The sound of basketballs being dribbled will continue to reverberate throughout the metaverse, as the National Basketball Association detailed a multiyear extension of its partnership with Meta.
Meta Quest is the official virtual reality headset of the NBA and Women’s National Basketball Association, and Meta will have a presence at major events for both leagues to showcase its technology to fans.
The NBA Arena in Meta Horizon Worlds will feature 52 live games from NBA League Pass, and five of those games will be presented in immersive 180-degree monoscopic live VR in 2880 resolution.
Fans visiting NBA Arena can also cheer on their favorite teams, compete in interactive mini-games and watch NBA content with friends.
The preliminary NBA Arena game schedule follows (all times ET), and the full slate is available on NBA.com:
- Monday, Jan. 23: Milwaukee Bucks at Detroit Pistons, 7 p.m.
- Tuesday, Jan. 24: Denver Nuggets at New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, Jan. 25: Nuggets at Bucks, 8 p.m.
- Friday, Jan. 27: Cleveland Cavaliers at Oklahoma City Thunder, 8 p.m.
- Sunday, Jan. 29: Los Angeles Clippers at Cavaliers, 7 p.m.
- Tuesday, Jan. 31: Miami Heat at Cavaliers, 7 p.m.
The Meta Avatars Store will soon offer licensed NBA and WNBA team apparel for avatars across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Meta Quest.
In the coming weeks, NBA League Pass subscribers will be able to access their subscription in YBVR’s Xtadium application within Meta Quest VR, enabling them to sit at virtual courtside and host private watch parties with friends.
Live games from the NBA 2K League, NBA G League and WNBA will also be available via Meta Quest headsets.
Meta director of sports media and league partnerships Rob Shaw said in a statement, “Meta’s immersive VR technology is opening up new opportunities for sports fans to engage and interact with their favorite NBA teams. The NBA is always pushing us to innovate and leverage the latest technology to open the door to new fan experiences, and this chapter of our partnership achieves exactly that.”
NBA executive vice president and head of content partnerships Jennifer Chun added, “Our extended partnership with Meta will provide more immersive and innovative ways to experience the NBA. Meta’s digital world opens up exciting possibilities for NBA fans to virtually attend our games and to interact with other fans around the world.”
