Orange Future of

Football report
2008

In association with the

 preface
Welcome to the Orange Future
of Football Report 2008.
This report charts key topics that
football fans, journalists and experts
are constantly discussing as the
game moves towards this year’s
European Championships and into the
second decade of the 21st century.
Over the next 10 pages, we chart
expert opinion to reveal the central
role advances in communications will
have on the game, benefiting players,
referees, managers, and fans alike.
On behalf of Orange, I would like to
thank The Future Laboratory for its
expert guidance in producing this
piece of research. I would also like
to thank Stage One Storyboards for
its unique snapshots of the future.
 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008
Orange currently provides the
most comprehensive mobile
coverage and club content
of any operator in the UK. What’s
more, we have first-hand experience
in providing communication solutions
for organisations such as FIFA, and
football clubs including Manchester
City FC, who we’re working with
to trial a service that allows their
fans to enter the stadium using
only their mobile handsets.
This is just the start. We’ll continue to
work with the leading experts in football
and continue to keep customers
updated – feeding their football fix.
Enjoy the report.
Graham Fisher
Managing Director, Orange
Research & Development
 04 Executive Summary
05 The Fan
09 The Business

 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008

 the executive
summary
In this report, we examine how football could look in 2020 from a fan and business
perspective, as the introduction of technology changes the face of the great game.
New and emerging developments
for fans include:
Holographic viewing
3D TV and computer-generated characters will
be used to enrich the viewing experience.
Stadium living
Being able to live in and around football grounds
– the ultimate display of team loyalty. Meanwhile,
the ultimate stadium environment could have its
own mirco-climate system, using cloud seeding
to set off any heavy rainfall well before the game.
The interactive stadium
New technology will allow miniature monitors at
every seat, the introduction of in-seat delivery
services of food, drink or merchandise, and
vibrating seats designed to get the crowd on
its feet. And stand by for the scented stadium.
The mobile stadium
Those unable to make the game will be able
to watch special versions on their mobile
phones, then upload them to their PC or games
console – and even join in the virtual action.
Fan ownership
More demand in how their clubs are run, with
evidence already of clubs being taken over by
schemes such as MyFootballClub, linking up with
Blue Square Premier club Ebbsfleet United and
the setting up of FC United when Manchester
United was taken over by the Glazer family.
 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008
Meanwhile, the business of
football is fast evolving too:
Microchip managers
Managers of the future will have a host of
technological and artificial intelligence aids at
their fingertips to help make tactical decisions.
The 22nd-century pitch
Robotic linesmen and referees, spotlight systems
and intelligent pitches will look to eradicate
human error made by human officials.
On-field communication
The pitch will increasingly be a ‘live’ arena, as
sophisticated on-field communication allows
players to connect with one another and
become ‘active nodes’. Managers and referees
will link directly to the teams as they play.
Nanoshirts
Nanotechnology will be incorporated
into football apparel to help heal minor
scrapes and improve shirt visibility.
Peak performance
Advancements and the synchronisation
of nutrition, technology, data and genetics
will enable the player of the future to reach
ultimate peak performance, way beyond
what today’s players could ever imagine.
Stem cell banking
We will see gene therapy being used to treat
injuries in the future, speeding up recovery times.
Bespoke kits
Rapid prototyping technology will be used
to create boots to fit a specific player’s foot;
goalkeepers will benefit from protective suits
that prevent injury; new protective kit will be
lightweight, effective and won’t restrict movement.
Female takeover
The increased attention and attendances
of the women’s football will see the stature
of the women’s game elevated.
 The Future
of Football: The Fan

Holographic pitches, interactive super-stadiums and fractional ownership

of football clubs: all these might be part of how football will look in
2020 for the fan, as the introduction of technology changes the face
of the game. As the fan becomes all the more demanding, engaged,
knowledgeable and collaborative, clubs, players and stadiums are set
to enhance their strategies to appeal to the 21st century spectator.

In the future fans will be able to watch

live football on 3D TV screens without
needing to wear coloured glasses.

Holographic viewing Crowd generators

‘We could have scenarios in the future where no
one goes to watch sport live, preferring instead to
watch it on television,’ says Roy Jones, professor
of sports technology at Loughborough University.
A member of our LifeSigns Network took their
daughter to a football match and she couldn’t
understand why she couldn’t rewind the action,
as she was used to watching football on Sky+.
As there are not sufficient spaces at stadiums
to fulfil demand, clubs and broadcasters will
look to creating richer viewing experiences for
fans. ‘We will watch TV in 3D in pubs, giant
screens outside stadiums and eventually in the
home, all without the need for funny coloured
glasses’ comments Graham Fisher, Managing
Director, Orange Research and Development.
As part-time fans who leave before the end of
the game become prevalent, Graham Fisher
believes that we may see computer-generated
characters appear on televised footage to
create the impression of full stadiums.
However, as football pundit and author Tom Watt
points out: ‘If you’re bringing up kids on televised
football, there may well be a sense that the live
event is not as good. The problem is if you kill the
live event you will also kill the television event.’

 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008

Football stadiums of the future
will become more self-sustainable,
eco-friendly sports villages.
 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008
Stadium living
Fans will be able to live in and around football
grounds as the ultimate display of loyalty, an
honour previously reserved for groundsmen.
As clubs move to the suburbs to find the space
for bigger grounds, they will look to rejuvenate
areas by creating villages complete with retail
and residential areas. Residents would never
have to leave these mini-communities and
would be totally immersed in the club.
Portsmouth FC is already doing this as
the club moves to a site near the naval
dockyards. The waterfront complex will
feature not only the stadium but also 1m
square feet of apartments and a public
space with restaurants, cafés and shops.
Green response
Solar panels on the roofs of stadiums could
generate electricity for the stadium itself and for
surrounding buildings. Waste water could also
be collected for use throughout the community.
In a world where climate has changed drastically
due to global warming, how will football stadiums
contribute? We have already seen green
initiatives by clubs such as Manchester City
and Portsmouth (installing wind turbines and
not having parking spaces at their new ground
respectively) but this could be too little too late.
Space grass
Strict hosepipe bans will mean that grass pitches
will become expensive and untenable. We will see
artificial pitches replace grass because of their
resistance to the elements. FieldTurf, a synthetic
grass – don’t dare to call it Astroturf – is made from
reused car tyres. ‘FieldTurf is designed to drain
vertically so there is no surface water,’ says John
Gilman, CEO of FieldTurf Tarkett. ‘In areas where
water is in short supply, collectors are built into
the system and the water can be redistributed.’
It would also be easier to incorporate intelligent
lighting systems into synthetic pitches than grass.
Micro-climate systems
For stadiums looking to beat the weather, there
is always cloud seeding, which induces rainfall
by launching substances such as silver iodide or
dry ice into clouds to encourage condensation.
Stadiums will be equipped with dry ice rockets to
set off any heavy rainfall well before the game.
Fans will be able to order food,
drink and team merchandise
from a virtual waitress, as well as
watch replays of the action, all
from the comfort of their seat.
 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008
The interactive stadium
A further generation of improvements will be
included in new stadiums. Tom Watt can imagine
a day when there are miniature monitors all around
the ground, maybe even one per seat. Graham
Fisher predicts having a choice of camera angles
to complement each seat. ‘We could see the
rise of in-seat services, with people pre-ordering
by phone food, drink or merchandise, which is
delivered over broadband to their seats,’ he adds.
Standing songs
‘The sedentary nature of the crowd means the
atmosphere has suffered at some grounds,’
says Dr. Rogan Taylor, director of the Football
Industry Group at the University of Liverpool.
‘Even at churches people stand up to sing.’
While stadiums use technology to recreate the
armchair experience, they will simultaneously try
to create an atmosphere with the intensity of the
terrace days. Architects will fit in more seats and
decrease legroom, making standing a preferable
option, especially as spectators get taller. Other
ideas include pint-sized ‘perching posts’ or
vibrating seats which are not very comfortable.
Obviously these would stop vibrating at half time.
Fragrance house
Fragrances will be pumped through stadiums to
excite the crowds. ‘Certain odours make us feel
calm and relaxed while others are stimulating,’
says Roja Dove, bespoke perfumer. ‘Spicy
fragrances such as nutmeg and black pepper
can create a need to be active or move.’
The mobile stadium
Those unable to make the game because they
are travelling or at work will be able to watch
special versions on their mobile phones. ‘Players
could be extracted as different coloured markers
from camera footage,’ says Graham Fisher. ‘In
the future it is not impossible that what you’ll be
seeing will be an avatar-based representation
of the game rather than a video version. From
that point of view, you could choose where
you were sitting, choose your viewing angles,
choose to be in your favourite stand as it used
to be when you were allowed to stand.’
 Fantasy football
This rendering version of the game could be
saved on the phone for fans to load onto their
PC or games console. They could then use the
data to play a particular character and see if
they could change how the match turned out.
‘How many people say “I could have saved that”
or “I could have scored that”?’ asks Graham
Fisher. ‘It’s easy to put accelerometers in things.
They have been put in phones, they can be put
in boots. You could easily work out how hard
the ball was kicked, the angle it was going at,
and then, using 3D technology, transfer the
incident to a game.’ This level of involvement
into the game expands a spectators’ experience
beyond what is currently imaginable. And
through a mobile device one can begin to see
how the 21st century fan will enjoy the ultimate
after-experience on-the-go and with friends.
Home comforts
Graham Fisher also believes that the technology
to make 360-degree images will become
increasingly popular for those watching at
home. ‘People watching remotely can select
their view, zoom in, pull out, each watching
their own personalised footage, increasing
the level of participation,’ he says.
IMS services that allow phones to multi-task could
see football content become more widespread.
‘The IMS service Share the Beautiful Game is a
sharing space that people can use in the pre-match
build up to decide where to meet and so on,’
explains Graham Fisher. ‘While at the game they
can pick up the experience, statistics and chatting
between a small group of friends.’ Services like this
will create a totally inclusive experience for fans,
but they are not simply limited to supporting their
team. Sunday league players, for instance, can use
this network of friends to organise games easily.
Close connections
Fans will also use technology to develop stronger
links with the players on the pitch by comparing
their own training regimes with those of their
favourite players. The application developer Bones
In Motion (BiM) has created tools that allow runners
to use GPRS-enabled phone technology to keep
track of the distance, speed and map of their
 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008
runs and compare data with friends or other local
runners. They can use BiM to compete with their
friends despite running routes at different times.
Graham Fisher believes that in the future amateur
footballers will be able to compare their personal
best data with that of their football heroes. ‘Why
shouldn’t we see amateur players comparing
themselves with Premier League professionals
like Frank Lampard?’ Technology should be
about giving incentives to people to participate
in sport. ‘I think the direction we’re moving in
with Wii is very positive,’ says Graham Fisher.
‘Think about if you could upload what you were
doing in real life. Data from your run could be
uploaded to a game to strengthen the character.’
Fan ownership
In his book Going Down: Football in Crisis, Simon
Banks writes that to supporters their club is ‘a
historic institution firmly rooted in a community’.
However, the modern fan, no matter how ardent,
is powerless to influence the club’s decisions.
When Manchester United were taken over
by the Glazer family, against the wishes of the
fans, some supporters took the initiative to set
up their own team, FC United. ‘The aim of FC
United was to bring back the community spirit of
football, offering those who could be financially
disadvantaged the chance to follow a team
without the burden of cost. We wanted to bring
the club to the people of Manchester,’ says Vasco
Wackrill, a founding board member of FC United.
FC United were promoted last season to the
Unibond League Division One. Who knows, one
day we could see a United vs United cup final.
In too deep
Fans want to be involved in every aspect of their
club. Many supporters admire the ownership
model of FC Barcelona where the democratic
structure keeps ticket prices low. In the UK,
the MyFootballClub scheme raised £1.75m to
buy a football club. The 50,000 members each
paid £35 to be part of a supporters’ trust and
have a say in how the club – Ebbsfleet United
– is run. We will see fans increasingly demand
to be more involved in the ownership of their
clubs or threaten to withdraw their support.
 The Future
of Football:
The Business
Football governing bodies have
tended to remain traditional, but they
will come under increasing pressure
to change their stance on a range of
issues that involve fans, players and
clubs. From technological ingenuity
to the reality of guaranteeing future
of generations of super-player,
the business of football has new
opportunities and challenges ahead.
Microchip managers
Managers of the future won’t simply trust
their instincts, but will rely on technology and
artificial intelligence to make their decisions.
‘With cameras, you can extract an awful
lot of information, for example gait analysis,
from quite average CCTV footage,’ says
Graham Fisher. ‘There are intelligent CCTV
cameras that spot unusual behaviour.’
As systems such as ProZone evolve, intelligent
cameras will make decisions on which players
are not putting in sufficient effort – and will advise
their substitution. These cameras will also use
computer data built up over a player’s career
to reach an informed decision. For example,
if a player tends to flag midway through the
game but comes up with last-minute goals and
assists, they may be allowed stay on the pitch.
The cameras could also use gait analysis to
understand which players are getting angry by
noticing differences in the way they walk, and
alert the manager or captain that they might
get sent off. A supercomputer built to pick
teams based on data from ProZone, Datatrax
or Opta Index could match players best suited
to coping with the opposition. While such a
system would never solely be used to pick the
team, it could provide an effective back-up.
 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008
Data salaries
‘In South African rugby union, some clubs
are basing players’ contracts on how they
perform objectively, using ProZone data,’ says
Barry McNeill, business and development
manager of ProZone. This kind of analysis will
become normal in football, as Premiership
wage bills look set to soar over the £1bn mark,
according to the Deloitte Annual Review of
Football Finance. Wages for squad players in
particular, who are not major transfer targets,
will be determined on performance data.
The 22nd-century pitch
The pitch of the future will be alive with technology
to help referees make the right decision and
to keep spectators informed, including robot
linesmen designed to spot an offside and
light-emitting pitches. The exact point of throw-
ins could be worked out by radio frequency
identification (RFID) chips in the balls or even by
the camera technology described above. Spotlight
systems similar to giant laser pointers could
mark out the exact place where free kicks need
to be taken, or a circle marking out 10 yards.
Ref’s little helpers
This information could also be transmitted via
light on an intelligent pitch embedded with LEDs
able to communicate with impact sensors in
balls and boots. Before the game each player
would register their boots as home or away; this
would mean the pitch could recognise which
team’s player had kicked the ball in an offside
decision. If players were offside the pitch would
light up in the line where they were, giving the
exact spot for the free kick to be taken. Tiny
shock-measuring chips embedded in socks
and shinpads connected to the RFID chip will
be able to detect impact, sending a signal to the
referee’s watch to tell him whether there was
contact or not and exposing diving players.
An artists impression of the 22nd
century pitch sees increased
prevalence of technology in the game:
robotic linesmen, LEDs in the match
ball and a techno-pitch will all help
with referees’ decision making.
10 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008
Robotic linesmen
At the University of the Witwatersrand in South
Africa, scientists have developed Aiden, a
computer card-playing programme that has
taught itself to bluff – a human personality
trait. ‘This demonstrates that computers
can learn this peculiarly human behaviour by
generating strategy from play – a very human
way of learning,’ says computer scientist
Philippe de Wilde in New Scientist. In the future,
robots could replace referees, using artificial
intelligence to make judgements such as
whether or not to play the advantage or what
level of punishment to give unruly players.
On-field communication
The pitch will increasingly be a ‘live’ arena, as
referees, players, managers, fans, apparel, goal
posts and the ball all link to each other in real time
via digital technologies. On-field communication
will immerse and connect players to one another
as they become ‘active nodes’ with managers and
referees linked directly to the teams as they play.
‘This will mean that players can actively contact
their managers via mobile devices located on their
bodies’, says Richard Crane, principle researcher
at France Telecom Research & Development.
Team captains in particular could report on tiring
players and relay information to managers to
pre-empt injuries and coordinate the field.
‘Global positioning systems (GPS) like the
upcoming European Galileo positioning system,
will enable real time connectivity between all
components of the game, and eradicate human
error. Making the wrong the decision about
offsides and the ball going out of play will cease
to exist because officials will receive accurate,
instantaneous feedback about a player or
ball’s unique position on the field’, says Crane.
‘This technology and connectivity will aid the
overall flow of the game, and enable officials to
make correct decision in real time, and lower
the frustration of the fans’, adds Crane.
 Nanoshirts
Nanotechnology will be incorporated into football
apparel to help heal minor scrapes and to improve
shirt visibility. Agion antimicrobial technology is
already used in shoes to keep them clean and
help prevent athlete’s foot. Nanotechnology
could allow shirts to be made of fabric that can
destroy airborne germs and pollutants. Such
fabrics have already been created by Professor
Juan Hinestroza of Cornell University.
‘Several leading footballers are already using
nutrient-releasing patches during play which
replace the minerals lost by the body during
sweating,’ says Nick Barber of Umbro. ‘It
is technically possible, through the use of
nanotechnology, that such minerals could be
incorporated into the fabric of a football kit and
absorbed in the same way. However, this would
only work if the kit was in continuous contact
with skin so it would have to be tight-fitting. It
would also difficult to monitor the quantities of
minerals being absorbed and there could be
issues with allergies, so it would probably mean
each player would need their own bespoke kit.’
Billboard futures
‘There are all sorts of light-emitting and colour-
changing fabrics available,’ says Graham
Fisher. ‘Advertising messages could certainly be
uploaded to shirts.’ In the future, footballers’ shirts
will scroll through advertisers, thus maximising ad
revenue. Brands that want an exclusive advertising
deal with a club will have to pay a premium.
Chameleon kits
Light sensors incorporated into kits could adjust
the hue of the shirt to maximise visibility for
spectators both at the ground and at home. This
would be especially useful for teams with green-
coloured kits or when playing in bright sunlight.
11 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008
Peak performance
Strength and power training will be revolutionised
by new integrated systems which test, monitor
and adapt to the individual as they train. These
intelligent strength training systems, which will
use electrical stimulation and super-fast motors
instead of weights, will comprise a single unit for
each player which will initially assess the players’
metabolic and nervous system capabilities. The
system will then optimise the workout according
to the goals for the player and his current status,
taking all the guesswork out of training.
Performance plans
Combined cryotherapy and magnetic therapy
chambers will cut recovery times by as much
as 300% facilitating much faster recovery
between matches and giving the ability to train
more often. ‘The advances in genetic and
metabolic typing will also give rise to completely
individualised pre-match drinks and non-invasive
‘electrosonephoresis injections’ which will optimise
energy levels. Timed release nutrients will ensure
energy is optimised throughout a game and
the concept of fatigue resulting from depleted
glycogen stored will become history’, says David
Reddin, a sports consultant for Catalyst and a
performance consultant working in football.
Super super game
‘The players will be genetic super-athletes covering
up to 50% more distance than today’s players
– up to 20km per game, speed of movement will
increase by 10-15% owing to advances in power
training, over-speed training and nervous system
nutrition’, comments Reddin. Injuries will be almost
non-existent due to advances in gene therapy
and the ability to predict an injury before it occurs.
Even during a game sensor technology built into a
player’s kit will measure forces and tolerances and
allow managers to proactively manage their team.
 Stem cell banking
Philip Newton, director of Lilleshall Sports
Injury Rehab, says we could see gene therapy
being used to treat injuries in the future,
speeding up recovery times. Footballers
will keep their children’s umbilical cords for
more than just souvenir purposes and child
prodigies will be having biopsies to safeguard
against the future, creating a surge in stem
cell banking facilities for elite athletes.
Organ pets
Designer Elio Caccavale’s project Utility Pets
explores xenotransplantation, the transplanting
of animal organs into humans. He imagines that
shortly after birth, people will be given piglets
with their own DNA engineered into the animals.
These pigs will become an organ bank for their
owner. Will footballers keep donor pets? In his
project, Caccavale creates objects to keep the
pig occupied, such as a low-resolution TV or a pig
toy which contains a microphone so the owner
can listen to it having fun. The footballers of the
future will be photographed leaving donor pet
shops with bags full of accessories for their pet.
Bespoke kits
‘Gone are the days where you go to the shop
and you buy a pair of boots and shinpads,’ says
Tom Watt. ‘It’s now like going to Savile Row
and everything is made to fit.’ Taking the idea
of personalisation even further, Sumeet Bellara,
design technologist at the Institute of Materials,
Minerals and Mining, suggests that in the future
rapid prototyping technology (3D printers) will be
used to create boots to fit to a specific player’s
foot. Inexpensive versions where just a bespoke
insole is created could be released to consumers.
All-in-one
Peter Cech may have unwittingly set a trend.
David Baxter of Sells Goalkeeper Products
believes that in the future, goalkeepers might
wear all-in-one protective suits under their kits
plus headgear ‘covering all vulnerable areas
with no restriction to physical movement’.
Goalkeepers could then make better saves
with any part of their body as they would be
less injury-prone. According to Richard Palmer
of d3o Lab we could see protective headwear
12 | the Orange Future of Football report 2008
in the form of a beanie, ‘potentially with d3o
protection sandwiched in between layers to
create a solution with a low profile and minimal
weight. Footballers of the future could also be
seen wearing base layers with protection in key
areas such as the elbows and shoulders. With
the reduction in injuries, players will be able to
perform to their full potential and the standard
of the game will consequently be increased.’
Female takeover
Women’s football may benefit from a backlash
to the commercialisation and cheating in the
men’s game, although technically women do not
perform at the same level as men. The women’s
league was founded in the 80s. The success
of Arsenal Ladies last season, with four major
trophies including the women’s UEFA Cup for
the first time, has led to increased attention and
attendances, with almost 25,000 at this year’s
FA Women’s Cup Final. With England doing well
at the women’s World Cup it is claimed women’s
football is the fastest growing sport in England.
Women’s hour
Currently, the women in football broadcasting
are pretty blondes or footballing daughters such
as Kelly Dalglish or Gabby Logan (née Yorath).
Will we see Luna Lampard and Lexie Gerrard in
the studio in 20 years’ time? The BBC’s decision
to employ Jacqui Oatley led to mixed reactions
from those who couldn’t see what the fuss was
about, those not wanting to sound sexist and
those who felt that the commentary box was no
place for a woman. It is interesting that some
female fans are also against women in football.
University administrator and diehard Toffee fan
Lucy Lyons, who left an Everton flag at the top
of Mount Kilimanjaro, says: ‘I think that women
playing football doesn’t seem right or look right.
The same with the commentary – women
commentators don’t sound right. Women should
stick to what they do best and that is being fans.’
Would it cause so much discussion if former
professional women footballers took a seat
on the panel? Can stars such as Rachel
Yankey, Karen Carney or Kelly Smith, who
have played at the highest level, be the football
presenters and columnists of the future.
 full time

Contributors to the report include:

Roy Jones, professor of Sports Technology, Loughborough University; Graham Fisher, Head of Orange
Research & Development; Tom Watt, BBC Radio presenter & pundit; Dr Rogan Taylor, director of The Football
In Group at The University of Liverpool; Vasco Wackrill, Board Member of FC United; Barry Mcneil, business
& development manager of Prozone; Nick Barber of Umbro; Philip Newton, director of Lilleshal Sport Injury
Rehab, Dave Reddin Sports Consultant for Catalyst and a performance consultant working in football.