Live sports, with a movie-theater twist

For those unwilling to shell out thousands for playoff tickets or courtside seats – the next best thing could be coming soon.

TNT Sports and Cosm, a privately held company specializing in immersive technology, yesterday announced a partnership that aims to turn select live sporting events into a Ready Player One-type experience that “bridges the virtual and physical worlds.”

And, if you’re sick of vague-sounding buzzwords like us, here’s what that actually means:

• Cosm plans to open two venues – a 65,000 square foot building in LA and a 70,000 square foot structure in Dallas – with seating areas for about 800 fans. Each venue will feature domes with 360-degree, 87-foot-diameter 8K LED screens. Think: The Sphere, but for live sports instead of entertainment.
• The domes, which don’t require headsets or glasses, promise to deliver an immersive experience similar to a courtside view at NBA games or a rink-side angle for hockey games.

👀 Looking ahead… Cosm and The Sphere could usher in a new area of immersive live entertainment – especially when it comes to sports. After just one U2 concert at Las Vegas’ new $2.3 billion Sphere, UFC president Dana White described himself as “obsessed” with the venue and the prospect of getting the mixed-martial arts property there as soon as possible, according to Front Office Sports.