Last night, the NBA became the first organization to broadcast an entire game in a format it calls “NBA CourtView” or “Netaverse.” The latter nickname plays off the term metaverse because it delivers content in a virtual 3D environment, but its technically called volumetric video. The tech used is not new. It’s previously been used to allow commentators to outline and explain singular replays, but this was the first time the NBA used it to broadcast an entire game. The tech, called “Free-Viewpoint Video,” was developed by imaging pioneer Cannon. It uses 110 cameras placed around the basketball court to capture player movement. A computer uses data collected from the cameras to generate a three-dimensional rendering of the players and the court in real-time. This technique lets the operator change angles on the fly. It also allows the camera seemingly free 360-degree movement as if it were a drone cam flying around the stadium. The imaging tech is not perfect. Glitches, video artifacts, and stutters give away the illusion. Even without the video artifacts, the action teeters on the edge of the uncanny valley. It looks sort of real, but the lack of shadows and reflections cues the mind to know that something is not quite right—like you are watching somebody play an older NBA video game or something. The tweets above give you a general idea. The NBA did not air the game using volumetric video on ESPN’s network station, but viewers could watch it on ESPNews or ESPN+. Interestingly, this technology could lend itself to watching live games in the metaverse as if you were there, but the NBA, ESPN, and Cannon have not confirmed they are looking to go in that direction.
