The NBA is using Microsoft Teams to bring basketball fans courtside https://t.co/LWPy9xYF5a via @Verge
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) July 27, 2020
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is using Microsoft Teams’ new Together Mode to place basketball fans courtside in a virtual experience during live games. Microsoft only just revealed Together Mode for Teams earlier this month, and it uses AI to segment your face and shoulders and place you together with other people in a virtual space.
The NBA is using this new Microsoft Teams mode combined with 17-foot tall LED screens that will wrap around basketball arenas to put fans back next to players. Fans will be able to react in real time, and players will be able to see and hear those reactions. These virtual stands will include more than 300 fans using Together Mode to sit side by side with each other virtually in Microsoft Teams. Fans will be able to watch a live feed of the game within Teams alongside a view of each other.
“This new experience—the first to go live as a result of the NBA / Microsoft partnership — gives participating fans the feeling of sitting next to one another at a live game without leaving the comfort and safety of their homes,” explains Jared Spataro, head of Microsoft 365. “Players, meanwhile, will experience their energy and support as they dribble down the court and see fans’ real-time reaction. And viewers tuning into the game from home will feel the crowd’s energy as well as they see the virtual stands filled with fans.”
What a terrific idea. This is going to make the bubble games so much better. It brings fans back into the arena, fills the void from the empty seats, and gives the player real time live feedback on their play.
I remember talking about this in an article for Medium right after the bubble idea was announced. Watched it during today’s Lakers’ scrimmage with the Wizards and it looked great. You wonder whether it could be an option to monetize for the next regular season. While MLB and NFL struggle, the NBA is getting it right. Totally cool solution by Microsoft Teams.