The NBA collaborated with Meta to create ‘NBA Arena’, a virtual reality (VR) fan experience on Meta Horizons on the Meta Quest headset.
‘NBA Arena’ in Meta Horizon Worlds will air 52 live games, including five immersive 180-degree VR games.
VR sports app Xtadium will provide access to NBA League Pass streaming service.
The deal includes Meta Quest technology receiving promotion during NBA and WNBA games and Meta Avatars Store selling licensed NBA apparel, which fans can share across Meta-owned platforms Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Meta Quest.
After Meta Quest became the official VR headset of the NBA and WNBA in 2020, the NBA Lane VR environment was launched during the 2021/22 season playoff, offering interactive games and content via the Horizon Worlds application.
NBA Arena is an expansion of this vision, allowing fans to compete in interactive games and watch NBA content as part of an immersive experience.
The Xtadium app also lets users host private watch parties with friends from virtual courtside seats.
According to Rob Shaw, Meta’s director of sports media and league partnerships, the NBA is always pushing them to innovate and leverage the latest technology to open the door to new fan experiences.
