Featured image credit: Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings NBA franchise has teamed up with Ticketmaster and OneCourt to introduce a new way for blind and low-vision fans to experience games at Golden 1 Center.
Throughout the remainder of the 2024-25 regular season, OneCourt’s haptic display will be available at all games for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Five devices will be available at each home game.
The technology converts live game action into audio and trackable vibrations, allowing users to follow plays with their fingertips. The Kings have worked with the NBA to integrate OneCourt with the league’s live gameplay tracking system.
OneCourt devices are also available at the Portland Trail Blazers’ Moda Center arena. Last year, the technology was introduced at Globe Life Field for Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game.
Alinma Stadium delivered Saudi Arabia’s first-ever CUE-powered smartphone light show during Al-Ittihad’s recent 4-1 victory over Al-Hilal.
CUE is based in Nashville, Tennessee and provides digital fan experiences at sporting events. It has partnered with teams across the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball, as well as Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.
The CUE app was downloaded by more than 33,000 Al-Ittihad fans, whose synchronised phone lights transformed Alinma Stadium into an immersive visual experience. The match also introduced FanSee, CUE’s interactive live-streaming platform, which allowed fans to share their real-time videos directly onto the stadium’s big screens.
Back in the NBA, spatial intelligence platform AiFi has announced a collaboration with Verizon to power a new cashierless checkout store at State Farm Arena, home of the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks Express store is located on the 100 West main concourse and uses AiFi’s computer-led autonomous retail solution. The store is powered by Verizon’s 5G Edge technology and enables customers to enter the store, select their items and exit with their purchases automatically processed through their mobile payment method.
As part of a wider technology initiative, State Farm Arena has also installed Delta Fly-Through Lanes powered by Verizon. The lanes are located at Gates 1, 2, 3 and 7 and feature Verizon Sensor Insights. State Farm Arena will serve as the marquee launch partner for Verizon Sensor Insights.
Elsewhere in the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves have partnered with Aires Tech to create an electromagnetic field (EMF)-friendly environment at Target Center.
The experience will aim to optimise EMFs emitted by electronics and wireless technology to create a healthier and more beneficial arena experience for fans. Aires-backed technology will be integrated into high-traffic fan areas throughout the concourse, along with in-game arena signage, scoreboard messaging and original social content.
The installation marks the first official adoption of the Aires Certified Spaces standard, a set of protocols for implementing EMF modulation solutions to create authorised EMF-friendly spaces.
Evolv Technologies, a security technology company that delivers AI-based solutions, has partnered with Sports Illustrated Stadium, home of Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls.
As the official fan screening partner of the stadium, the company will roll out its Evolv Express systems at main entrances. Express will also be used at staff and talent entries.
The Express units will be in operation for the Red Bulls’ first home game of the season on Saturday. Evolv will also work with the Red Bulls on community activations.
Vodafone completed a trial of 5G standalone network slices at Principality Stadium during the recent Six Nations match between Wales and Ireland.
Vodafone claims the trial marks a first for the UK, with multiple 5G standalone network slices being used concurrently for different use cases. The dedicated slice was created in partnership with Ericsson and provided connectivity to fans in Vodafone’s hospitality area at the stadium.
The second slice was reserved for the Welsh Rugby Union’s official in-house photography agency to ensure the upload of images was not impacted by slow internet speeds.
Sports marketing agency TGI Sport has been announced as an official supplier of French Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais.
TGI Sport will provide the club with greater visibility for its partners through its dual LED panel system. TGI Sport has already delivered virtual advertising solutions for televised coverage of the club’s home matches against AS Monaco, Olympique Lyonnais, Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain as part of its ongoing work with Ligue 1.
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