The English Football League (EFL) team Birmingham City F.C. (UK) will be the first club from the EFL to enter the Metaverse, thanks to an innovative project led by esports partner, Ultimo GG.
The ‘Birmingham City FC’ stated that in December 2021, work began on scanning and mapping a digital recreation of their home venue – the St. Andrew’s Stadium. Once complete, Birmingham City’s very own digital Metaverse will offer commercial opportunities for the club, engagement and entertainment opportunities for ‘Blues’ fans as well as fundraising opportunities for the Birmingham City Football Club (BCFC) Community Trust, Academy and other charitable causes.
The Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club in Birmingham, England (UK). Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Since 2011, the first team have competed in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.
The 29,409-capacity St Andrew’s is an association football stadium in the Bordesley district of Birmingham, England (UK). It has been the home ground of Birmingham City Football Club for more than a century. From 2018 to 2021, it was known for sponsorship reasons as St Andrew’s Trillion Trophy Stadium.
A Metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection. In futurism and science fiction, it is often described as a hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, universal virtual world that is facilitated by the use of virtual and augmented reality headsets.
The ‘Birmingham City FC’ stated that a thorough fan consultation process will begin shortly, allowing ‘Blues’ fans to have their say on how the St. Andrew’s Metaverse Project can be used to benefit the club and its supporters. Both Birmingham City F.C. and Ultimo GG are committed to building a free-to-enter and inclusive enterprise, which will bring sustainable, long-term revenue streams to the club and the Birmingham City FC Community Trust.
Said Ultimo GG’s CEO and Co-Founder, Tobias Gooden, “We’re incredibly excited to be guiding Birmingham City Football Club into the Metaverse. Web3 will bring a number of innovative opportunities to football clubs, and we will be able to help Birmingham City become one of the first sports clubs in the world to benefit from this new technology.”
Current plans for Birmingham City’s Metaverse project include:
- Digital Museum: An immersive and interactive experience, detailing the club’s rich and illustrious history;
- Partner showcase functionality: Prospective commercial partners from all over the world will be able to step into St. Andrew’s and sample what their branding will look like on the LED systems, big screen and more;
- Virtual Events: Q&As with club legends, digital gigs for local bands, virtual exhibitions for local artistes and virtual reality (VR) replays of classic matches – the St. Andrew’s Metaverse Project will be able to connect the club to fans all over the world;
- Games Arcade: Fans will be able to play Birmingham City Football Club mini games, compete in a leaderboard and win club-related prizes such as tickets, hospitality and merchandise;
- Virtual Tours: ‘Blues’ fans will be able to go behind the scenes at St. Andrew’s from wherever they are in the world, with multiple language options and the opportunity to provide stadium tours to fans with accessibility challenges;
- Coding Camps: For talented local students and fans to work collaboratively to provide solutions to overcome real world challenges released by the club;
- Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and Club Token: Fans can collect moments of ‘Blues’ history and digital real estate as NFTs, as well as using an exclusive token which generates a tax to support the club and its charitable endeavors;
- Virtual Club store: Fans will be able to see how they will look in certain items of kit and merchandise before buying, as well as exclusive product ranges and discounts;
- Ticketing and Memberships: Fans from all over the world will be able to secure meaningful memberships and access to the club, from both a digital and physical perspective; and
- Community/Educational Resources: Birmingham City in the Community will be able to increase its outreach by providing digital courses and education programs.
Said James Corrigan, Commercial Sales Manager of Birmingham City, “This project underlines Birmingham City’s commitment to innovation, and we’re thrilled to be one of the frontrunners and early adopters of Web3. Ultimo GG has been an excellent partner for the club since we announced our partnership last September, with over £10,000 of gaming tournament prizes won by ‘Blues’ fans, the regular matchday activity at the Ultimo GG esports bar at St. Andrew’s and their charitable donations to our Community Trust and local hospital.”
Concluded Gooden, “This project is an opportunity to take our partnership with ‘Blues’ to the next level, providing a safe, meaningful and valuable opportunity for the club’s fans to join us in the Metaverse!”
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