The Pitch: Leinster make their leap into the Metaverse – sport’s new frontier – Irish Examiner

Leinster is following the lead of Munster and the GAA by entering into the world of virtual reality only this time through the door of the Metaverse.

Munster continues to innovate in the gaming and esports space through Munster Rugby Gaming while the GAA are in the pre-release phase of its NFT collection and now Leinster are building the first digital environment for fans.

The Metaverse, or virtual space, is a somewhere that digitally exists to allow fans to meet, collaborate and socialise, engage with players and club sponsors, build relationships with stakeholders and even do business with like-minded users and all without leaving their homes.

Leinster has joined with innovation partners BearingPoint to explore the capabilities of Metaverse technology and the immersive opportunities it will present to supporters as it builds that augmented reality or virtual space.

For traditionalists, the notion of a digital stadium or area where you spend your social time engaging in your favourite team or sport might seem nonsensical but its already the norm for 350 million children who subscribe to Fortnite.

The PlayStation and Xbox game offers a place where friends can meet, socialise and congregate in a safe and comfortable world with like-minded folk.

Like Leinster, Manchester City are building a digital utopia with Sony, where a virtual version of the Ethiad is currently under construction for the 99% of global City supporters who will never get to see team play live, in person.

Imagine being able to go to Sundays title decider against Aston Villa, soaking up the pre-match by visiting the various entertainment suites on offer and all with a group of friends with whom you share the experience.

Away from matchdays, the Metaverse will allow exclusive access to members for various activations - a jersey launch, or the unveiling of a new signing, where fans are part of that live experience, where they can try on that jersey (virtually) and order it, or meet the new player and even speak to them.

Eric Chevallet, Head of Immersive Lab at BearingPoint told The Pitch that as the Leinster Rugby Metaverse evolves it will be the fans who decide what it should contain, what they should have access to and what they want to experience.

Were at a very innovative stage, we have some strong ideas and opinions of what should be there and some decisions we might get, wrong, but in the end the fans will help form what makes sense for them and what doesnt, he explained.

The most important first step from our forming a Metaverse with Leinster is to learn what the fan expects and what he or she wants to do once theyre in that space.

Initially there will be technical and rights issue limitations that need to be overcome to operate at scale for live matches, but once achieved, the virtual matchday experience for those unable to attend will allow supporters real-time involvement in such occasions.

While Leinster is the first Irish sporting body off the blocks into the Metaverse, Munster Rugby are not planning to enter that space just yet Munster Rugby Gaming is continuing to build audience through gaming partnerships with Williams F1.

Although you can reasonably expect that once Leinsters leap into the Metaverse begins to make sense, Munster wont be too far behind.

Big betting urges evidence-based regulation

FLUTTER has urged that any decisions around gambling regulation must be evidence based in the wake of tough new recommendations to ban betting firm ads, up to 9pm.

While broadly welcoming the publication of the Pre-Legislative Scrutiny Report by the Justice Committee, which recommends that children cannot be exposed to all forms of advertising, the sports betting giant raised a number of points of concern.

Primarily it wants regulation to be based on facts and actual data, but did not declare if it believed that this is or isnt the case currently, and it has also raised questions about the funding of the regulatory authority.

This weeks report was certainly low on actual data and was largely compiled with witness testimonies from stakeholders both in favour of and opposed to the betting industry.

One statement in the pages, from the Health sector read: It is hard not to see a gambling advert when turning on the radio, TV or (when looking) at social media.

However there was no data to back up this statement, and therefore the big firms are now on edge.

In a statement to The Pitch, Flutter said: In considering recommendations put forward by the Committee, Flutter has consistently expressed the view that to be effective, new measures introduced should be evidence based.

Further examination would be welcome of each suggested measure to ensure they are both practical and effective.

What little data is contained in the report around advertising and marketing, as well as usage and problem gambling, has been taken from UK surveys, generally.

Of added concern is the funding of the Authority, which is clearly causing anxiety amongst big betting, after Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne previously indicated that the office of the Regulator might be self-sustained through funding from the gambling industry itself.

Of primary importance is the adequate resourcing of the Authority (Regulator), continued Flutter, which owns Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Betfair.

By its nature, effective regulation, irrespective of the sector, is expensive and requires a sophisticated, thoughtful approach. The ability of the Authority to regulate effectively is of crucial importance and will require a significant commitment of resources and expertise.

Who sucks up that expense and how it is funded will be another key question in what is a complex legislative process, which is ambitiously aiming to pass into law by next year.

Volleyball Ireland is nation's best sporting body

EVERYONE loves a giant-killer in sport, but few come as big off-the-court as Volleyball Irelands coronation as the Best National Governing Body at the Clubforce Irish Sport Industry Awards.

This week the organisation scooped the NGB award at the Federation of Irish Sport-backed prize ceremony in Dublin, ahead of all other sports, as the one which is experiencing the largest scale of increase across all federations.

It has almost doubled participation numbers over the past four years, and is the most ethnically diverse of all sports, with 69% of participants, foreign nationals Tallaght Guardians won the Premier Division title with 12 players hailing from 11 countries.

While growing at an extraordinary percentage rate, the numbers playing volleyball are still quite small with 1,498 licensed players (from 870 in 2018) and approximately 8,000 players participating across 923 primary and post primary institutions.

For Gary Stewart, the former general manager and newly appointed Chief Executive of Volleyball Ireland the challenge isnt just keeping the numbers of participants growing, its getting access to facilities and clubs. Like basketball, volleyball doesnt own its own facilities, and is dependent on community arenas and halls to host training and matches.

Our big challenge is meeting demand, five years ago the challenge was getting kids into clubs, now many of our clubs have waiting lists, explained Stewart. In getting access to facilities, we now need six or seven hours a week from the two to three that we used to need before and thats something we dont have control of.

Its a nice problem to have, but we do need more facilities, and it is something that could work jointly with Departments of Education and Sport, in getting more school halls opened after school hours.

Stewart and Volleyball Ireland made headlines earlier this year when it was the first sporting organisation to welcome Ukrainian refugees through its integration programme, where new members could register free of charge.

For an organisation of just five staff, Stewart believes Volleyball is about to mushroom and explode as the growth numbers continue to impress and with a shiny Best NGB gong in hand, whos to argue?

KEY AWARDS FROM THE CLUBFORCE SPORT INDUSTRY AWARDS

Best Sports Sponsorship: Sky Ireland and FAI Womens National Team

Best use of Communications Platform in Sport: Her Sport, media platform dedicated to women in sport

Best Initiative to Promote Women in Sport & Physical Activity: Swim Ireland Women in Sport Leadership Programme

Best Initiative to Promote Inclusivity in Sport & Physical Activity: The Sanctuary Runners inclusive running community

Local Sports Partnership of the Year: Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership

National Governing Body of the Year: Volleyball Ireland

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The Pitch: Leinster make their leap into the Metaverse - sport's new frontier - Irish Examiner