From tickets to tech, what fans need to know for the Final Four

GLENDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — March Madness has arrived in the Valley for college basketball’s best and its fans who will pack State Farm Stadium in Glendale.

“There are new apps, new ways for people to share video and download events and activities, and so the usage on everybody’s individual devices just continues to go up and up,” said Cox Communications’ Susan Anable.

To make sure fans are connected, there will be 2,200 Wi-Fi access points throughout the stadium.

“We’ve learned over years of experience of supporting major sporting events like the Super Bowl and like Formula One racing in Las Vegas, you have to scale up the network so you can accommodate the crush of fans that are on site for the game,” Anable added.

Cox Business is also opening up 800,000 access points across the Valley so anyone can use free Wi-Fi while they’re in town for Final Four festivities. Users do not have to enter personal information to access the free network.

Though State Farm Stadium is already wired for connectivity, the configuration changes when it’s a basketball game versus a football game. “There has to be additional spots set up down on the field in order to accommodate additional coverage for where the seating will be,” Anable explained.

It’s also important to have a good connection outside of the venue. Fans will need it for their digital tickets.

Ahead of the games, the Better Business Bureau is warning fans to be on the lookout for fake Final Four tickets. “You want to make sure your ticket is real,” said BBB’s Jasmine Hill. “The influx of people, the influx of scammers, any way to get a quick buck, so be very mindful.” According to USAA, last year more than 150 fake tickets were reported.

To protect your purchase, verify the seller. “You want to stay off of those Craigslists, those Facebook Marketplaces,” Hill said. “What’s the price? Do you know where you’ll be sitting? Are there any seats listed there? What is their refund policy? Those are all things you want to check beforehand.”

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