Members of the Miami Heat bench react with virtual fans in the background during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
MANILA, Philippines — The NBA found a way to compensate for the absence of fans during the games inside its bubble at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
At least virtually, through the league’s partnership with Microsoft Teams, there is still fan experience each game thanks to 17-foot tall LED screens set up around the arena where fans can cheer for their favorite teams digitally.
The virtual fans appearing on the LED screens in the stands began when the NBA restart officially tipped off on Thursday (Manila time).
Best seats in the house 🤣🤣 https://t.co/iSpkvQrIoS
— Chris Bosh (@chrisbosh) July 31, 2020
Since then, it’s not only the casual fans whose faces have appeared on the screens with the likes of former NBA stars Chris Bosh and Paul Pierce have also managed to secure their virtual seats.
Deuce is a virtual fan ❤️ pic.twitter.com/xiwNRbu6Qx
— NBA Bubble Life (@NBABubbleLife) August 2, 2020
And as to how does one get to be a virtual fan? The NBA provided easy-to-follow instructions which are broken down into six steps starting by just downloading Microsoft Teams.
- Step 1: Download Microsoft Teams
- Step 2: Log-in to Microsoft Teams
- Step 3: Find the Meeting Invitation
- Step 4: Optimize the Settings
- Step 5: Join the Meeting
- Step 6: Optimize the Viewing Experience
Apart from the unique fan experience, the league also created a virtual cheering option that doesn’t involve appearing on camera.
So far, the league’s well thought and executed restart plan to salvage its coronavirus-hit season has gone for four days without any reported case of COVID-19 inside its campus-like environment.