Though fans are not allowed inside the NBA bubble in Orlando, the league has said all along that broadcasts would be more innovative and interactive than ever before. Now, we have a bit of insight into how fans can join in on the fun of live NBA basketball once again.
Anyone who’s tuned into the first round of scrimmages this week will have seen the massive video board that sits behind team benches, and the league will use that board to put up 300 live streams of fans who can “digitally interact” using Microsoft’s “Together mode,” according to a press release from the league. Those fans will be visible inside the arena as well as on broadcasts. This is similar to what soccer leagues in the U.S. and abroad have done to involve fans in the action while stadiums are empty.
Here’s a good idea of what that will look like:
In addition, for national TV broadcasts, “more than 30 cameras, including many in robotic form, will be repositioned closer to the court and showcase never-before-seen camera angles in places that are otherwise not accessible with fans in the arena. The league will also use Snapchat virtual reality software and TikTok challenges to involve fans through social media during games.