The Portland Trail Blazers have teamed up with OneCourtto become the first NBA franchise to pilot their devices during a live game. The OneCourt team attended Tuesday’s game against the Pelicans for the first pilot and will continue the pilot at the Trail Blazers final two home games this week. The two organizations have worked with local nonprofits to invite individuals with blindness or low vision to participate in the pilot, providing local fans an opportunity to test out cutting-edge technology.
Using generative audio and haptics, OneCourt translates live gameplay into trackable vibrations, so fans can experience live sports literally with their fingerprints. The Trail Blazers worked with the NBA to provide OneCourt access to the NBA’s live gameplay tracking data in real-time. The real-time data is processed by OneCourt before it’s experienced by the fan as intuitive vibrations on the surface of the haptic display.
“This week’s OneCourt pilot is a testament to our organization’s commitment to both innovation and accessibility,” said Matthew Gardner, Portland Trail Blazers Senior Director of Customer Insights. “The pilot represents a unique opportunity to innovate the gameday experience while opening the door for more fans to experience the thrill of live sports. We’re excited to work with our Pacific Northwest neighbors in OneCourt and hope that our pilot paves the way for other teams, leagues, and venues to explore additional ways to make the gameday experience more accessible for fans of all abilities.”
“We're thrilled to launch OneCourt technology in-arena for the first time with the Portland Trail Blazers,” said Antyush Bollini, COO and Cofounder at OneCourt. “This collaboration signifies a major stepping stone in making live sports truly accessible for fans with blindness or low vision, and we are excited to see the positive impact this pilot has on our community. This pilot will pave the way for widespread adoption by other teams and leagues, transforming the gameday experience for countless fans.”
Source: Portland Trail Blazers