No physical fans, no problem. Microsoft is helping the NBA to beam in fans virtually into the basketball arenas when the season restarts next week.
(Credit: NBA)
The NBA is going to restart its basketball season with virtual fans in the stands.
Due to COVID-19, the league is being forced to play out the rest of the season in seclusion in Orlando, Florida. And so, sadly, crowds in physical attendance won’t be allowed. But don’t worry; some lucky fans will be able to pop up virtually.
When the games restart, the NBA is going to use Microsoft’s video conferencing software, Microsoft Teams, to display people’s faces on giant LED screens that’ll be placed in the stands. “More than 300 NBA fans each game will be invited to appear live on the ‘Michelob ULTRA Courtside’ 17-foot video boards surrounding the court,” the league said in today’s announcement.
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The effect is designed to imitate an actual crowd at an NBA game. Microsoft’s software will capture remote video of each fan’s body and place them over a virtual seat in the stands. The 17-foot video boards will then display the fans as the basketball game plays on.
