The NBA, which had already partnered with NextVR in an attempt to combine basketball and virtual reality, announced on Tuesday at Recode’s Code Media conference that the NBA will be partnering with Magic Leap to bring a virtual reality experience to NBA fans through augmented reality glasses, called the Magic Leap One.
Managing Director of Magic Leap, Jeff Ruediger explains how the technology involved in their products works:
At Magic Leap, we are introducing a new kind of human-computer interactivity, starting with a lightweight wearable computer that enriches real-world experiences with digital content. We make this possible with spatial computing, seamlessly blending the digital and physical worlds to deliver new forms of engagement for consumers.
Ruediger also goes into how the partnership will lead to a brand new experience for basketball fans through an NBA companion app that works with the Magic Leap One:
This partnership will allow us to bring fans a completely new, intimate experience that has never been seen in sports. Using Magic Leap’s Screens platform, fans will be able to summon multiple, virtual screens into their field of view. When paired with Magic Leap’s Digital Lightfield technology and spatial computing, these screens can be shown at any size, and in any location combined with supplemental graphics that allow fans to enjoy their favorite stats, replays and commentary — all without missing the game action.
NBA Vice President of Global Distributions, Jeff Marsilio, spoke on what the partnership could mean for how basketball games are watched in the future, according to Recode:
“Eventually, the game could be available streaming on your coffee table as though you were a giant looking into the arena from above. Those are some ideas, those are things that we’re working towards. [They’re] not quite ready but actually more possible than you might think.”
The company showed a sneak-peek to what watching basketball would look like on multiple screens on the Magic Leap One when the product was announced in December. The Magic Leap One will start shipping later this year.
