Bath-based international media group Future has teamed up with the Press Association (PA), to launch Football Week, a weekly international iPad magazine for global followers of the English Premier League.
Launching in early next month, it will preview every game with full editorial pieces, team news, head-to-head info, player data and the latest stats. Over the weekend, these will update with the addition of text commentary, in-game stats and post-match analysis.
Future, which has 200 publications, apps, websites and events, describes Football Week as “a truly interactive digital football ma
gazine with the up-to-the-second flexibility of a website but the design and packaging of a digital edition”.
Substantial development work to Future’s own proprietary app creation software, FutureFolio, has enabled Football Week to be the company’s first iPad magazine to embellish editorial content with live content feeds.
The Premier League is broadcast in 212 territories around the world, working with 80 different broadcasters. Across the globe the Barclays Premier League continues to be the most watched football league in the world.
As the official data partner of the UK professional football leagues, the Press Association has a long history in delivering rich sports content around the clock – and Football Week, available every Friday, will automatically update with this live content across the football weekend.
As well as full game previews, a dedicated Future editorial team will provide player interviews, think pieces and expert editorial about the wider issues of the modern game. Expert ‘datatorial’ pieces will use the PA’s market-leading football statistics while leading football writer Jonathan Wilson (The Guardian, Goal, World Soccer) will also be supplying an exclusive column on modern EPL tactics.
Future CEO Mark Wood said: “Football Week is a unique iPad product and a genuine first for Future. We are moving rapidly outside the boundaries of our traditional business and fusing the best aspects of print and web media together for the tablet. The Press Association has been the best partner possible for this new type of product and although their infrastructure and content are important it is their ambition and willingness to innovate with us that has been key.”
