“Being there” matchday experience at Emirates Stadium just got better

Ever been to a football match and missed a crucial save or goal? Wished you’d been able to see a goal from a different angle? Had your view obscured by the person sitting in front of you? Later this month these problems will be a thing of the past for Arsenal fans with the launch of Arsenal TV Matchday +.

The new service will be available for download via Arsenal.com in the coming weeks, from which time matchday fans will be able to access the video stream during Barclays Premier League games.

The new service, built upon Sony Professional’s revolutionary technology, will provide a new interactive application to compliment watching Arsenal play live at Emirates Stadium. The application will take the excitement of attending matches to new heights enabling an enhanced live experience by streaming match content direct to fans’ Sony Playstation Portable(PSP) and PSP Go at their seats - a world first. As well as match footage, they’ll also be able to view:

-          Action replays from selected camera angles, plus slow-motion options
-          Live match statistics
-          Team sheets and Arsenal player profiles
-          Pre-match video content and Arsenal.com editorial news
-          Man of the match voting within the Arsenal TV Matchday + user base
-          League Table
-          Live scores and results from other fixtures

“No one would deny that the live experience is the ultimate way to watch sport. What this new service offers is an even more immersive experience for fans.” commented Mark Grinyer, Head of Sports Business, Sony Professional. “Sony is constantly looking at ways in which technology can benefit both the fan and the Club. Our work with Arsenal is truly a world first and we believe that it will set the standard for live event experiences.”

After downloading the Arsenal TV Matchday + application to their PSP supporters will automatically be able to access a secure, hidden Wi-Fi network which will then stream the images direct to the device. The remaining games in the 2009/2010 season will be available for a one-off fee of £10.00. Access to games being played in the 2010/2011 season will go on sale during the close season. 

Tom Fox, Chief Commercial Officer, Arsenal Football Club, said: Emirates Stadium continues to provide cutting edge experiences to our fans. Thanks to technology advancements, the incredible level of entertainment offered before, during and after games means we remain the ultimate football venue.”

This unique technology has been trialed and developed extensively by Sony in partnership with Arsenal over the last two years using fans and focus groups to develop it for wider use. Whilst Emirates Stadium is the first sporting venue to install the system it is hoped that others will follow suit in the near future.