The National Basketball Association (NBA) is using Microsoft Teams’ new Together mode to put basketball fans into a virtual experience during live games. Microsoft just unveiled Together for Teams mode earlier this month, and uses artificial intelligence to segment its face and shoulders and place it alongside other people in a virtual space.
The NBA is using this new Microsoft Teams mode combined with 17-foot tall LED displays that will wrap around the basketball arenas to place fans 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 who use Together Mode to sit side by side practically on Microsoft Teams. Fans will be able to watch a live feed of the game within teams along with a view of the others.
“This new experience, the first to launch as a result of the NBA / Microsoft partnership, gives participating fans the feeling of sitting side by side in a live game without leaving the comfort and safety of their homes,” he explains. Jared Spataro, Head of Microsoft 365. “In the meantime, players will experience their energy and support as they run across the court and see the reaction in real time from fans. And viewers who tune in to the game from home will feel the energy of the crowd and see the virtual stands filled with fans. ”
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Obviously, there is great potential for abuse if fans are not properly selected, or if there is no in-game monitoring of Microsoft Teams sessions. We have asked Microsoft to clarify how the company will address this, but Microsoft was unable to provide an answer before publishing.
ESPN and Turner Sports stations are also repositioning cameras to include new angles for fans watching at home, and microphones around the court will capture the squeaks of sneakers and the bouncing of balls that we are used to hearing. Along with the Microsoft Teams experience, fans will also be able to virtually animate using the NBA app. These virtual claps will appear on video boards during games with animations.
The NBA’s work with Microsoft is part of a strategic alliance that the couple formed earlier this year. Microsoft signed a multi-year agreement with the NBA to become the league’s official provider of artificial intelligence, cloud and laptops. This is the first great example of the deal, and we’ll also see the NBA using Microsoft’s Azure platform to stream live, on-demand basketball games with personalized content.
The NBA season will resume on July 30, after it was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. This innovative use of Microsoft Teams is part of a number of ways that different sports around the world are trying to create virtual fan experiences. Fox Sports will also bring “virtual fans” to its Major League Baseball broadcasts on Saturday, replacing the empty seats with CGI fans and false crowd noises.
