Network operators are looking at stadium owners and tournament organizers as opportunities to deliver 5G enterprise services that boost venue management efficiencies and enhance the fan experience, according to Ovum research commissioned by Amdocs.

According to a survey of C-level and senior decision makers from 60 of the globe’s 100 largest operators, 87 percent plan to deliver new 5G enterprise services to major live sports and esports event organizers.

Part of the focus is the venue itself. Eighty-two percent plan to drive efficiencies inside the stadium by offering IoT-related technology and services to organizers, while 52 percent intend to provide customer-enhancing services like the ability to order food and drinks through mobile devices.

Delivery and experience of major sporting events are also on network operators’ minds and many plan to forge partnerships to drive new capabilities. Nearly three quarters (73 percent) of operators said they’re looking to partner with virtual reality app providers, while 75 percent intend to form new partnerships with broadcasters and OTT service providers.

Meanwhile, 67 percent intend to create partnerships with device manufacturers, 50 percent want to team with tournament organizers and social media companies, and 40 percent of operators plan to work with video game companies.

Operators are not looking that far out when it comes to enhancing the sporting event experience. According to previously released Amdocs research, 70 percent of operators say that upcoming major sports events, like the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, are influencing their 5G rollout timelines.

The major network-related concern operators have about 5G services for sports and esports, according to Ovum, is being able to deliver the needed capacity and connectivity to support live HD video —with 53 percent citing this issue. Providing indoor coverage is also an issue, and 40 percent of respondents named this as a challenge. The same percentage of respondents said virtualized/cloud RAN is the most important part of network design need to deliver new 5G services.

“Given the massive investments that operators are pumping into 5G, their ability to monetize 5G to the fullest will be critical,” said Julian Bright, senior analyst at Ovum’s Intelligent Networks team, in a statement. “To succeed in that, they need to keep sight of the commercial drivers and priorities when designing, planning and deploying their new networks and services. They also need to ensure their IT environment can support the new architectures, standards and business models. According to our research, extensive systems upgrade and replacement, as well as reskilling of staff, will most likely be required to manage this exciting, yet complex transition.”