As you all know, any chance I get to mix soccer and tech is a chance I will absolutely take, and with zero hesitation. On today’s edition: Real Madrid! Yes, the 31-time Spanish champions, and nine-time European champions (a por la décima and all that) have something in the works that may interest those of you keen on Apps of all shapes and sizes. In the near future, you’ll be able to bring los galácticos with you wherever you travels may take you.
Real Madrid hooked up with Los Angeles-based Digital Artists, the same folks who have been working with Cristiano Ronaldo for some of his tech stuff. (The man has more than a few Twitter followers these days.) The team—institution, really—is basically trying to make it easier (and more fun) to be a part of the Real Madrid family.
“[The partnership with Digital Artists] is the first agreement that we have closed that will allow us to create and distribute official games and apps worldwide, trying to offer the fans exclusive products that will be sold in the main digital stores worldwide,” said Pedro Duarte González, Real Madrid Mobile Marketing Manager. “In addition, this deal would help us to communicate directly with the fans, offering official and new concept entertainment products of Real Madrid, without intermediates and with the experience and high level production of Digital Artists.”
The feeling is mutual.
Digital Artist CEO Adam Shaw told me that they’re “tremendously excited” to be working with Real Madrid, and plan to develop different Apps for different situations. (The first Apps should launch this fall.)
Since Real Madrid is a such a global force—it’s pretty handy having a team full of superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká (when he’s fit), and World Cup sensation Mesut Özil, not to mention the best coach on the planet in José Mourinho—Digital Artists will develop different Apps based on the different needs of each region.
You could have intricately detailed iOS games in the U.S. and Europe, but maybe you’d want to develop a simpler, Java-based game to reach Real Madrid fans in Asia.
Or, maybe you want to develop something that better shows off what the players are like off the pitch?
It’s not just a case of pumping out Pro Evolution Soccer clones. It’s about developing applications that get fans more involved in the club, and growing the team’s mobile presence a little more than a single news App.
In any event, the wheels are in motion for Apps for all the major operating systems out there. Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Java, it’s all en route.
Basically, big things coming from Real Madrid and Digital Artists in the coming weeks—not least is which is the new season, which begins this weekend. My iPod touch is ready and waiting.
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