After sacking former Manchester United manager José Mourinho in response to failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, followed by announcing the signing of record-breaking goalkeeper Ederson from Premier League side Manchester City, Fenerbahçe SK have had a headline-heavy week.
However, outside of football, the 28-time Turkish champions are making noise in the digital space too. The leading provider of immersive experiences Napster (f.k.a. Infinite Reality) have partnered with the sports club to generate a state-of-the-art virtual AI-powered 3D store operated by Fenerium, its official merchandising arm – a move that raises big questions for the future of immersive commerce.
Shaping the Future of How Fans Connect
The store resembles an interactive, gamified environment, featuring an AI-powered multilingual shopping assistant for Fener’s global fans. 3D merchandising with over 50 products, including the club’s 2025/26 Adidas kits are available for purchase. Jerseys and other items can be customised, and crucially, there are no hardware barriers – fans can explore the experience directly via the website.
Sam Huber, CEO of MENA and Global President of Enterprise for Napster shared his excitement:
“It is incredibly rewarding to see our solutions thrive on a global stage across the sports and entertainment sectors which benefit from massive, passionate fan bases.”
He then backed up Napster’s domination in the immersive experience market. “Napster is at the forefront of innovation-delivering scalable, data-driven solutions that help brands forge deeper connections with today’s digitally native and AI-savvy consumers.”
Fenerium’s Chairman of the Board Esin Güral Argat also expressed optimism:
“With the launch of Turkey’s first 3D virtual store, we are bringing the in-store experience to the digital world via Fenerium. By embracing the possibilities of digital transformation, Fenerbahçe continues to set industry benchmarks and enhance the overall fan journey. We are confident that our supporters will welcome and engage with this initiative enthusiastically.”
But will this optimism transform into reality?
Expect Numbers…
After succeeding in a similar project with Portuguese footballing giant SL Benfica, this could be the next transformation in online shopping. As we’ve seen, XR is still in a transition phase regarding its attempts at establishing a high consumer market outreach, whilst its B2B counterpart thrives. The solution to this issue is by using immersive experiences – drip feeding consumers XR in the sense of them realising its powerful futuristic utility.
With over 150 million digital interactions tracked on its platform as well as more than 500 successful projects executed for iconic brands like Crate & Barrel, J.Crew, Laura Mercier, and Swarovski, Napster dominates the immersive experience market – being well aware of its target audience.
As 90% of Gen Z members classify themselves as gamers and 82% of sports fans claim to use mobile devices whilst watching events, an interactive game-like immersive experience for a major soccer club seems like a no brainer. Paired with Fenerbahçe’s 34 million followers across Instagram, Facebook and X, the store is sure to be overloaded by customers.
However, this experience may become another short-lived consumer experience rather than a long-term transformation of retail…
Just Another Short-Lived Gimmick?
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this kind of thing. 3D stores have been around since the mid-2000s and AR try-on filters have emerged in recent years, immersive commerce has promised a revolution for nearly two decades – but it’s never quite taken off.
Why?
- Clunky tech and UX: Until recently, hardware and browser limitations made immersive stores slow, buggy, or inaccessible.
- Consumer habits: Shoppers want convenience, and standard e-commerce remains frictionless and familiar.
- Limited utility: Too often, immersive experiences have been more novelty than necessity.
The question now is whether this new wave of AI and accessible 3D technology can change that trajectory.
The B2B Play: Data, Loyalty, and Future-Proofing
Fenerbahçe’s 3D store is less about selling jerseys and more about building a data-driven engagement platform. For Napster, it cements its role as a B2B leader in scalable immersive solutions. With AI personalisation, seamless browser-based access, and alignment with Gen Z’s gaming habits, immersive commerce is inching closer to mainstream appeal. Football is the perfect market for this, with its immense loyalty and tight-knit culture.
Argat showed awareness of this, looking into the long-term engagement and commitment:
“Through this innovative platform, fans can explore the Fenerium store from their devices, check collections, and make direct purchases. We believe this initiative not merely as a commercial endeavor, but as a strategic step to deepen the emotional connection between our fans and the club in the digital sphere.”
Yet, the real opportunity lies in utility over novelty – using early adoption to gather insights, enhance experiences, and integrate immersive tech into broader strategies. For brands, the play isn’t a stunt but a long-term investment in ecosystems that deepen loyalty and position them ahead of the curve.
A Test Case for the Industry
Napster and Fenerbahçe’s collaboration isn’t just a flashy launch; it’s a case study in how immersive tech providers and brands can experiment with scalable, low-barrier experiences.
Whether this marks the beginning of a true shift in consumer behaviour or remains another footnote in the history of “almost revolutions” will depend on one thing: can immersive commerce deliver tangible value beyond the wow factor?
For now, brands watching from the sidelines should take note – the game is evolving, and those who learn the rules early could have the competitive edge when the virtual whistle blows.
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