Longer breaks at sports events are usually boring for the spectator. That's why a US company has now developed a virtual reality app that encourages fans to compete as a pastime.

The Case: The US company Virtex Apps has developed an app to engage the spectators in the arena and in front of the TV in the game breaks. Virtex Arena is an application that uses Augmented Reality (AR) to create a virtual event on the field that is designed to make the fan interact.

The application: Virtex Arena uses AR technology to focus on competitive character using a gamification approach to increase fan engagement. The app visualizes the playing field in the arena and turns it into a mobile computer game. On the field appear goals that have to be hit by hand on the smartphone. The special thing about Virtex Arena is that not every spectator plays for himself, but in a big competition of all fans who participate in the game. Each player sees the pitch from his own perspective and gets additional insight into the position of his teammates. He is previously assigned a color (red or blue) that determines his team affiliation.

Superbowl will kick off Virtex Arena
The application: For the first time, Virtex Arena can be used on the Superbowl LII on February 4th. At the US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, on-field virtual goals are then displayed in a contest that must be hit with a virtual football by hand. In a second competition virtual receivers appear, which have to be distributed in the field and have to be targeted. But Jeff Green, CEO of Virtex Apps, sees the first use in American football as a pilot project. "The Superbowl is a test, it's just a game, the baseball version is the big prelude," says Green. "The app is applicable to all sports, but baseball naturally has many long breaks."

The cost: Virtex Arena is free to download. The US company has developed the game to enable native sponsorship. Partners' logos, for example, can be visually integrated on the field, or appear on virtual gadgets, such as shoes or helmets.