LONDON (Reuters) -Newly-promoted Premier League team Burnley are offering their fans a virtual reality viewing experience, meaning they can enjoy being at the club’s Turf Moor stadium from their room.
A partnership with VR experts Rezzil will mean a ‘first-of-its-kind’ immersive broadcast of Burnley’s pre-season friendly on Aug. 9 against Italian club Lazio.
Fans who acquire special headsets will be able to take a virtual seat inside the stadium, complete with match day commentary and in-stadium audio.
“It reflects our forward-thinking approach to fan engagement and our commitment to global supporters,” Burnley chairman Alan Pace said. “Our mission is to provide the best experiences to fans, and by entering into the world of Virtual Reality, they can get closer to the game than ever before.”
Manchester-based company Rezzil provides VR technology to help train athletes and provide analysis in various sports and last year signed a four-year partnership deal with the Premier League aimed at revolutionising fan engagement.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Burnley FC and the Premier League to bring fans a truly next-generation football experience,” said Andy Etches, co-founder of Rezzil.
“Our technology has long been trusted by elite athletes to sharpen performance, and now we’re using that same technology to bring it to supporters. It’s a new way to watch football; it’s like having a seat in the stands.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
