England: Manchester City And Sony Bring Virtual Etihad To Mobile Devices

20.08.2024 12:30

source: StadiumDB.com; author: Jakub Ducki

Manchester City is opening a new chapter in fan interaction thanks to a partnership with Sony. Due to the new project, fans from all over the world can be transported to virtual reality, where countless attractions await them, as well as the opportunity to interact closely with the club and other fans.

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Manchester City, once again, is pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the world of sport. This time, thanks to a partnership with Japanese technology giant Sony, the club is launching the revolutionary interactive experience Man City Virtual Etihad Stadium.

The new app, available for smartphones and tablets, takes users to a virtual version of Etihad Stadium, where they can create a personalised avatar and join a global community of fans. Users from the UK, US and Japan can connect to celebrate matches together, take part in daily challenges, attend community events and explore a digital shop of club goodies.

Thanks to Sony's Hawk-Eye Innovations technology, the app also allows users to view immersive 3DCG footage of Manchester City's home matches in the 2024/2025 season, and users can relive key moments from the past season to further enhance the experience. The Citizens have become the first sports brand to benefit from the new Sony FavoriteSpace™ service.

© Jason Neill

The partnership between Manchester City and Sony began in November 2021, when the two parties announced they were working together on a proof of concept (PoC) project. Now, after almost three years, the fruit of this collaboration is available to the general public.

The Man City Virtual Etihad Stadium project also represents new opportunities for the club's partners, such as Etihad and Nissan. During Premier League matches, for example, fans can watch interactive LED messages as part of Immersive Highlights, and take part in special challenges during a virtual tour of the stadium.

© The Film Hub

Nuria Tarre, Chief Marketing and Fan Experience Officer at City Football Group, is enthusiastic about the new project: It’s exciting for us to be able to see the PoC partnership come to life with today’s launch and we’re grateful to Sony for collaborating with us to launch the Man City Virtual Etihad Stadium today. This is the latest digital experience we have launched for our global fanbase - following success on other platforms such as Roblox and Fortnite in recent years - and we hope fans across the world will enjoy it.

For his part, Yuhei Yabe, head of New Business Development at Sony Group Corporation, underlines Sony's commitment to the future of sports: We are pleased to bring this new sports experience to football fans by combining Sony’s new service, FavoriteSpace, with the attractive content provided by Manchester City. Sony is committed to making the future of sports more engaging and innovative by utilising Sony’s technology and entertainment expertise. It’s been an incredible journey from the PoC phase with our partner Manchester City, and today, we are thrilled to announce the launch. At FavoriteSpace, we will continue to develop services that bring fans closer together, making the act of supporting their favorite teams and players even more enjoyable.

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