English Premier League side Manchester City have signed a partnership with the PlayStation (Sony) company to build the Etihad stadium in the metaverse to allow the fans have a fascinating experience by attending matches and concerts in virtual reality.
The Sony Company will make the Premier League team bring the club’s stadium to PS VR in a metaverse proof-of-concept (PoC) which would change the way football is been watched, bringing ecstasy and excitement to the fans.
With the use of AI-powered cameras, the matches will be captured in real-time and thereby converting it into 3D so that people can experience immersive action from home. The 55,000-seat at Etihad Stadium will be virtually recreated and people will be able to change some settings in order to fit the needs or requirements of their own digital avatars and sign up for a fan club loyalty programme.
Sony owned Hawk-Eye’s computer-vision technology powers replay review, image analysis, skeletal-tracking technology that track players across sports with already known implementations in the MLB, NBA, WNBA, tennis and international soccer leagues.
In a statement, Sony said: “The focus of this PoC is to create a global online fan community, where fans can gather to interact with other fans, the team and establish new levels of connectivity with the Club within a virtual recreation of the Etihad Stadium.
“The Virtual Etihad Stadium will not only be a realistic rendering of the stadium in Manchester, UK – it will also be a point of access to unique virtual experiences for fans, from fully customizable avatars to next-generation interactive loyalty programs, all new methods of expressing their fandom.”
Meanwhile, City football group Marketing officer Nuria Tarre added: “This partnership with Sony puts City at the development stage of an exciting project that will create immersive digital fan experiences that have never been seen before in football.
“We’re looking forward to launching this collaboration and bringing together Sony’s industry-leading technologies with the global network of Manchester City fans.”
This innovative step will mark a step forward for the Premier League (most especially Manchester City) and metaverse (formerly Facebook).
The Etihad side was recently branded the most innovative sports team in the world, and its partnership with Sony could bring about a major or fundamental change to City fans’ experiences worldwide and it looks as if the Virtual Etihad is just the beginning.
