The National Football League (NFL) team Los Angeles Rams is introducing a new fan-focused technology experience at their residence – the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California (US). Debuting at the December 4th game, fans at the SoFi Stadium were the first to experience shared augmented reality (AR) in an NFL game with the launch of ARound, a next-generation fan engagement platform designed to enhance gameday fun with live, real-world AR experiences, sponsored by SoFi, the digital personal finance company and SoFi Stadium naming rights partner.
‘therams.com’ stated that first launched in August with the Major League Baseball (MLB) team Minnesota Twins, ARound expanded its platform to include in-venue broadcast integration as well as an at-home AR experience.
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference West division.
The SoFi Stadium is a 70,240-seat sports and entertainment indoor stadium in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, California, United States. SoFi occupies the former site of the Hollywood Park Racetrack, three miles from Los Angeles International Airport and immediately Southeast of the 17,505-capacity The Kia Forum.
SoFi Technologies, Inc. is an American online personal finance company and online bank. Based in San Francisco (US), SoFi provides financial products including student and auto loan refinancing, mortgages, personal loans, credit card, investing, and banking through both mobile app and desktop interfaces.
‘therams.com’ further stated that ARound, part of the Stagwell Marketing Cloud, uses 3D spatial computing to localize content to individual users throughout the venue, enabling SoFi Stadium’s 70,000 attendees to see the same realtime 3D effects and participate in the same shared experiences. Using the ARound Stadium app, fans point their smartphone at the field to open up a universe of AR effects, interacting with the physical venue and fellow fans in real time.
ARound and the Rams have taken shared AR several steps further through new fan experiences custom to the Rams and to the NFL:
- Infinity Screen AR: Fans can view effects like ‘Rampede’ and ‘Make Noise’ come to life on the Rams’ state-of-the-art 70,000-sq. foot videoboard, The Infinity Screen, with AR experiences incorporated into the gameday production in realtime, such as when a touchdown is scored or when the team takes the field;
- Players in 3D: Key player callouts including Aaron Donald, Bobby Wagner, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey, Matt Gay, and Matthew Stafford are featured through special effects, making their personalities larger than life;
- The Best Seat in the House, At-Home AR Experience: Fans can join the gameday festivities and contests through a lifesize virtual stadium experience from their homes, mirroring what’s happening during the game at the SoFi Stadium; and
- SoFi: Official ARound Sponsor: Opening the door to this new, connected marketing medium, the digital personal finance company and SoFi Stadium naming rights partner SoFi has signed on as ARound’s first platform partner with stadiumwide AR games, contests, effects, and a remote experience amplifying the energy and excitement of Rams gamedays and the SoFi brand.
Maintained Marissa Daly, Vice-President-cum-General Manager, Los Angeles Rams Studios, “We are thrilled to team with ARound and SoFi to incorporate AR into gamedays at the Rams House in unprecedented ways. This experience is a continuation of the game-changing ways we’ve partnered with SoFi at the SoFi Stadium and across Los Angeles to elevate the fan experience on gamedays and beyond.”
Commented Josh Beatty, Founder and head honcho, ARound, “Fans come to the stadium to feel closer to the game, to the players, and to other fans. We developed ARound to enhance those feelings through highly immersive and interactive AR experiences that complement the action on the field. And with products like Apple and Google AR Glasses already in development, we’re excited to open up the living room to blended TV experiences we know are the future of broadcast entertainment.”
Remarked Lauren Stafford Webb, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), SoFi, “At SoFi, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of innovation to create seamless experiences for our members, all while fulfilling our mission of helping our members achieve financial independence. We are proud to sponsor ARound’s first-of-its-kind technology for Los Angeles Rams fans at the iconic SoFi Stadium to make their experience even more spectacular.”
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