Orange Future of Football report 2008

Orange Future of Football report 2008 In association with the preface Welcome to the Orange Future of Football Report 008. This report charts key topics that football fans, journalists and experts are constantly discussing as the game moves towards this year’s European Championships and into the second decade of the 1st century. Over the next 10 pages, we chart expert opinion to reveal the central role advances in communications will have on the game, benefiting players, referees, managers, and fans alike. On behalf of Orange, I would like to thank The Future Laboratory for its expert guidance in producing this piece of research. I would also like to thank Stage One Storyboards for its unique snapshots of the future. Orange currently provides the most comprehensive mobile coverage and club content of any operator in the UK. What’s more, we have first-hand experience in providing communication solutions for organisations such as FIFA, and football clubs including Manchester City FC, who we’re working with to trial a service that allows their fans to enter the stadium using only their mobile handsets. This is just the start. We’ll continue to work with the leading experts in football and continue to keep customers updated – feeding their football fix. Enjoy the report. Graham Fisher Managing Director, Orange Research & Development  | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 04 Executive Summary 05 The Fan 09 The Business  | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 the executive summary In this report, we examine how football could look in 00 from a fan and business perspective, as the introduction of technology changes the face of the great game. New and emerging developments for fans include: Meanwhile, the business of football is fast evolving too: Holographic viewing 3D TV and computer-generated characters will be used to enrich the viewing experience. Microchip managers Managers of the future will have a host of technological and artificial intelligence aids at their fingertips to help make tactical decisions. Stadium living Being able to live in and around football grounds – the ultimate display of team loyalty. Meanwhile, the ultimate stadium environment could have its own mirco-climate system, using cloud seeding to set off any heavy rainfall well before the game. The nd-century pitch Robotic linesmen and referees, spotlight systems and intelligent pitches will look to eradicate human error made by human officials. On-field communication The interactive stadium New technology will allow miniature monitors at every seat, the introduction of in-seat delivery services of food, drink or merchandise, and vibrating seats designed to get the crowd on its feet. And stand by for the scented stadium. The pitch will increasingly be a ‘live’ arena, as sophisticated on-field communication allows players to connect with one another and become ‘active nodes’. Managers and referees will link directly to the teams as they play. Nanoshirts The mobile stadium Those unable to make the game will be able to watch special versions on their mobile phones, then upload them to their PC or games console – and even join in the virtual action. Nanotechnology will be incorporated into football apparel to help heal minor scrapes and improve shirt visibility. Peak performance Advancements and the synchronisation of nutrition, technology, data and genetics will enable the player of the future to reach ultimate peak performance, way beyond what today’s players could ever imagine. Fan ownership More demand in how their clubs are run, with evidence already of clubs being taken over by schemes such as MyFootballClub, linking up with Blue Square Premier club Ebbsfleet United and the setting up of FC United when Manchester United was taken over by the Glazer family. Stem cell banking We will see gene therapy being used to treat injuries in the future, speeding up recovery times. Bespoke kits Rapid prototyping technology will be used to create boots to fit a specific player’s foot; goalkeepers will benefit from protective suits that prevent injury; new protective kit will be lightweight, effective and won’t restrict movement. Female takeover The increased attention and attendances of the women’s football will see the stature of the women’s game elevated.  | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 The Future of Football: The Fan Holographic pitches, interactive super-stadiums and fractional ownership of football clubs: all these might be part of how football will look in 00 for the fan, as the introduction of technology changes the face of the game. As the fan becomes all the more demanding, engaged, knowledgeable and collaborative, clubs, players and stadiums are set to enhance their strategies to appeal to the 1st century spectator. In the future fans will be able to watch live football on 3D TV screens without needing to wear coloured glasses. Holographic viewing ‘We could have scenarios in the future where no one goes to watch sport live, preferring instead to watch it on television,’ says Roy Jones, professor of sports technology at Loughborough University. A member of our LifeSigns Network took their daughter to a football match and she couldn’t understand why she couldn’t rewind the action, as she was used to watching football on Sky+. As there are not sufficient spaces at stadiums to fulfil demand, clubs and broadcasters will look to creating richer viewing experiences for fans. ‘We will watch TV in 3D in pubs, giant screens outside stadiums and eventually in the home, all without the need for funny coloured glasses’ comments Graham Fisher, Managing Director, Orange Research and Development. Crowd generators As part-time fans who leave before the end of the game become prevalent, Graham Fisher believes that we may see computer-generated characters appear on televised footage to create the impression of full stadiums. However, as football pundit and author Tom Watt points out: ‘If you’re bringing up kids on televised football, there may well be a sense that the live event is not as good. The problem is if you kill the live event you will also kill the television event.’  | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 Football stadiums of the future will become more self-sustainable, eco-friendly sports villages. Stadium living Fans will be able to live in and around football grounds as the ultimate display of loyalty, an honour previously reserved for groundsmen. As clubs move to the suburbs to find the space for bigger grounds, they will look to rejuvenate areas by creating villages complete with retail and residential areas. Residents would never have to leave these mini-communities and would be totally immersed in the club. Portsmouth FC is already doing this as the club moves to a site near the naval dockyards. The waterfront complex will feature not only the stadium but also 1m square feet of apartments and a public space with restaurants, cafés and shops. Space grass Strict hosepipe bans will mean that grass pitches will become expensive and untenable. We will see artificial pitches replace grass because of their resistance to the elements. FieldTurf, a synthetic grass – don’t dare to call it Astroturf – is made from reused car tyres. ‘FieldTurf is designed to drain vertically so there is no surface water,’ says John Gilman, CEO of FieldTurf Tarkett. ‘In areas where water is in short supply, collectors are built into the system and the water can be redistributed.’ It would also be easier to incorporate intelligent lighting systems into synthetic pitches than grass. Micro-climate systems For stadiums looking to beat the weather, there is always cloud seeding, which induces rainfall by launching substances such as silver iodide or dry ice into clouds to encourage condensation. Stadiums will be equipped with dry ice rockets to set off any heavy rainfall well before the game. Green response Solar panels on the roofs of stadiums could generate electricity for the stadium itself and for surrounding buildings. Waste water could also be collected for use throughout the community. In a world where climate has changed drastically due to global warming, how will football stadiums contribute? We have already seen green initiatives by clubs such as Manchester City and Portsmouth (installing wind turbines and not having parking spaces at their new ground respectively) but this could be too little too late.  | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 Fans will be able to order food, drink and team merchandise from a virtual waitress, as well as watch replays of the action, all from the comfort of their seat. The interactive stadium A further generation of improvements will be included in new stadiums. Tom Watt can imagine a day when there are miniature monitors all around the ground, maybe even one per seat. Graham Fisher predicts having a choice of camera angles to complement each seat. ‘We could see the rise of in-seat services, with people pre-ordering by phone food, drink or merchandise, which is delivered over broadband to their seats,’ he adds. Fragrance house Fragrances will be pumped through stadiums to excite the crowds. ‘Certain odours make us feel calm and relaxed while others are stimulating,’ says Roja Dove, bespoke perfumer. ‘Spicy fragrances such as nutmeg and black pepper can create a need to be active or move.’ The mobile stadium Those unable to make the game because they are travelling or at work will be able to watch special versions on their mobile phones. ‘Players could be extracted as different coloured markers from camera footage,’ says Graham Fisher. ‘In the future it is not impossible that what you’ll be seeing will be an avatar-based representation of the game rather than a video version. From that point of view, you could choose where you were sitting, choose your viewing angles, choose to be in your favourite stand as it used to be when you were allowed to stand.’ Standing songs ‘The sedentary nature of the crowd means the atmosphere has suffered at some grounds,’ says Dr. Rogan Taylor, director of the Football Industry Group at the University of Liverpool. ‘Even at churches people stand up to sing.’ While stadiums use technology to recreate the armchair experience, they will simultaneously try to create an atmosphere with the intensity of the terrace days. Architects will fit in more seats and decrease legroom, making standing a preferable option, especially as spectators get taller. Other ideas include pint-sized ‘perching posts’ or vibrating seats which are not very comfortable. Obviously these would stop vibrating at half time.  | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 Fantasy football This rendering version of the game could be saved on the phone for fans to load onto their PC or games console. They could then use the data to play a particular character and see if they could change how the match turned out. ‘How many people say “I could have saved that” or “I could have scored that”?’ asks Graham Fisher. ‘It’s easy to put accelerometers in things. They have been put in phones, they can be put in boots. You could easily work out how hard the ball was kicked, the angle it was going at, and then, using 3D technology, transfer the incident to a game.’ This level of involvement into the game expands a spectators’ experience beyond what is currently imaginable. And through a mobile device one can begin to see how the 21st century fan will enjoy the ultimate after-experience on-the-go and with friends. runs and compare data with friends or other local runners. They can use BiM to compete with their friends despite running routes at different times. Graham Fisher believes that in the future amateur footballers will be able to compare their personal best data with that of their football heroes. ‘Why shouldn’t we see amateur players comparing themselves with Premier League professionals like Frank Lampard?’ Technology should be about giving incentives to people to participate in sport. ‘I think the direction we’re moving in with Wii is very positive,’ says Graham Fisher. ‘Think about if you could upload what you were doing in real life. Data from your run could be uploaded to a game to strengthen the character.’ Fan ownership In his book Going Down: Football in Crisis, Simon Banks writes that to supporters their club is ‘a historic institution firmly rooted in a community’. However, the modern fan, no matter how ardent, is powerless to influence the club’s decisions. When Manchester United were taken over by the Glazer family, against the wishes of the fans, some supporters took the initiative to set up their own team, FC United. ‘The aim of FC United was to bring back the community spirit of football, offering those who could be financially disadvantaged the chance to follow a team without the burden of cost. We wanted to bring the club to the people of Manchester,’ says Vasco Wackrill, a founding board member of FC United. FC United were promoted last season to the Unibond League Division One. Who knows, one day we could see a United vs United cup final. Home comforts Graham Fisher also believes that the technology to make 360-degree images will become increasingly popular for those watching at home. ‘People watching remotely can select their view, zoom in, pull out, each watching their own personalised footage, increasing the level of participation,’ he says. IMS services that allow phones to multi-task could see football content become more widespread. ‘The IMS service Share the Beautiful Game is a sharing space that people can use in the pre-match build up to decide where to meet and so on,’ explains Graham Fisher. ‘While at the game they can pick up the experience, statistics and chatting between a small group of friends.’ Services like this will create a totally inclusive experience for fans, but they are not simply limited to supporting their team. Sunday league players, for instance, can use this network of friends to organise games easily. In too deep Fans want to be involved in every aspect of their club. Many supporters admire the ownership model of FC Barcelona where the democratic structure keeps ticket prices low. In the UK, the MyFootballClub scheme raised £1.75m to buy a football club. The 50,000 members each paid £35 to be part of a supporters’ trust and have a say in how the club – Ebbsfleet United – is run. We will see fans increasingly demand to be more involved in the ownership of their clubs or threaten to withdraw their support. Close connections Fans will also use technology to develop stronger links with the players on the pitch by comparing their own training regimes with those of their favourite players. The application developer Bones In Motion (BiM) has created tools that allow runners to use GPRS-enabled phone technology to keep track of the distance, speed and map of their 8 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 The Future of Football: The Business Football governing bodies have tended to remain traditional, but they will come under increasing pressure to change their stance on a range of issues that involve fans, players and clubs. From technological ingenuity to the reality of guaranteeing future of generations of super-player, the business of football has new opportunities and challenges ahead. Microchip managers Managers of the future won’t simply trust their instincts, but will rely on technology and artificial intelligence to make their decisions. ‘With cameras, you can extract an awful lot of information, for example gait analysis, from quite average CCTV footage,’ says Graham Fisher. ‘There are intelligent CCTV cameras that spot unusual behaviour.’ As systems such as ProZone evolve, intelligent cameras will make decisions on which players are not putting in sufficient effort – and will advise their substitution. These cameras will also use computer data built up over a player’s career to reach an informed decision. For example, if a player tends to flag midway through the game but comes up with last-minute goals and assists, they may be allowed stay on the pitch. The cameras could also use gait analysis to understand which players are getting angry by noticing differences in the way they walk, and alert the manager or captain that they might get sent off. A supercomputer built to pick teams based on data from ProZone, Datatrax or Opta Index could match players best suited to coping with the opposition. While such a system would never solely be used to pick the team, it could provide an effective back-up. Data salaries ‘In South African rugby union, some clubs are basing players’ contracts on how they perform objectively, using ProZone data,’ says Barry McNeill, business and development manager of ProZone. This kind of analysis will become normal in football, as Premiership wage bills look set to soar over the £1bn mark, according to the Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance. Wages for squad players in particular, who are not major transfer targets, will be determined on performance data. The nd-century pitch The pitch of the future will be alive with technology to help referees make the right decision and to keep spectators informed, including robot linesmen designed to spot an offside and light-emitting pitches. The exact point of throwins could be worked out by radio frequency identification (RFID) chips in the balls or even by the camera technology described above. Spotlight systems similar to giant laser pointers could mark out the exact place where free kicks need to be taken, or a circle marking out 10 yards. Ref’s little helpers This information could also be transmitted via light on an intelligent pitch embedded with LEDs able to communicate with impact sensors in balls and boots. Before the game each player would register their boots as home or away; this would mean the pitch could recognise which team’s player had kicked the ball in an offside decision. If players were offside the pitch would light up in the line where they were, giving the exact spot for the free kick to be taken. Tiny shock-measuring chips embedded in socks and shinpads connected to the RFID chip will be able to detect impact, sending a signal to the referee’s watch to tell him whether there was contact or not and exposing diving players.  | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 An artists impression of the 22nd century pitch sees increased prevalence of technology in the game: robotic linesmen, LEDs in the match ball and a techno-pitch will all help with referees’ decision making. Robotic linesmen At the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, scientists have developed Aiden, a computer card-playing programme that has taught itself to bluff – a human personality trait. ‘This demonstrates that computers can learn this peculiarly human behaviour by generating strategy from play – a very human way of learning,’ says computer scientist Philippe de Wilde in New Scientist. In the future, robots could replace referees, using artificial intelligence to make judgements such as whether or not to play the advantage or what level of punishment to give unruly players. ‘This will mean that players can actively contact their managers via mobile devices located on their bodies’, says Richard Crane, principle researcher at France Telecom Research & Development. Team captains in particular could report on tiring players and relay information to managers to pre-empt injuries and coordinate the field. ‘Global positioning systems (GPS) like the upcoming European Galileo positioning system, will enable real time connectivity between all components of the game, and eradicate human error. Making the wrong the decision about offsides and the ball going out of play will cease to exist because officials will receive accurate, instantaneous feedback about a player or ball’s unique position on the field’, says Crane. ‘This technology and connectivity will aid the overall flow of the game, and enable officials to make correct decision in real time, and lower the frustration of the fans’, adds Crane. On-field communication The pitch will increasingly be a ‘live’ arena, as referees, players, managers, fans, apparel, goal posts and the ball all link to each other in real time via digital technologies. On-field communication will immerse and connect players to one another as they become ‘active nodes’ with managers and referees linked directly to the teams as they play. 10 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 Nanoshirts Nanotechnology will be incorporated into football apparel to help heal minor scrapes and to improve shirt visibility. Agion antimicrobial technology is already used in shoes to keep them clean and help prevent athlete’s foot. Nanotechnology could allow shirts to be made of fabric that can destroy airborne germs and pollutants. Such fabrics have already been created by Professor Juan Hinestroza of Cornell University. ‘Several leading footballers are already using nutrient-releasing patches during play which replace the minerals lost by the body during sweating,’ says Nick Barber of Umbro. ‘It is technically possible, through the use of nanotechnology, that such minerals could be incorporated into the fabric of a football kit and absorbed in the same way. However, this would only work if the kit was in continuous contact with skin so it would have to be tight-fitting. It would also difficult to monitor the quantities of minerals being absorbed and there could be issues with allergies, so it would probably mean each player would need their own bespoke kit.’ Peak performance Strength and power training will be revolutionised by new integrated systems which test, monitor and adapt to the individual as they train. These intelligent strength training systems, which will use electrical stimulation and super-fast motors instead of weights, will comprise a single unit for each player which will initially assess the players’ metabolic and nervous system capabilities. The system will then optimise the workout according to the goals for the player and his current status, taking all the guesswork out of training. Performance plans Combined cryotherapy and magnetic therapy chambers will cut recovery times by as much as 300% facilitating much faster recovery between matches and giving the ability to train more often. ‘The advances in genetic and metabolic typing will also give rise to completely individualised pre-match drinks and non-invasive ‘electrosonephoresis injections’ which will optimise energy levels. Timed release nutrients will ensure energy is optimised throughout a game and the concept of fatigue resulting from depleted glycogen stored will become history’, says David Reddin, a sports consultant for Catalyst and a performance consultant working in football. Billboard futures ‘There are all sorts of light-emitting and colourchanging fabrics available,’ says Graham Fisher. ‘Advertising messages could certainly be uploaded to shirts.’ In the future, footballers’ shirts will scroll through advertisers, thus maximising ad revenue. Brands that want an exclusive advertising deal with a club will have to pay a premium. Super super game ‘The players will be genetic super-athletes covering up to 50% more distance than today’s players – up to 20km per game, speed of movement will increase by 10-15% owing to advances in power training, over-speed training and nervous system nutrition’, comments Reddin. Injuries will be almost non-existent due to advances in gene therapy and the ability to predict an injury before it occurs. Even during a game sensor technology built into a player’s kit will measure forces and tolerances and allow managers to proactively manage their team. Chameleon kits Light sensors incorporated into kits could adjust the hue of the shirt to maximise visibility for spectators both at the ground and at home. This would be especially useful for teams with greencoloured kits or when playing in bright sunlight. 11 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 Stem cell banking Philip Newton, director of Lilleshall Sports Injury Rehab, says we could see gene therapy being used to treat injuries in the future, speeding up recovery times. Footballers will keep their children’s umbilical cords for more than just souvenir purposes and child prodigies will be having biopsies to safeguard against the future, creating a surge in stem cell banking facilities for elite athletes. in the form of a beanie, ‘potentially with d3o protection sandwiched in between layers to create a solution with a low profile and minimal weight. Footballers of the future could also be seen wearing base layers with protection in key areas such as the elbows and shoulders. With the reduction in injuries, players will be able to perform to their full potential and the standard of the game will consequently be increased.’ Female takeover Organ pets Designer Elio Caccavale’s project Utility Pets explores xenotransplantation, the transplanting of animal organs into humans. He imagines that shortly after birth, people will be given piglets with their own DNA engineered into the animals. These pigs will become an organ bank for their owner. Will footballers keep donor pets? In his project, Caccavale creates objects to keep the pig occupied, such as a low-resolution TV or a pig toy which contains a microphone so the owner can listen to it having fun. The footballers of the future will be photographed leaving donor pet shops with bags full of accessories for their pet. Women’s football may benefit from a backlash to the commercialisation and cheating in the men’s game, although technically women do not perform at the same level as men. The women’s league was founded in the 80s. The success of Arsenal Ladies last season, with four major trophies including the women’s UEFA Cup for the first time, has led to increased attention and attendances, with almost 25,000 at this year’s FA Women’s Cup Final. With England doing well at the women’s World Cup it is claimed women’s football is the fastest growing sport in England. Women’s hour Currently, the women in football broadcasting are pretty blondes or footballing daughters such as Kelly Dalglish or Gabby Logan (née Yorath). Will we see Luna Lampard and Lexie Gerrard in the studio in 20 years’ time? The BBC’s decision to employ Jacqui Oatley led to mixed reactions from those who couldn’t see what the fuss was about, those not wanting to sound sexist and those who felt that the commentary box was no place for a woman. It is interesting that some female fans are also against women in football. University administrator and diehard Toffee fan Lucy Lyons, who left an Everton flag at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, says: ‘I think that women playing football doesn’t seem right or look right. The same with the commentary – women commentators don’t sound right. Women should stick to what they do best and that is being fans.’ Would it cause so much discussion if former professional women footballers took a seat on the panel? Can stars such as Rachel Yankey, Karen Carney or Kelly Smith, who have played at the highest level, be the football presenters and columnists of the future. Bespoke kits ‘Gone are the days where you go to the shop and you buy a pair of boots and shinpads,’ says Tom Watt. ‘It’s now like going to Savile Row and everything is made to fit.’ Taking the idea of personalisation even further, Sumeet Bellara, design technologist at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, suggests that in the future rapid prototyping technology (3D printers) will be used to create boots to fit to a specific player’s foot. Inexpensive versions where just a bespoke insole is created could be released to consumers. All-in-one Peter Cech may have unwittingly set a trend. David Baxter of Sells Goalkeeper Products believes that in the future, goalkeepers might wear all-in-one protective suits under their kits plus headgear ‘covering all vulnerable areas with no restriction to physical movement’. Goalkeepers could then make better saves with any part of their body as they would be less injury-prone. According to Richard Palmer of d3o Lab we could see protective headwear 1 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008 full time Contributors to the report include: Roy Jones, professor of Sports Technology, Loughborough University; Graham Fisher, Head of Orange Research & Development; Tom Watt, BBC Radio presenter & pundit; Dr Rogan Taylor, director of The Football In Group at The University of Liverpool; Vasco Wackrill, Board Member of FC United; Barry Mcneil, business & development manager of Prozone; Nick Barber of Umbro; Philip Newton, director of Lilleshal Sport Injury Rehab, Dave Reddin Sports Consultant for Catalyst and a performance consultant working in football.