5G Powers Immersive Events at Baseball’s All-Star Week

5G will be among the stars at events being held during Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Week in Los Angeles, July 15-19.

T-Mobile announced Wednesday (July 13) that it will be using 5G-connected technologies to create several innovative experiences for fans during the events.

“At T-Mobile, we think differently about sponsorships,” T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert said in a press release. “We’re always looking for exciting ways to connect communities — not just our customers — more closely to the people and things they love most.”

Deploying 5G-Connected Roving Cameras 

For example, MLB will produce a show over T-Mobile’s 5G network, letting baseball fans watch players during batting practice for the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. With the help of multiple 5G-connected roving cameras, fans will get unique camera angles and immersive views of the live action from the field as players warm up for the T-Mobile Home Run Derby.

“The livestreamed pre-game show is made possible by T-Mobile’s nationwide 5G network which enables several high-definition cameras to transmit wirelessly, allowing for true mobility,” T-Mobile said in the press release.

Also, during the batting practice event, participating players will use 5G phones to give viewers up-close views from the player’s point of view between swings.

Fans on the ground in Los Angeles will be able to meet MLB players at T-Mobile’s All-Star Bat Shop, get an 18-inch bat customized and professionally engraved and use a custom pitching cage.

Plus, in T-Mobile’s Bat Flip Cage, fans can perform a celebratory bat flip and have it captured by 360-degree cameras, so they can share it on social media.

Giving Fans New, Immersive Experiences 

Sports events have become popular venues for mobile carriers to demonstrate the capabilities of 5G, as they bring together large numbers of people who are creating traffic that might overwhelm an older cellular network, who want to get a good view of the action and who are looking for new ways to optimize their experience.

Read more: 5G to Transform Fan Experience at Indy 500

For example, at the Indianapolis 500 in May, Verizon used 5G to help fans watching the event see the action from seven live camera angles in high definition, virtually stand on the track and in the pit via an augmented reality (AR) portal and watch a livestream of the public drivers’ meeting via BlueJeans by Verizon.

“With 5G Ultra Wideband’s massive capacity, low latency and super-fast speeds, we’re giving racing fans new immersive experiences that will let them personalize how they’re watching the race, whether they’re at the track or at home,” Srini Kalapala, senior vice president of Verizon technology and product development, said in a press release.

Another carrier, AT&T, installed at the United Center in Chicago two 5G-powered kiosks that enabled fans of the Blackhawks and the Bulls to take video and photo selfies with AR versions of players and mascots.

“It’s all about creating new, immersive ways to connect you to the teams and players you love while making it all look seamless to you,” Jay Cary, vice president of 5G product and innovation at AT&T, said in a press release.