VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- YBVR, a Silicon Valley technology startup and a global leader in Immersive Live Sports streaming, has joined forces with TELUS and MEDIAPRO Canada to pilot a fully-immersive Sports Metaverse service in Canada and redefine the way fans experience live sports. Beginning with OneSoccer and the Canadian Premier League (CPL), the TELUS Sports app brings Canadian soccer fans access to unique features allowing them to choose, in real time, between up to eight different camera angles, across multiple devices and from multiple viewers to offer the most immersive soccer viewing experience in the comfort of their home or on-the-go. TELUS Sports is free and available for download on mobile devices through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, select Android TVs for TELUS subscribers on Optik TV and Pik TV, and web browsers by visiting telussports.ybvr.com.
“YBVR is proud to partner with TELUS and MEDIAPRO Canada to offer a one-of-a-kind viewing experience to Canadian soccer fans,” said Hector Prieto, Co-Founder and CEO at YBVR. “YBVR is the technology provider behind the enhanced, immersive, multi-camera and hyper-personalized fan experience. It is an interactive and flexible solution that will be available for all October Canadian Premier League games. As soccer fever takes over Canada, the ending of this year’s season promises to be exciting, and TELUS, combined with the power of YBVR’s technology, will make it accessible for all Canadians.”
YBVR’s current portfolio of immersive sports tech initiatives includes projects with Wimbledon and the Australia Open tennis Majors, EuroLeague basketball, and Real Madrid, as well as partnerships with major players in sports broadcasting such as Verizon, Singtel, and Telefónica.
“As the sport with the highest participation levels among children and young people in Canada, soccer is embedded in our national mainstream. This project provides an exciting boost for fans by enhancing the Canadian Premier League’s digital content offering through the TELUS Sports app,” said Amit Nag, Vice-president, Entertainment and Education Services at TELUS. “By partnering together with YBVR and MEDIAPRO Canada, TELUS is piloting next-generation technology for the Canadian Premier League and enhancing soccer’s impact on the Canadian landscape.”
The new partnership is among the first to ride the wave of technological innovation into Canada, bringing immersive, personalized and interactive functionalities to soccer. The combined technological capabilities and experience of these three world-leading companies will bring a trailblazing new option to Canadian Premier League fans through the TELUS Sports app and OneSoccer.
“This new venture represents an extraordinary opportunity for OneSoccer and the Canadian Premier League and will vault the viewing experience to a whole new level,” said Oscar López, Chief Executive Officer at MEDIAPRO Canada. “In just four years, the CPL has developed into a compelling and competitive league with a dedicated fan base from coast to coast, and TELUS and YBVR have shown that they understand the popularity of soccer among Canadian families and sports fans, at a time when Canadian soccer is reaching new heights – not just at home but at a continental and global level. We’re delighted to join the likes of Real Madrid and Wimbledon in engaging viewers through the latest in technological innovation.”
The TELUS Sports app is available as a pilot for fans to watch the remaining nine matches in the season, for a total of four regular season matches and the five post-season fixtures which will determine the 2022 CPL champion.
About YBVR
YBVR is a technology company that is re-defining the way fans experience live sports. YBVR enables a new immersive and interactive dialogue with sport fans, especially the new generations, engaging from home and in-venue. The expansive expertise of these companies brings about a fantastic opportunity for the Canadian Premier League and its fans.
About MEDIAPRO Canada
MEDIAPRO Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of GRUP Mediapro, the Spanish media multinational, holds a long-term partnership with Canadian Soccer Business for the worldwide media rights to the Canadian Premier League, the country’s first-division men's professional soccer league; the Canadian Championship, Canada Soccer’s domestic soccer competition involving all professional soccer clubs in Canada including Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, CF Montréal and the Vancouver Whitecaps; and the home friendly matches of Canada Soccer’s Women’s and Men’s National Teams. In 2019, it launched OneSoccer, a dedicated soccer channel available through TELUS Optik TV, fuboTV and the OneSoccer app.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with $17 billion in annual revenue and 17 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS’ global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.
TELUS Health is Canada’s leader in digital health technology, improving access to health and wellness services and revolutionizing the flow of health information across the continuum of care. TELUS Agriculture provides innovative digital solutions throughout the agriculture value chain, supporting better food outcomes from improved agri-business data insights and processes. TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds, and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content management, for global and disruptive brands across high-growth industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, ecommerce and FinTech, healthcare, and travel and hospitality. TELUS and TELUS International operate in 25+ countries around the world.
Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS, our team members and retirees to contribute more than $900 million and 1.8 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.
For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Valeria Gómez
YBVR Immersive Content
valeria@ybvr.com
Catherine Davies
MEDIAPRO Canada Media Relations
cdavies@mediapro.tv
Lena Chen
TELUS Public Relations
lena.chen@telus.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4016ed4c-2b8d-4284-b3c3-07e969ad53ab
