Sports fans with dreams of stardom to taste success

SCHOOLBOY dreams of playing soccer or rugby for your country have become a virtual reality courtesy of a new initiative by Aviva.

The title sponsors of the new stadium at Lansdowne Road have launched a 3D roadshow which will allow sports fans replicate the experience of players like Brian O’Driscoll and Robbie Keane in playing for their country on match day.

The Aviva Stadium 3D Experience is being described as the world’s first, personalised, three-dimensional experience for sports fans. The initiative and elaborate technology for the project was conceived and designed entirely within Ireland.

It will allow soccer and rugby fans to experience the tension and excitement ahead of an international match as if they had been plucked from obscurity to play for their country.

The fan’s name and picture will feature in a variety of scenarios during the film which includes the experience of travelling on the team bus to the Aviva Stadium and a dressing room talk by either Declan Kidney or Giovanni Trapattoni.

They will also interact with sports commentators George Hook and Packie Bonner and meet fellow players such as Donncha O’Callaghan, Rob Kearney, Liam Lawrence and Keith Andrews.

The free, five-minute 3D tour culminates in the fan running out of the tunnel into the roar of the crowd at a packed Aviva Stadium with their name and photo featuring on the giant TV screen in the arena.

Aviva spokesman Alan Tyrrell said the idea for the project was sparked by the recognition that most sports fans have dreamt at some stage of their lives of playing for their country.

“This is about recognising the thrill, pressure and passion of being called up to represent Ireland at national team level. Most of us will never experience the thrill of arriving on a team bus on match day, the tension and excitement in the Irish dressing room and that great moment of running onto the Aviva Stadium pitch in front of 50,000 fans,” said Mr Tyrrell.

Verve Arena designed the 3D project with the assistance of digital marketing specialists, V-Stream.

The “experience”, which is located in a mobile trailer unit, can cater for 14 fans at one time and will be available outside the ground on match days at the Aviva Stadium. It is also planned to tour the country visiting other major national events and festivals as well as towns where branches of Aviva are located.