The Connectivity-First Venue (the Wi-Fi Bet to AI Concierge)
Build best-in-class connectivity and data into the live venue ahead of the curve — even when peers call it a distraction — because the in-person experience has to out-compete an ever-improving living room.
Kraft's operating-side bet: connectivity is not a distraction from the live experience, it IS the live experience. Gillette became the first NFL venue with stadium-wide high-speed Wi-Fi (2012) at a time when figures like Mark Cuban argued against Wi-Fi in venues ('I don't want people looking at their phones'). The same logic now points at a generative-AI venue concierge to onboard the 20-25% of any crowd attending for the first time.
- The in-building experience has to feel special enough to beat a living room with big screens, great sound and a second-screen phone.
- Bet on connectivity early even when respected peers see it as a fan distraction.
- Layer new tech on the connectivity base — a generative-AI concierge to guide the 20-25% first-time attendees to concessions, short bathroom lines, and event info.
Recounted on the SSAC 2025 panel: the early Wi-Fi decision, the Mark Cuban counter-view from a ~2010-11 conference, and the chatbot now in development.