A brand new, 360 degree, interactive experience at US Open allows fans to feel as if they are hitting that match point out on center court. Time Warner Cable News’ Adam Balkin has more in this Tech Talk report.
Most fans at the US Open, while watching a match, likely imagine themselves right there on center court. Well, at this year’s tournament, those fans won’t have to do much imagining at all. At the American Express Fan Zone, there is a new, interactive experience called the Pro Walk.
“You as an individual or as a group of people get to walk through and actually get a real life feeling of what it feels like for a player to go from the locker room out to the center court of Arthur Ashe stadium,” says Jane Di Leo of American Express.
What that entails, first a trip to the locker room for a pep talk from tennis legend holograms Pete Sampras and Monica Seles. From there, it is onto a paparazzi-like walk out to the court where you are featured alongside some of the greats, then it’s into a dome, a 360-degree immersive experience where you get to serve for the championship.
So, how authentic is this experience? We asked someone who’s actually been there.
“The crowd roaring when you hit that winning shot or match point and you know I’ve done it, I’ve won it,” says Monica Seles, a two-time US Open Champion. “I mean there’s really no feeling like it and to recreate that experience is super cool for fans to be able to experience it and I also hope that young kids can be inspired by it to really feel that, how cool it is and what an energy rush it is when you’re in that stadium."
The experience is exclusive to the US Open, meaning you have to physically be at the event to try it.