UK cable operator, Virgin Media, last week unveiled a free, Web-based, two-screen interactive TV app that is designed to accompany live broadcasts of Premier League soccer games. Dubbed Sofa Stadium and incorporating social networking, real-time voting and game statistics, the laptop app debuted on Saturday in time for the first game of the Premier League season, and is available at http://www.sofastadium.co.uk.
According to Virgin Media, Sofa Stadium allows viewers to "rant, rave and banter" with other viewers as a game unfolds, vote for the best and worst players of each game, and "be heard at the click of a button by booing, cheering or singing, as if they were on the terraces." It lets them see via Tweet Watch what people are saying on Twitter about the game they are watching, the company says, and also allows them to have their comments posted straight to Facebook and other social networks. "Sofa Stadium is the perfect place for armchair supporters, commentators and managers alike to get actively involved in football, and a brilliant way to bring together the multiscreen entertainment experience," Virgin Media's executive director of digital entertainment, Cindy Rose, said in a prepared statement. "A perfect companion for fans looking to get the most of their football experience, Sofa Stadium provides an incredible way to enjoy the beautiful game, especially with Sky Sports now available in HD on Virgin Media."
In other Virgin Media news: The company and rival pay-TV operator, BSkyB, have apparently been helping shape specs related to Project Canvas, even though both companies have vociferously opposed the initiative (note: Project Canvas is an initiative that sees 1) the BBC and fellow UK public-service broadcasters, ITV and Channel Four, 2) UK ISP's, BT and TalkTalk, and 3) UK broadcast transmission company, Arqiva, partnering in order to attempt to develop a common standard and interface for the delivery of online video and interactive services to broadband-connected Freeview and Freesat set-top boxes). "Phase A of the DTG's Connected TV specification was circulated to DTG members at the end of July," a spokesperson for UK standards body, the Digital Television Group, told Paid Content UK. "To enable the development of the specification, Canvas, Sky, Virgin Media and Lovefilm have provided their high-level technical requirements. The Connected TV specification, which provides the core technical specification for hybrid broadcast/broadband devices that service providers such as Sky, Virgin Media and Canvas can build their trademarks requirements on to support their services, is only available to DTG members and will be published in December as part of D-Book 7." More information is available here.
