Bowling into a new era – Jim Baker Stadium transformed by Full Fibre broadband

Located in Templepatrick, the Jim Baker Stadium is the heart of the community for its members. The indoor bowling stadium, which is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this year, is also celebrating digital freedom, having recently been transformed by its new Full Fibre broadband connection, thanks to Fibrus and Project Stratum.

Project Stratum, which was awarded to Fibrus in November 2020, represents Northern Ireland’s largest ever public investment in telecommunications infrastructure. The Jim Baker Stadium is one of over 4,400 premises in Templepatrick now able to avail of the benefits of Gigabit capable broadband. Templepatrick is the last large rural town on the Stratum rollout plan, and Fibrus is on track to deliver connectivity 81,000 premises across 117 towns by June 2025, bringing much needed Full Fibre broadband to homes and business across the region.

Named after local bowls legend Jim Baker, who won two world titles in 1984, the stadium has been serving the community since the 1980s and has become a vital part of the local sports scene. With around 300 members, the stadium hosts U18, U25, and Senior teams that represent Ireland in competitive games. The stadium prides itself on its inclusivity – the youngest player is just 12 years old, while the oldest is in their 90s.

Managed by Sarah-Jane Curran after she took the lead from her father, Rod Coleman, in summer 2024, the Jim Baker Stadium continues to grow as a club, with Sarah-Jane’s cousin Alastair Coleman also supporting the smooth running of the facility. Due to the club’s dedicated efforts over the years, the stadium’s history is rich in achievements. As well as its members winning many National, British and World titles, the stadium also most recently hosted the Junior World Championships in 2022.

Previously, the stadium’s historic poor broadband connection affected the live streaming of significant events in their annual calendar. In fact, their unreliable broadband connection was putting the stadium at risk of stalling its progress and revenue. The team were forced to shut off guest Wi-Fi to prevent the slowing down of essential systems and were unable to leverage their social media presence to attract new talent and generate revenue.

In the summer of 2024, Jim Baker Stadium received a significant upgrade with the installation of Full Fibre broadband by Fibrus. The introduction of Fibrus has transformed every aspect of the stadium’s operations. From office administration to scoreboards, the new broadband has streamlined processes and improved efficiency. The stadium can now offer open and operational guest Wi-Fi for visitors and players, enhancing their experience. Live streaming of competitions and real-time scoring on platforms like Google Sheets have become possible, significantly improving the stadium’s ability to host and broadcast events.

Sarah-Jane, Jim Baker Stadium Manager said: “Taking the reins from my father to manage the Jim Baker Stadium has been both exciting and challenging, as we approach our 40^th anniversary. The Stadium is a sanctuary for our members and offers an opportunity for friendships to form and for guests to catch up and have some fun.”

She added: “The addition of Full Fibre broadband has been vital to our next phase of growth. Our Wi-Fi connection was so unreliable previously that we had to hang dongles out of the window to find signal and live streaming was a nightmare. We’re due to tender again to host the World’s competition for 2025 and now we have Full Fibre broadband, we have more of a chance of winning the bid because live streaming won’t be an issue.”

Colin Hutchinson, CFO at Fibrus said: “We’re on a mission to transform the digital infrastructure in Northern Ireland and support those who had previously been left behind, through Project Stratum. We’re on track to connect 81,000 premises across Northern Ireland by June 2025, on time and within budget for the project.”

“Offering regional businesses and communities like the Jim Baker Stadium the same opportunities as those in urban areas is what we set out to achieve. I’m delighted to hear that the introduction of Full Fibre broadband has enhanced the Jim Baker Stadium’s operations and growth plans. It’s clear to see how cherished the Stadium is amongst the local community. We wish them all the best for their next 40 years!”