Major League Baseball is taking a hit of innovation, pitching with Improbable and the M² network to unite fandom via its grand digital world, ‘MLB Virtual Ballpark’, on July 8.
Quick Takes:
- The MLB Virtual Ballpark is opening an interactive platform for fans to gather during live baseball games.
- Attendees can enjoy exclusive celebrations, live contests, and digital interactions with former players.
- The virtual world, accessible via MLB.com, is the first to host such a sizeable interactive sports arena.
Interactive Experiences for MLB Fans
Presenting a bold strike into the blockchain domain, MLB is preparing to revolutionize fan experiences in sports. The professional baseball organization’s forthcoming virtual ballpark offers fans across the globe ways to digitally interact and gather during live games, marking the first of its kind to host such a large-scale interactive sports arena.
Paired with the M² network and Improbable’s Morpheus technology, the digital sports arena has exciting times ahead — as previously stated in a tweet:
Once gaining access to the digital courtside via MLB.com, fans can authentically celebrate the sport. Whether wanting to partake in live exhibition contests or mix with former star players, all baseball lovers can take a shot at testing out new experiences. Other platform merits include:
- Natural voice chats to enhance social connections.
- Baseball-themed entertainment.
- Easy access via cloud streaming
- High-level coordination with other M² metaverses.
“Not everyone can attend Major League games or enjoy a Major League ballpark experience. Now, we provide this opportunity to anyone with an internet connection, no matter where they are,” expressed Kenny Gersh, MLB’s Executive Vice President, in a blog post.
Professional Sports Leagues’ Web3 Stance
Notably, this isn’t the first time a major professional sports league has stepped foot in the Web3 arena. The National Basketball Association joined forces with Dapper Labs to create ‘NBA Top Shot’ in March 2023. Unlike MLB, the blockchain platform revolutionizes basketball memorabilia through NFTs on the Flow network.
NBA Top Shot sells video clips from games as ‘Moments’, similar to conventional artworks in terms of authenticity and value. For example, ‘Common’ assets highlighting LeBron James sell for as little as $3, whereas ‘Legendary’ ones stack up to six figures. Reasons behind the digital trading cards’ price fluctuations depend on the players presented, the highlights shown, and the rewards granted.
Both virtual ventures demonstrate the transformative potential of blockchain technologies in the sports world. By creating engaging fan experiences on-chain, these entities pioneer a new era of sports fandom, redefining how fans can interact with their beloved sports in contrasting ways.
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