Apple has entered a groundbreaking partnership with Spanish football giant Real Madrid, as reported by InsiderSport.
The collaboration aims to leverage Apple’s Vision Pro augmented reality (AR) headset to enhance the fan experience at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. Despite initial sales of Vision Pro falling short of expectations, this initiative seeks to revolutionize how fans engage with football matches.
The partnership enables fans to experience Real Madrid matches in an immersive way, feeling as though they are physically present at the stadium—even if they’re not. This innovative use of AR opens new revenue opportunities for sports events, allowing clubs to “sell” more tickets without being constrained by stadium capacity.
A virtual ticket to the Bernabéu
The Vision Pro headset uses AR technology to transport fans to Real Madrid’s home games, even from remote locations. Club president Florentino Pérez unveiled the project, dubbed “Infinite Santiago Bernabéu,” during a recent shareholders’ meeting. He remarked, “This isn’t the Matrix—it’s Real Madrid and the future. Say goodbye to phrases like ‘sold out’ or ‘no tickets available.’”
— Football Benchmark (@Football_BM) November 29, 2024
Real Madrid are in negotiations with Apple to create a specially curated Vision Pro glasses experience that'd allow fans the feeling of ‘infinite Santiago Bernabéu’, by installing special technology in the stadium.
What do you think of this idea?#realmadrid #apple #football pic.twitter.com/kNkxGDru0J
The collaboration responds to the overwhelming demand for season passes and match tickets, which far exceeds the stadium’s seating capacity. Despite the Santiago Bernabéu undergoing a nearly €1 billion renovation that increased its capacity from 81,000 to 84,000 seats, the club continues to explore innovative ways to accommodate more fans.
With Vision Pro, Real Madrid and Apple are setting a new standard for sports entertainment, combining cutting-edge technology with one of the world’s most popular football clubs.
