Ballerz, a multimillion-pound, 30,000-square-foot dome, combines training, gaming, and entertainment with advanced pro pitch technology and immersive effects. The launch event featured a high-profile Battle of the Ballerz football tournament on May 16, where big names from football, music, and entertainment got to test out the pitch. The dome was developed by a team of sports and hospitality specialists, including former professional footballers Rio Ferdinand, Bobby Zamora, Roberto Carlos, and Mark Noble.
Ballerz’s football founders took to the pitch with former England player Joe Cole, professional freestyler Harriet Pavlou and Wolves manager Gary O’Neil. Other players included members of the Charlton Athletic squad, former City centre-back Joleon Lescott, DJ Joel Corry, DJ Mark Knight, and many others from the entertainment and sports industry. The tech-loaded 5G Ballerz pitch (Image: Jeff Spicer/PA Media Assignments) The venue fully opened to the public on May 18 and offers a stadium-like experience complete with a tunnel and walkout area, FX lighting, real-time crowd noises, and easily sharable goal highlights.
The dome's main feature is its 6-a-side stadium pitch, but it also includes a SkillZone, where players can take on seven football fitness games that test their technical, physical, and mental skills. Performance is tracked using Ballerz QR wristbands, allowing players to challenge their personal bests and compete against scores set by football icons. Rio Ferdin.