On 15 February the Atlanta Braves launched a teaser campaign promoting its #DigitalTruistPark project which it trumpeted as ensuring that the team became the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise to enter the (so-called) ‘metaverse’.
The virtual stadium initiative, which is being developed with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine technology, aims to give fans an opportunity to experience Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta in an immersive, virtual environment.
Teased through an online video amplified across the team’s social and digital channels which blends real-world and virtual CGI, the initiative promotes the club’s project to create a digital twin of its home stadium – Truist Park.
Introducing #DigitalTruistPark!
This first-of-its-kind platform, powered by Epic Games’ @UnrealEngine technology, gives fans the opportunity to experience @TruistPark in an immersive, multiplayer environment streamed directly to their browsers.
https://t.co/6zquAmOiTX pic.twitter.com/ndNKQqrfBq
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) February 15, 2022
The teaser offers the first taste of the Braves’ stadium-led immersive, multiplayer virtual environment which will be streamed directly to fan browsers.
The social spot drives supporters to a web page with a linked data collection exercise in the form of a form-led call-to-action urging fans to sign-up to become the first to know about the opening of Digital Truist Park.
The accompanying PR outlines how fans will be able to enter and interact within the virtual stadium: creating customised avatars, explore exclusive arena areas (such as the clubhouse), enjoy exclusive virtual content, performances and meet-and-greets, interact with Braves fans from around the world, learn of and experience Braves’ history through interactive features (including a look back at the team’s 2021 World Series win), play games, find ‘easter eggs,’ win prizes and more.
The franchise also added that the initiative will eventually include other innovations such as Web3, NFTs, cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based technologies to ‘position the Braves for future generations of fans’.
The main launch is scheduled for April when the Braves, in partnership with MLB and SURREAL Events, will host an exclusive first look at the virtual Digital Truist Park for fans, the baseball community and for the media.
“It’s exciting to create a new way for our fans to connect with our team and their favourite ballpark. The digital version of Truist Park will offer limitless opportunities to create unique fan engagements in the metaverse and we are proud to be the first team to offer this immersive experience,” said Braves President and CEO Derek Schiller. “We look forward to building enhancements along the way which will continue to showcase the innovation of the Braves brand in the digital world.”
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The virtual experience is also beneficial for the Braves’ stadium title naming rights partner Truist which was previously known as the Branch Banking and Trust Company (BB&T) and changed its name after completing the acquisition of Atlanta-based SunTrust Banks in December and at that point inherited a 25-year, US$10m naming rights deal for the Atlanta ballpark which began when the venue opened back in 2017.
The pre-launch of Digital Truist Park is part of the sports industry’s current rush-to-the-metaverse – much of which at present is largely a PR-driven trend to position sports properties as new technology first movers.
It follows the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets ‘Netaverse’ launch last month and the NFL’s Super Bowl ‘Destruction House’ initiative in Roblox.
Of course, while tech giants like Facebook/Meta and venture capitalists are investing huge sums in it, at present there is no unified, single definition of the metaverse – although most describe it as an amalgam of augmented and virtual reality, 3D virtual renderings, gaming and play, interactive live streams linked to NFTs and digital currencies.
Of course, how it is described or conceived largely depends on which technologies any particular party if promoting, developing or embracing or promotion.
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