The Sacramento Kings and Intel announced
plans Thursday for the NBA’s first research and
development site devoted to finding new ways
for fans to access replay angles never seen before.
The Kings are planning to unveil an app next
season where fans can tap into video streams
and choose their own replays. Elements of what
is called “volumetric video” technology have
been available in some other NBA arenas, as
well as some NFL and English Premier League
stadiums, but the Kings want to be the first to
put fans in control of what they want to see
again and how they see it.
“We have great fans, but they deserve better,”
Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said. “We think that
the technology is moving so fast that we just
need to keep shifting the goalpost so we can
keep doing better.”
Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center was built with
emerging technology in mind, and Ranadive said
the speed in which fans can see the replays on
their phones — estimated to be about a minute
— is of the utmost importance. As has been
the case in other arenas, 38 video cameras will
be installed before next season in Sacramento,
wired into a control room where two people will
process the various angles such as overhead,
360-degree and from a player perspective.
“What we’re focusing on is finding ways to bring
fans closer to the game,” said James Carwana,
the general manager of Intel Sports.