random, an LED ring that responds to wall impacts and so on. Like the NBA, SAP Garden also facilitates Meta Quest headsets, allowing the audience to interact with players – virtually, of course – during games. “This project wasn’t just about the technology,” stated Herche. “It was about creating a shared experience to bring fans closer to the sport.” Technologies like Arise from Immersiv.io also work to that mission, whether fans are watching in person or at home. The solution relies on spatial computing to create 3D representations of the action and overlay insights onto video feeds or – through a device – the real pitch. During the 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) All-Star Game’s Future of the Game Showcase, for instance, Immersiv.io demonstrated how Apple Vision Pro headsets could allow fans to put themselves in a footballer’s
INTO THE METAVERSE SAP Garden facilitates interaction with players
shoes. The experience offered 3D models with realistic player avatars, first-person POV (as a goalie only), in-depth analytics, a 360° stadium and more. Immersiv.io’s tech isn’t just transforming US soccer; it’s also being deployed around the world and across sports: in the Tour de France, NHL, WNBA and elsewhere. The age of avatars While sports can appeal to everyone, it seems that young people aren’t as interested. Gen Z are about half as likely to watch sports as millennials are (and twice as likely to never watch them at all). However, they’re more likely to follow individual athletes on social platforms, suggesting that young people are looking for a one-
to-one connection and interaction above all else. Social media can no doubt bridge some of the divide between athletes, teams and their fans, with YouTube emerging as the preferred platform for Gen Z followers to consume sports-related content. Young people’s reputation of having shorter attention spans, while scientifically unsupported, comes across clearly in the numbers – Gen Z viewers watch fewer games than older age groups do, and are quick to turn them off. This explains why young people are so invested in esports; there’s an inbuilt degree of immersion. Esports also often involve AI avatars – semi-realistic representations of real people, athletes included. These avatars can help professional teams reach the elusive Gen Z audience, making sports more interactive and engaging for a notoriously hard-to- please group of consumers. Companies like Rock Paper Reality and Play.ai specialise in AI-powered avatars, so brands can offer hyper- personalised, empathetic content and create meaningful connections with their customers. Play.ai also supports multiple languages, catering to a global fan base. Pump up the volume Another way to create avatars is through volumetric capture – using ‘multiple cameras simultaneously
MERGED REALITIES Immersiv.io has the ability to overlay digital avatars onto the pitch, making real games even more engaging
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