Launching in early February, Football Week will preview every EPL 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.
Football Week is a truly interactive digital football magazine with the up-to-the-second flexibility of a website but the design and packaging of a digital edition, says Future. 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 a wealth of 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 whilst leading football writer Jonathan Wilson (The Guardian, Goal, World Soccer) will also be supplying an exclusive column on modern EPL tactics.
EA SPORTS are the official gaming partner for Football Week. A weekly dedicated EA SPORTS Zone will feature tips, tactics and competitions around FIFA 13, the world’s best-selling sports game, and its most popular game mode, FIFA Ultimate Team. EA SPORTS will promote Football Week to its social media audiences.
Up-to-the-minute injury news will be provided by PhysioRoom.com, the world's leading resource for football injury data. As well as a regular presence in each addition of Football Week, PhysioRoom.com will feature heavily on the accompanying Football Week blog.
Mark Cantwell, Football Week Publisher, says: “We truly believe this is the ultimate accompaniment to the weekend’s Premier League action. We have focussed on filling the gaps that traditional media like TV, Magazines and Websites leave behind, to put the consumer at the heart of everything we do and complete their weekend football experience. We are particularly proud of The Match Hub – it’s as live as it is possible to get and custom designed for the iPad.”
Mark Wood, Future CEO, says: “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.”
Tony Watson, Managing Director of the Press Association, says: “PA is working with Future because of its excellent publishing credentials on Newsstand. With our market leading content fuelling Football Week, together PA and Future can create new products for new markets at the cutting edge of digital publishing.”
