Industry update: more on augmented reality, esports and fan experience

Read more on AI technology at Manchester City, a virtual tour around Allianz Arena, DFL’s AR newspaper experience, eSports at AS Monaco and more in this short industry update by ESSMA.

Technology

• Manchester City have launched Fantom, an AI wearable smartband. Features of the smartband include: countdown to kickoff, in-game stats, exclusive news, voting on club topics, quizzes, etc. Furthermore, the smartband has a NFC (Near Field Communications) function which allows fans to ‘connect’ when they are nearby other fans wearing Fantom.
• DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and Axel Springer BILD Group will offer its readers access to Bundesliga videos via printed media by implementing augmented reality. When scanning the marked newspaper photos with their smartphones, readers will see e.g. digital highlights of matches, press conferences, etc. 

Fan Experience

• FC Bayern Munich fans can take a virtual tour around Allianz Arena via fcbayern.com, the FC Bayern app and on Google Maps. Google Street View’s special collect team has captured in 360° the interior of the Allianz Arena, the FC Bayern Erlebniswelt and the promenade.
• AS Monaco have partnered up with Magic Gaming, the eSports team of NBA club Orlando Magic, to ensure digital growth and exposure while reaching a wider international audience. The AS Monaco eSports team team is present on NBA 2K, PES, Rocket League and GT Sports.
• Three Everton FC players (Theo Walcott, Cenk Tosun and Gylfi Sigurdsson) have been added to the Angry Birds Evolution for a limited amount of time to promote the partnership between Everton FC and Angry Birds, shirt sleeve sponsor.
• FansUnite is Leicester City’s official blockchain sports data partner. FansUnite is a blockchain protocol bringing fans around the world together to directly provide sports data using new cryptocurrency and novel token economy.