The two organizations sign an agreement covering a range of
technological developments, starting with the creation of a digital
platform that will revolutionize the way millions of supporters
enjoy following their team.
Real Madrid will lead the
transformation of the sports industry, enabling sports lovers to
enjoy their passion in a unique way.
MADRID, Nov. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Real Madrid
C.F. and Microsoft have signed a landmark agreement
accelerating the digital transformation of the club through
technology. This alliance, through which Microsoft becomes the
strategic technological partner of Real Madrid, will revolutionize
the experience enjoyed by members and supporters of the club by
providing digital services that are accessible anywhere, anytime
and on a host of devices (such as PCs, tablets, smartphones and
wearables).
The agreement provides for a number of different initiatives and
technological developments that will be unveiled in the upcoming
months. These advances will serve to make Real Madrid the football
club that delivers a comprehensive and streamlined online
experience to its supporters, leading the way in the digital
transformation of the sports industry.
Florentino Perez, chairman
of Real Madrid C.F., and Orlando
Ayala, corporate vice president and chairman, Emerging
Markets at Microsoft, announced this strategic partnership at an
event hosted at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, and at which
Satya Nadella, CEO of
Microsoft, participated with a video message. The announcement was
also streamed live online, so Real Madrid fans around the world
could hear about this milestone in the history of both
organizations.
Nadella highlighted that "At Microsoft we are fully
committed to ensuring that people from across the world can make
the most of each moment of their lives. Amazing things can happen
by providing people with the right tools, just when they need them
in order to interact, create or share everything they can imagine.
We are delighted to offer these tools to millions of Real Madrid
fans worldwide and help make their passion for football much more
exciting."
Ayala focused on what this agreement means for supporters
of the club: "Today is the start of a long journey that Real
Madrid and Microsoft are embarking on together, heading toward the
full digital revolution of the club. This new era translates into
an unprecedented personalized experience for supporters that will
allow millions of fans from all over the planet to enjoy their
passion for Real Madrid anywhere, anytime and on any
device."
Fans of the club, stars of this agreement
The first step in the collaboration between Real Madrid and
Microsoft will be to build a digital platform that will
revolutionize the way in which Madridistas can follow their
team and share their passion for the club. Through cutting-edge
technologies, supporters of Real Madrid will be able to access
experiences, content and exclusive digital services, either at the
stadium, at home or in any other location. Fans will improve their
interaction with players and the club, making it even more
personal, direct and exciting.
A host of online services will provide an enriched experience
for watching matches. For instance, supporters of the club will be
able to access the stadium virtually, before, during and after each
game, selecting the content they want to see when they want to and
where they want to see it. The aim of this technological initiative
is to make Madridistas the real stars of their own
experience by allowing them to view and consume the content they
want and also create and share it with their friends on social
media and other digital channels.
Services and devices
This agreement also provides for the use of services and
devices, such as Surface Pro 3, by players and coaching
staff as key work tools, with the aim of enhancing the performance
and efficiency of the team. New internal collaboration and
communication solutions will also be adopted, as well as the latest
technology trends in areas such as cloud computing or big data.
In addition, both organizations will collaborate by exchanging
and facilitating access to useful information and knowledge on the
application of technology in the sports industry and assess
potential partnerships on joint research projects with Microsoft
Research in this area.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide
leader in software, services, devices and solutions that help
people and businesses realize their full potential.
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SOURCE Microsoft Corp.