Cologne, Germany Cologne (Germany), Jan 31 (360info) In-stadium augmented reality could change the way fans watch sports — but is it what they want? Professional sports are fighting harder than ever for the attention of the new generation.
TikTok With interactive experiences like streaming services and video games taking up more time for young people, some sports teams are looking to technology to enhance the fan experience.
Augmented reality is the key technology that can connect youth and traditional sports.
Enables real-time overlays that provide fans in stadiums with a number of intuitive benefits: live statistics that complement the on-field action; animated players and mascots; Embedded real-time 3D effects (such as team registrations); Face filters or even virtual guides around stadium buildings.
Leagues and teams are trying. National Football League teams like the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens have introduced “mixed-reality” looks — portraits of their namesake animals — that made for a spectacular viral video shoot.
Fans in Qatar at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will see heat maps, You can download the FIFA+ app, which can project a real-life overlay of team and player data such as line-ups and statistics.
Sports administrators are eager to marry better reality with the fan experience, but the enthusiasm has yet to be fully responded to. Market research shows that fans want to try new technologies offered in stadiums, but there are also many incentives. The power of rebellious audiences has historically been strong. American broadcaster Fox invested over US$2 million in the early 1990s to create ‘FoxTrax’ to follow ice hockey fans during televised national hockey games.
Despite numerous innovations, the look was swamped by audience response for two years. In March 2022, The National Basketball Association and ESPN have teamed up to create a 3D highlight reel of a real-life contest between the Dallas Mavericks and Brooklyn Nets.
The pixelated blurry footage resembles a modern video game, and the “NBA CourtView” product hasn’t been seen since.
The resistance is multifaceted. Some are shy people and hold back until they see others. No matter how promising the technology, some will reject the innovations.
The most disturbed will rebel against the new technology in the stadiums and call for boycotts, forcing others not to take them over.
Anti-innovation sentiments among sports fans have their own unique drivers. On the surface The backlash against video assistant referee technology may seem confusing — sports fans might think they would welcome an innovation that reduces the potential for error to influence the outcome of a game.
But research shows that some fans dislike the technology, robbing other fans of spirited debate over refereeing decisions in lieu of solid, objectively correct judgments.
A 2022 study of more than 1,000 sports fans in Germany and the UK revealed other concerns they have about the integration of augmented reality technology in stadiums.
Some worry that integrating in-stadium experiences and apps can affect the atmosphere in the stadium and distract fans from the live action on and off the field, and that the use of augmented reality conflicts with ‘good’ or ‘sincere’ identity. ‘Sports fan.
Research on sports fans and technology use in the experience of live sport: singing; clapping hands encouraging Concerns about supporting the group and engaging with nearby barrackers to create a live action-oriented community were emphasized.
Part of the audience’s horror at embracing the data-rich real world is the risk of sterilizing an emotionally-driven pastime. Heated discussions among fans, for example, can be cooled by the blurring of statistics available in real time.
Audiences polled prefer emotionally charged conversations with friends, and some express concern that the discussion format will shift from happy speculation to an augmented and reality integration based on objective and data.
There are other practical concerns identified by the research – while some worry that the use of augmented reality technology in sports arenas could cause disruption or immediate criticism from nearby spectators, others worry about data surrender and the security implications of using such apps.
Such apprehension does not mean that sports administrators are misguided in pushing for a better reality. The opportunities are huge and there are widely acclaimed mergers, especially in television broadcasts. ESPN’s pioneering virtual first down marker for NFL broadcasts has become ubiquitous across all sports, with the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers using the technology to display augmented reality-based ‘ClipperVision’ broadcasts of games to show live images of their games. Shooting percentages and player details.
But research suggests that adopters of augmented reality may need to think carefully about how they roll it out. In the initial stages of augmented reality, limitations can be placed — e.g. Statistics are only available at halftime to avoid dampening the live atmosphere during the match. Sports are a special alchemy for many supporters, mixing sportsmanship with analytical brilliance with deep emotional connections. Finding a way to innovate without sidelining those bonds of love is a challenge facing all forward-thinking managers. (360info.org) PY PY
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is automatically generated from an aggregated feed.)
