Cosm
- Partnership is Cosm’s first with a major sports league
- Selected NBA League Pass games will be offered in dedicated facility
- Dapper Labs also launches NBA Top Shot mobile app
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is partnering with immersive tech specialist Cosm to transform live matches into 8K ‘shared reality’ experiences that make it feel like participants are actually in an NBA arena.
Cosm’s technology promises to bridge the gap between the physical and virtual worlds by digitally recreating a stadium and replicating the atmosphere in a dedicated facility.
Every element of the experience is intended to make a fan feel like they are actually attending a live event, with immersive visuals, authentic food and beverage options, and other venue elements such as merchandise stands.
The partnership with the NBA is Cosm’s first with a major sports property and covers selected games from the League Pass streaming service. NBA ID members will receive exclusive benefits at Cosm venues, including discounts on tickets.
“This is one of the most transformational deals to hit the sports industry in quite some time,” said Jeb Terry, Cosm president and chief executive.
“Our team has created an entirely new experience, driven by industry-leading technology, to give fans a new way to watch the game. We have an incredible opportunity to work with a partner as innovative as the NBA, to combine our collective know-how, and to rewrite the playbook on how leagues, broadcasters, and brands can bring fans closer to the action than ever before.
“The promise of Cosm is to give you the best seat in the house, no matter where that house is. It is the best of at-home and in-arena experience as one, and we’re thrilled to deliver on that promise with the NBA.”
Cosm recently broke ground on its first venue near SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and has announced a second location in Dallas with an eye on further expansion. The company also has a research and development facility in Salt Lake City, which is hosting this year’s NBA All-Star Game. The two parties have hosted private events at the ‘Experience Center’ in the lead up to the game.
“We are excited to bring NBA games to Cosm’s innovative venues and further our common goal of enhancing the fan experience,” said Teddy Kaplan, new media partner management lead at the NBA.
“Cosm’s shared reality technology offers a new and exciting way to bring fans together in person and closer to the game.”
In a separate development, Dapper Labs has launched an official mobile app for the NBA Top Shot digital video collectibles platform. The previously web-based service will allow users to access their collection, stay up to date on challenges and the latest drops, and buy and open starter packs.
The hope is that the new iOS and Android application will offer a more intuitive way to access the platform on the move, and will drive sales of its non-fungible tokens (NFTs). NBA Top Shot has regularly been referenced as one of the most successful sports NFT projects to date and inspired many other rights holders to launch digital video collectibles.
However, NBA Top shot and Dapper Labs have both struggled from a recent industry-wide slowdown that has seen values of crypto assets fall and dampened the appetite from consumers.
