During 2015, Collingwood’s home ground will be transformed into one of Australia’s most technically advanced and connected stadiums.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will progressively develop several new technology infrastructures during the year.

The scheduled improvements, as announced by the Melbourne Cricket Club on Wednesday, are designed to connect fans and improve their experience at a ground that will host 45 home and away games this year alone.

These improvements include*:

- A super-fast, secure, high-density WiFi network in and around the stadium, allowing fans to access real-time and interactive content and to engage with other fans.

- A state-of-the-art exterior LED lighting system that will enhance the visual appearance of the MCG and allow teams/clubs to personalise and theme the stadium for their fans.

- A best-of-breed Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system to deliver digital content to high-definition displays throughout the MCG, displaying information as it happens.

- Best-in-class facilities for media and broadcasters that will enable faster supply of event content to fans around the world.

*As published on the MCG's official website.

These improvements are expected to be implemented over the course of the year.

One of the proposed upgrades will be the ability for the stadium to be themed in the colours of the home team.

The MCG says approximately 240 LED lamps will be used to light the entire underside of the upper area of Level 4 seating, which will enable the outside of the stadium to be lit up in the home club’s colours for both football and cricket matches.

“Whether you are a Collingwood, Hawthorn or Melbourne Stars fan, you want to feel like you are at a home game,” MCC CEO Stephen Gough told mcg.org.au.

“We can now add to that true home team feeling at the MCG.”

AFL Media believes the ability to light the outside of the ground will become available in late April.

Collingwood at the MCG
Collingwoodfc.com.au presents some stats and facts that you may not know about the club's history at the MCG.

Collingwood will play 14 games at the MCG in 2015, 10 of which will be against Victorian rivals Carlton, Essendon, Geelong, Melbourne and Richmond.

The Magpies began to play the majority of their home games at the ‘G in 1994 and officially became an MCG tenant in 2000 after Victoria Park’s days as an AFL venue came to a close.

In total, the Pies have played 562 matches at the home of football since 1897, recording 298 wins, 257 losses and seven draws.

The club averages a crowd of 58,570 people per each MCG game.

AFLtables.com reports a total of 32,037,791 people have attended Collingwood games at the matches at which an attendance figure has been recorded (note that 15 of Collingwood’s 562 matches at the MCG were not attributed an attendance figure).

Dane Swan has played 150 of his 236 senior games at the MCG, the equal most of any Magpie in the club’s history (alongside former captain and current assistant coach Scott Burns).

Only seven of the 12,315 players to register a VFL/AFL game since 1897 have played at the MCG more often.

Champion full forward Sav Rocca kicked 329 goals in 99 games at the venue for Collingwood and North Melbourne, a feat bettered by only five others in the game’s history.

Travis Cloke is not far behind the big Sav, having kicked 262 of his 390 career goals at the ‘G, ranking him 11th on the all-time leaderboard.

Sav’s younger brother Anthony Rocca comes in at No. 15 on the all-time list with 236 goals at the ground.