Sacramento Kings Use Augmented Reality to Give Fans First Look at New Uniforms for 2017-2018

Source: Sacramento Kings

Team App Allows Fans to Learn about Nike’s Innovative Design, Personalize the Jersey, and ‘Photograph’ Themselves with Player  

Sacramento, Calif.— Today, the Sacramento Kings unveiled their new Nike uniforms with an augmented reality feature in their award-winning fan app, marking the launch of an eight-year global marketing and merchandise agreement between Nike and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Through the Kings + Golden 1 Center app, the team’s new Icon Edition uniform comes to life through an augmented reality platform built by industry leading developer Zappar. Fans will be able to interact with Kings veteran Garrett Temple, who wears the new uniforms for the first time and elaborates on the new features of the team’s on-court look. Fans can customize their own jersey, virtually ‘frame’ and ‘hang’ the new look on their wall and photograph themselves with Temple. Download the Kings + Golden 1 Center app to begin the augmented reality experience.

“Through technology, we’re able to put the latest in uniform design right in the hands of basketball fans around the world with an unprecedented amount of information and detail,” said Kings Chief Technology Officer Ryan Montoya. “The partnership between Nike and the NBA is rooted in creativity and transformative design and with our augmented reality experience, we’re building on that long-standing tradition.”

The new Nike purple Icon Edition and white Association Edition uniforms will be available for purchase this Fall, making the augmented reality experience the only way fan can experience the jersey until the beginning of the 2017-2018 season. Learn more about the uniforms at Kings.com/Nike. 

For over a decade, the Kings have been digital innovators bringing unique content and experiences to their fans. The organization’s legacy of embracing technology and creating immersive fan experiences has earned them numerous accolades including "The Most Innovative Company in Sports” by Fast Company. The Sacramento Kings were the first team to join Twitter, invest in a virtual reality company, host a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" with players, use Facebook Live to interview players, stream a game in virtual reality internationally, and host a startup competition. 

In the last year alone, the organization has:

• Demonstrated that sports teams can become a model of sustainability by creating the world’s greenest sports venue – the first arena powered entirely by solar energy
• Redefined the arena guest experience by creating the world’s most technologically advanced and connected venue.
• Debuted the NBA’s largest videoboard and the first to feature 4K Ultra HD resolution and clarity.
• Developed an unprecedented dual mode team and venue app, crafted by an industry-leading, in-house technology team.
• Hosted the NBA’s first ever venture capital and innovation competition, Capitalize.
• Launched the team’s new on-court look in Virtual Reality.
• And, built on emerging social innovations with the NBA’s first Facebook Live game broadcast to India, dual virtual reality broadcasts on opening night and hosted a Pokemon Go meetup at the peak of the gaming craze.

Download images and a sample video from the augmented reality experience at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0dyvr2lzgszilm6/AACVBLq4AUUr0Mg_j27yY6-oa?dl=0.

Download the Kings + Golden 1 Center app to begin the augmented reality experience at http://www.nba.com/kings/kings-app/.

Read more about the Sacramento Kings “Decade of Innovation” at http://www.nba.com/kings/innovation/.