nba Expands Meta Connection
The National Basketball League (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) have expanded their partnership with Meta, which will see more than 50 live Virtual Reality (VR) games on Meta Quest.
Meta Quest is the official headset of the NBA, after Facebook signed a deal with the league back in 2020.
The company will deliver a package of 52 live NBA games, including five immersive 180-degrees VR games in 2880 on the Xtadium and Meta Horizon Worlds apps.
Meta will also offer a selection of WNBA, NBA G League and NBA 2K League games over the course of the season. In Meta Horizon Worlds, fans will be able to access game highlights, recaps and archival content.
Meta also announced that it’s partnering with the league to launch NBA-licensed apparel in Meta’s Avatar Store in the coming weeks. Users will be able to purchase team apparel for their avatar and showcase it across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, as well as on Meta Quest.
Meta Director of Sports Media and League Partnerships Rob Shaw, said, “Meta’s immersive VR technology is opening up new opportunities for sports fans to engage and interact with their favourite NBA teams.”
“Fans will be able to express their fandom by donning their favourite team’s gear on Avatars and enjoy more live NBA games and experience NBA League Pass in a much more social and immersive way.”
The games available in VR on Meta Quest in January include Milwaukee Bucks vs. Detroit Pistons on 23rd January, Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets vs. Milwaukee Bucks on 24th January, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder on 27th January, Los Angeles Clippers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers on 29th January and Miami Heat vs. Cleveland Cavaliers on 31st January.
