FIM Speedway previews trailblazing digital immersive experience during historic centennial season
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Published 15/09/2023 at 10:30 GMT
Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe and FIM Speedway have teamed up to provide fans with a digital immersive experience for the centennial season. It is the first and only partnership to enable the world’s first, fully interactive, speedway Metaverse experience, giving the international speedway community the chance to interact with their sport in new ways.
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As part of its 100th anniversary celebration, FIM Speedway is looking towards the future with a preview of the first-ever FIM Speedway Metaverse Season, expanding on its mission to engage fans in new and exciting ways and to further expand its community.
As the global promoter of FIM Speedway, the events division of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe has teamed with Infinite Reality (iR) in exploring new ways to provide interactive fan engagement opportunities through Web3 technology to further engage the international speedway community. By unveiling a preview of its new immersive speedway environment during the season, FIM Speedway complements its existing in-stadium race experiences for new and existing fans alike - wherever they are in the world.
The virtual reality platform was available to a select test group on Google’s Chrome browser via laptop and desktop computers. No virtual reality (VR) glasses were needed to enter the virtual world, leveraging the trend of a growing number of fans seeking more immersive, deeply interactive social experiences through sport across even more accessible touchpoints.
The public launch slated for the 2024 FIM Speedway season will include a mobile application.
The preview connects FIM Speedway select fans with the Metaverse for the first time, providing opportunities for new and different audiences to connect with the sport as it continues to evolve.
According to Jay Kaufman, EVP Sports, National Research Group (NRG): "78% of sports fans agree that streaming services will provide additional features that are not available on traditional TV channels. 73% of sports fans say that streaming and other new technologies will help to expand the audience for sports and attract new fans."
NRG Partner Survey Research (NRG) revealed that 96% of attendees found the experience to be innovative, 98% found the track view showcased in the Skybox and Lounge to be appealing, while 96% like the Meet and Greet feature with riders. The average user stayed in the immersive experience for 138 minutes.
MEET SPEEDWAY’S LEGENDS AND CELEBRATE THE SPORT
A host of innovations were designed for fans as part of the preview, with the goal to bring passionate speedway fans closer to the sport they love, by making them feel connected to the stadium and wider venue – key for fans unable to attend the racetracks around Europe where the events are staged in person:
- Virtual Skyboxes: The Metaverse provides opportunities to engage audiences and help them learn about speedway by allowing them to interact, discover, and play through specially designed “Virtual Skyboxes” hovering above the track.
- Meet and Greets, Virtual Lounge Areas and Shop: Offering spaces to meet and greet speedway riders, legends, and other fans plus access to exclusive FIM Speedway merchandise.
- Content Zones: Areas to access additional on-demand video content that tells the story of the sport beyond the racetrack.
- Live Race Data: Screens that display data direct from the riders to help viewers unpick the action.
To enable seamless journeys of discovery through the Metaverse, key innovations and benefits for users will include:
- Avatar Overhead Video and Audio Chat to provide deeper socialisation between users.
- Ground-breaking Generative AI Host providing real time information and insights about the speedway experience and supporting deeper exploration.
- Dynamic Camera Selection allowing users to switch between first - or third-person view.
- Customisable Video Stream Feed Selection, including a trackside view, enabling users to become the directors of their own experience within the Metaverse.
- Map Teleportation allowing for quick multi-area exploration.
- Intuitive Device Navigation for keyboard and touch devices.
Jean-Baptiste Ley, Motorsport Series Leader at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “When we became FIM Speedway GP’s global promoter in 2022, we committed to further elevate this fantastic sport and serve the existing loyal speedway community that has been built over the last century.
“The preview of the FIM Speedway Metaverse experience has been an opportunity to test how fans can engage with their sport in new ways, as well as open a window into opportunities to attract new and different fans to speedway in the future. The preview provides innovative ways to explore the world around the live race action that fans currently enjoy, showing how fans in the future can enter an exciting experience that allows them to fully-immerse themselves in the sport during and between races.”
François Ribeiro, CEO, Europe, Infinite Reality, said: “It is a pleasure to play our part in helping FIM Speedway celebrate its centenary milestone, building a preview experience that shows a glimpse of what the future will bring to this exciting sport. The Metaverse offers fans – wherever they are in the world – the opportunity to try something new and immerse themselves in the FIM Speedway GP series – learning more about the sport, meeting their heroes and sharing with friends."
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Stream top speedway action, including the Speedway Grand Prix, live on discovery+, the Eurosport app and at eurosport.com
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