience--and at Lafayette Jefferson High School ("Jeff") in Lafayette, Ind., students are taking the experience one step further with the help of technology. With the introduction of an interactive technology called eStadium, Jeff students are learning key 21st-century skills and creating a unique experience for fans of their football team.
Five years ago, thanks to a partnership among Purdue University’s IT department, its Center for Wireless Systems and Applications (CWSA), and Intercollegiate Athletics, Purdue became the first university to offer eStadium, a system that uses technology to let fans participate in a more inclusive and interactive experience.
With a mobile wireless device, Boilermaker football fans at Purdue’s Ross-Ade Stadium are able to enjoy up-to-the-minute game statistics, player and coach biographies, other game scores, video highlights, trivia, buddy chats, a food locator and concession menu, and current weather conditions as they watch the game.
Now, this fall, Lafayette Jefferson reportedly will become the first high school in the country to offer a similar fan experience.
Like Purdue’s system, the eStadium at Jeff will be student-run. Bronchos fans at Jeff’s John B. Scheumann Stadium will be able to access on-demand game and player stats, as well as replay videos. Jeff’s fans also will be able to link to WJEF, Jeff’s student-run radio station, which broadcasts the games live.
