August 19 – Premier League holders Manchester City have unveiled the ‘Virtual Etihad Stadium’ project, delivered in collaboration with Sony and utilising Sony’s new FavoriteSpace service, the first sports brand to do so.
The two brands have been working on the fan engagement PoC (proof of concept) experience since their partnership was announced in November 2021.
The result is a new app aimed at bringing fans closer to the club via a virtual community experience, which will give Cityzens in the UK, US, and Japan a chance to connect throughout the season in a digital space.
The app will allow users to create personalised avatars and engage in various activities, including daily challenges, social events, minigames, and co-creation features. Fans can also redeem digital merchandise in the virtual City Store.
Powered by Hawk-Eye Innovations, a Sony group company, the app offers 3D immersive match highlights for City home games during the 2024/25 men’s season, along with key moments from the previous season. The new platform also opens up fresh opportunities for club partners like Etihad and Nissan to develop interactive activations. This includes reactive LED messaging within the immersive highlights for Premier League matches and specific challenges within the interactive Stadium Tour, enhancing the overall fan experience.
Nuria Tarre, Chief Marketing and Fan Experience Officer at City Football Group, said: “We’re delighted to launch this new experience today alongside our long-term partner Sony as part of our wider strategy to embrace new technologies and continuously explore new ways to engage and entertain our audience…
“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.”
Yuhei Yabe, Head of New Business Development Division, Sony Group Corporation, added: “Sony is committed to making the future of sports more engaging and innovative by utilising Sony’s technology and entertainment expertise…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.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1734795723labto1734795723ofdlr1734795723owedi1734795723sni@g1734795723niwe.1734795723yrrah1734795723