At a press conference today in New York that included Cisco CEO John Chambers and Yankees' executive Hal Steinbrenner, company executives outlined the technology vision for the ballpark. This includes live HD broadcasts of games and other news throughout the stadium; use of IP telephony in luxury suites to order food and merchandise; and installation of a network that will eventually allow all fans to not only communicate with each other, but to use their mobile phones to watch replays or communicate interactively with players and club officials.

Chambers said the arrangement provided Cisco the opportunity "to demonstrate the power of the network." The project, called StadiumVision, has been in the works for more than a year. Cisco also plans to deliver a "Yankee widget" that would allow the team to deliver greater  video and content through mobile phones. The new connectivity seems a step above what is currently available at other ballparks. The real question, of courrse, is whether a channel partner will be used to provide the ongoing network support