Before the COVID-19 pandemic, technologies that utilize video conferencing and virtual reality were not very popular. Virtual reality only went through minimal improvements every year; after all, video conferencing apps were inconvenient compared to meeting others face to face. In our current situation, however, these technologies have become a major tool for work, general communication, and even entertainment. Consequently these technologies have been going through wonderful improvements.
Many people love watching sports. Yet, due to our current situation, countless sports fans have been devastated. With quarantine imposed all around the world, empty stadiums are the new normal. Athletes who cherish the support of their fans also struggle without their dedicated fans. With these problems in line, lots of resources have been invested into both video conferencing and virtual reality. A few organizations that make use of these technologies include the WNBA, NHL, and WWE. These technologies we have right now fill this large gap between fans and athletes in a surprising fashion.
For instance, the WNBA was at risk of losing an entire season, yet it greatly benefited from the use of technology. While managing to have an entire season under a “bubble system,” fans could also engage with the athletes via the WNBA app. The viewership of WNBA games has increased as well with the addition of interactive features to the app. To create a more competitive atmosphere, for example, the option to “cheer” for a team by pressing a button in the app has been added.
Meanwhile, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman focused on replicating the experiences fans would have when watching hockey games live. Multiple camera angles were added for the benefit of the fans as well as a puck player tracking technology. Despite the pandemic, fans were still able to experience hockey games at another level.
The WWE also has plans for their fans. Nevertheless, they took a simpler approach compared to other organizations. Instead of creating or investing in new technology, they’ve improved their existing social media platforms. The WWE knew that fans would always reach them via social media, as they are one of the top 5 most viewed channels on YouTube and TikTok. To better deliver content to their fans, the WWE organization widened the variety of content they showcased to their fans.
The upcoming Olympics also has this technology by their side. The “Next Generation Olympics” plans to address problems such as an imperfect cashless society, the inability of new fans to navigate in an unfamiliar place, and the lack of personnel. As the planning for the future Olympics goes on, technology will always be part of the conversation. There would be endless possibilities for the innovation of virtual fan bases, live streaming, and many more aspects.
This technology and intel are not only being applied in sports but also concerts. Kiswe, a live streaming company based in the US, recently teamed up with Big Hit Entertainment, a parent company of BTS. They hosted BTS’ two-day concert called Map of the Soul ON:E, with nearly a million viewers. Amazingly, this broke their previous record of 700,000 views!
In their interview with Bandwagon, Khee Lee and Harold Chan talk about what it was like to set up a virtual concert. Their utmost priority was the experience of their fans. Due to the current situation, this seems to be the greatest challenge. After all, it would be hard to recreate the excitement and hype fans have in a physical setting. They came up with ideas such as a lightstick connected via Bluetooth, which would sync with the song being performed. A single click of a button could be used to show support.
One of the obstacles that Kiswe faced, as discussed by Lee and Chan, would be connectivity issues. With nearly 200 countries in BTS’ live stream, it was nearly impossible to keep up the same network bandwidth for each country, which was their goal. They mentioned the need to communicate tirelessly as the concert went on. Another challenge they wanted to solve was the music industry itself. With the ongoing pandemic, many famous artists are at home with nothing to do. Kiswe hopes that their technology will change this situation for the better.
These innovations by Kiswe drastically benefited both fans and performers. With all the countless features made available by Kiswe, fans were able to interact with performers in a way they never would’ve imagined. The performers were motivated too. They weren’t able to experience the lively atmosphere they were used to; however, seeing their fans supporting them in the background served as a huge source of encouragement. Overall, Kiswe did a great job in improving the experiences of both the performers of BTS and their fans.
With all the ongoing plans of different organizations and live streaming companies, virtual reality technology is improving in leaps and bounds. The many sacrifices we had to make due to our current situation ultimately pushed us to innovate. Soon enough, we will be able to overcome challenges once deemed to be unsurpassable, with technology by our side.
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