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MeetKai is making more progress in creating metaverse experiences in the sports and travel industries.
Los Angeles-based MeetKai announced it has joined forces with Think450, an innovation engine of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), to unveil a metaverse partnership at CES 2024.
It’s also working with Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel guidance platform, to get travelers excited about remote experiences at landscapes, landmarks and cultures from around the world. All from the comfort of your own home desktop or mobile device.
The NBPA collaboration is set to launch this winter. The highlight of the upcoming NBPA metaverse is a digital recreation of “The Brotherhood Deli,” a previously in-person fan pop-up shop that occupied the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
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Leveraging MeetKai’s metaverse platform and AI-enabled digital twin technology, this bodega-inspired store will feature a wall of player-endorsed brands and exclusive player-inspired merchandise.
Attendees can explore the immersive retail experience through their mobile devices or web browsers, accessing digital replicas of merchandise available for purchase from brands endorsed and respected by NBPA members.
Back in October, MeetKai launched a metaverse store for the Charlotte Hornets NBA basketball team.
James Kaplan, CEO of MeetKai, said in a statement, “At MeetKai, we’re thrilled to power the NBPA’s inaugural metaverse experience, offering fans an unprecedented level of engagement with their favorite athletes. Collaborating with THINK450 has allowed us to create an interactive shopping experience that bridges the gap between fans and the sport they love.”
The NBPA metaverse experience is designed to enable basketball enthusiasts to customize lifelike 3D avatars, interact with other fans, peruse merchandise, virtually try on apparel, and make purchases that can be shipped directly to their homes.
Additional features scheduled for rollout throughout the season include virtual meet and greets with players, an exclusive media lounge offering previews of NBPA content, gamified contests to win exclusive merchandise, and even a chance to visit “The Brotherhood Deli” in person.
Weili Dai, executive chairwoman of MeetKai, said in a statement, “From our work with the Drone Racing League to the Charlotte Hornets, MeetKai has a proven track record of creating immersive sports experiences. Partnering with the NBPA is a natural extension for us, and we’re excited to expand this partnership in the future.”
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