Frisco, TX (August 21, 2018) – The National Soccer Hall of Fame and NEC Corporation of America (NEC) today announced a unique, facial recognition-enabled guest experience for visitors to the Hall of Fame which is scheduled to open to the public on October 24, 2018.
Powered by NEC and its NeoFace® facial recognition software, National Soccer Hall of Fame guests will experience a custom-tailored tour unlike anything they’ve experienced in a sports setting.
“Leveraging NEC’s acclaimed and industry-leading facial recognition technology as the software engine, our aim is to provide the most personalized experience in sports,” said Executive Director of the National Soccer Hall of Fame Djorn Buchholz.
With this partnership, NEC and the National Soccer Hall of Fame are the first to use facial recognition technology to individualize a guest’s experience in a sports and entertainment venue. Guests will benefit from facial recognition the moment they enter the National Soccer Hall of Fame where they will be prompted upon check-in to share their hometown, favorite soccer position, favorite U.S. teams and their level of fandom. Based on that information, digital touch screens, virtual reality and gesture technology inside of the Hall of Fame will recognize guests using the NeoFace® facial recognition software which will personalize each visit based on their individual preference.
”We are honored and excited to be working with the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas,” said Mark Ikeno, President and CEO of NEC Corporation of America. “With the opening of the Hall of Fame, soccer fans will be able to experience their favorite teams, players and moments in soccer history by just walking up to the various exhibits after registering with the system. We believe this experience is unique in the sports world.”
NEC’s facial recognition solutions were ranked number one in performance tests by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. It has been used by the LPGA and will be used in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games.
NEC serves as a Signature Partner of the National Soccer Hall of Fame, FC Dallas and Toyota Stadium.
About the National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame was originally founded in 1950 by the Philadelphia Old-Timers Association. In 1979, the National Soccer Museum, as a physical entity, was established in Oneonta, NY and was officially recognized as the National Soccer Hall of Fame by the U.S. Soccer Federation in 1983.
In June of 1999, the National Soccer Hall of Fame opened a 30,000 square-foot museum in Oneonta where it housed a collection of more than 80,000 items before closing in February of 2010.
In 2013 FC Dallas owners, Clark and Dan Hunt, launched a campaign to bring the Hall of Fame to Frisco, TX. Their late father, Lamar Hunt, was inducted in the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1982. In 1999, he received the Hall’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor. He remains one of only three individuals to have won the award.
The National Soccer Hall of Fame Weekend presented by Budweiser is October 20-21, 2018 featuring the 2018 Induction Ceremony and a concert by Imagine Dragons on Saturday, October 20 followed by the Hall of Fame game featuring FC Dallas and Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, October 21.
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is scheduled to open to the public on October 24, 2018. For more information, please visit SoccerHOF.com.
About NEC Corporation of America
NEC Corporation of America (NEC) is a leading technology integrator providing solutions that improve the way people work and communicate. NEC delivers integrated Solutions for Society that are aligned with our customers’ priorities to create new value for people, businesses and society, with a special focus on safety, security and efficiency. We deliver one of the industry’s strongest and most innovative portfolios of communications, analytics, security, biometrics and technology solutions that unleash customers’ productivity potential. Through these solutions, NEC combines its best-in-class solutions and technology, and leverages a robust partner ecosystem to solve today’s most complex business problems. NEC Corporation of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, a global technology leader with a presence in 160 countries and $25 billion in revenues. For more information, please visit www.necam.com.
Media Contacts:
John Wise, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications, NEC Corporation of America – 214-262-6385
Gina Miller, VP of Media & Communications, National Soccer Hall of Fame/FC Dallas– 469-365-0198