The state of play
In sports fandom, the Super Bowl is the pinnacle event, captivating 112 million viewers worldwide. Yet, only 70,000, or 0.06%, of fans are fortunate enough to attend game day. The in-person experience transcends mere spectacle and is challenging to match, but what if there was a way to be really immersed in the action from the comfort of your own home?
Enter the Apple Vision Pro, poised to redefine how we engage with sports
For the majority of fans, the Super Bowl is enjoyed from a distance, through screens ranging from massive displays in stadium fan zones to Smart TVs in living rooms or even smartphones. This variety of viewing options caters to the personal preferences of each fan.
The Apple Vision Pro will take fan viewing preferences to the next level, and it could offer a platform for a new kind of hyper-personalised Super Bowl experience.
Squint/Opera have imagined some of the ways in which this experience could unfold:
You can choose the level of immersion
A virtual field plays out the game in 3D on your coffee table, or it’s a supermassive screen projected on your wall and finally, with 360-degree cameras and full wrap-around immersion, Apple Vision Pro transforms your living room into a vibrant arena, placing you in the heart of the game.
Gone are the constraints of traditional viewing angles; instead, you choose from unlimited perspectives, courtesy of intelligent stadiums fitted with sensors, cameras and virtual field simulations. You can replay and watch game highlights at your discretion. Cameras mounted on players’ helmets provide a POV perspective, catapulting you closer to the action on the field than ever before.
The experience will be super social
Connect with friends, fans, commentators and comedians simultaneously in virtual environments. You could be sitting next to Jim Nantz as he provides play-by-play commentary, Chris Rock as he delivers a football-themed routine pitch side, or just a buddy who’s also using the avatar function available on Apple’s groundbreaking new headset.
You’ll be able to experience real-time match data
Get all the stats, player profiles and updates as they happen.
Exclusive entertainment
The halftime show takes over the room, and you’ve got a front-row seat as Taylor Swift or Post Malone take the Super Bowl stage. Super Bowl Ads are adapted for this new format, and you can experience your favourite brands as they clash it out for the most sought-after advertising space in the world. You’ll even be able to access exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews and insights from coaches and players, reflecting on the game so far.
Match Day amenities from the comfort of your own home
You won’t miss out on all the extra bits that make match days so captivating. NFL collaborations with a variety of vendors can bring the best bits of match day to your home. Amazon could deliver merch on-demand using drones, which you’d purchase in real-time from a virtual team store; you could even try on the 3D render of your favourite jersey or sports cap, to make sure they fit! Deliveroo will have NFL-themed restaurant pop-ups in towns and cities that can deliver straight to your door.
Customise controllers
A football becomes your remote control, rotate, spin, point and tap to control the world around you.
Converging tech
This all sounds pretty far-fetched, but it’s happening as we speak, and the tech which underpins this kind of experience is becoming commonplace at venues and living rooms across the US.
Spatial computing, proximity audio, and cutting-edge sports venue tech will converge in the Apple Vision Pro, allowing fans to navigate virtual environments with ease. Proximity audio further enhances immersion, ensuring that every cheer and comment feels as if it’s happening right beside you. Advanced sports tech, such as 360-degree cameras and interactive data feeds, combined with the groundbreaking spatial immersion of the Vision Pro, will empower fans with unprecedented insights and control.
What’s next for game day?
Looking ahead, it’s clear that fans wish to engage with their favourite sports in new and more immersive ways. With the NFL being the second most popular sport globally, just behind soccer, it must lead the way in developing these premier immersive experiences, especially considering its significant US audience are early adopters and die-hard fans who expect nothing but the best experiences in the world.
Following in the footsteps of the NFL, we expect that the NBA and MLB will be next in line to adopt these next-gen fan experiences, which underscores a broader trend towards offering enhanced fan engagement through technology.
Squint/Opera has been world-building for our clients since 2001, and now, as we all become more sophisticated in our interactions with virtual spaces, it’s time to unleash our digital toolkit to empower fans to experience these virtual worlds like never before.
Learn more about the future of venues in Journey’s latest white paper now.