BT Sport Expands Futuristic Viewing Experience To All Users

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BT Sport’s “Matchday Experience” set of unique features will become available to all their customers (with a few caveats – see ahead), starting on February 2.

Matchday Experience is a collection of immersive and innovative viewing features, including a 360 watching experience, a “watch-together” feature, augmented reality and more.

The features were already available on iPhone and iPad devices for the past few weeks, but support will now be expanded to Android phones and tablets. 

The first broadcast to include all these new features, on the new devices, will be Manchester United v Southampton on 2 February, and then Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea on 4 February.

BT Sport, which is available in the UK and Ireland, broadcasts sporting events from the UK and around the world – from live Premier League games to UEFA Champions League, MotoGP, boxing and more.

For many years, BT Sport was only available to either BT Broadband customers or as an add-on for “traditional” pay-TV subscriptions like Sky and Virgin Media. 

BT Sports screens

Then, in December 2019, BT Sport launched the “Monthly Pass” option, which is open to all customers on a month-to-month basis without a long-term contract, at £25/month. (see our full guide on how to watch BT Sport online – even for free).

BT Sport subscribers are then entitled to use the BT Sport app on their phones (as well as on Fire TV, Roku and more streaming devices) – but most of the new Matchday Experience will only work on mobile devices (and tablets).

Matchday Experience features include:

Watch Together 

The only sports service in the UK allowing fans to watch, see and chat with three other friends, alongside any BT Sport broadcast, thanks to a split-screen interface.

BT Sport watch together app

Any BT Sport customer can create their own Watch Together room and invite anyone else who is also a BT Sport customer to join them to create a unique match viewing experience.

Last year, we reported about BT Sports early tests of this new feature – and now, it will finally be available to all customers.

The “Watch Together” feature can also be used on the big TV screen, but only by pairing your mobile phone with an Apple TV

360 Service

The enhanced version of 360 with Matchday Experience provides 360 picture quality: A new “pinch and zoom” functionality enables fans to home in on their desired areas of interest to make customers feel like they are at the ground.

BT Sport 360

360 offers viewers the chance to select different camera angles and viewpoints, not normally seen in broadcast.

Manager Mode

Customers have the choice of adding real-time graphics as part of the match coverage augmented on the pitch. The feature provides informative and insightful stats such as player names, player speeds, and, a mini-map tracking the positions of all players for a unique tactical viewpoint.

BT Sport manager mode

Later this season, a shot velocity tracker will also become available.

Stadium Experience

Fans can use an Augmented Reality doorway in the BT Sport App to be transported from wherever they are into exclusive behind the scenes experiences of leading football teams and sporting stadiums.

BT Sport Stadium Experience

Depending on the club and stadium, these include areas such as dressing rooms, dugouts, trophy rooms and tunnel areas.

Matchday Live 

Fans can access team line-ups, formations and in-game stats brought to life through stunning Augmented Reality from wherever they are watching the action.

All five Matchday Experience features will be available to every BT Sport customer around BT Sport 1’s Saturday lunchtime Premier League matches.

In addition, all five Matchday Experience features will be available around select midweek Premier League games, starting with BT Sport 1’s exclusively live coverage of Manchester United v Southampton on 2 February, and, Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea on 4 February.

Disappointingly though, the Stadium Experience and Match Day Live features, around BT Sport’s Premier League matches, will only become available via Android devices in the future.

Meanwhile, Watch Together can be used by BT Sport customers around any programme broadcast across BT Sport’s four TV channels.

Feature availability will expand over the coming season around BT Sport’s coverage of certain matches from the UEFA Champions League, Emirates FA Cup, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, and boxing clashes.

Optimised for 5G, the features also work on WiFi and 4G networks.

Do note that those who subscribe to BT Sport directly via either Virgin Media or Sky, do not have access to the BT Sport App, and therefore would not be able to use the new Matchday Experience features.

Last month, we also reported about Sky Sports launching a VR Premier League experience, though that one is only available to owners of Oculus VR headsets.

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