NBA Adds 'Portals' to AR App, Bringing Fans to Actual Game Venues

The National Basketball Association is taking advantage of augmented reality (AR) technology to virtually “bring” fans to the actual venue of a basketball game.

Shortly before the highly anticipated NBA Finals 2018, reports say that the new NBA AR app has added a new feature called Portals, which gives basketball fans a whole new experience of watching NBA games.

The Portals arrived through the app’s version 2.0 update, which started rolling out on Wednesday.

To use the feature, NBA AR app users have to open the “360 Portals” option from the menu screen and they will be redirected to another page with a selection of 360-degree videos from recent NBA games. After selecting content to stream and allowing camera access, users should scan a flat surface and tap the screen once the app finds a good spot where the portal can be placed.

The feature simulates a real portal experience, at least based on how they are demonstrated in many sci-fi films. Once the above steps are correctly followed, a portal entrance will pop up on the screen. App users will then have to “enter” this portal to view the 360-degree video as if they are actually walking into a real NBA court.

Based on a preview video, the created portal will remain in the same spot where it was opened. So NBA AR app users can virtually get into the basketball court and out to their real-life location.

These 360-degree videos of highly followed events, like major NBA games, are already widely available on various online platforms. However, NBA’s attempt to add a bit of portal adventure still makes the experience worth the try. One can only imagine just how immersive and exciting the Portals feature can be in live, virtual reality, although this might still be quite a reach at the moment.

On a positive note, the basketball organization is showing interest in further developing this tech experience for its fans. NBA’s head of digital products and emerging technology, Michael Allen, confirmed (via CNET) that NBA AR’s Portals feature serves as an “initial test” and they will conduct further testing this summer “to see how it works for live content.”

NBA AR’s Portals are available on all compatible Android and iOS devices.