Debuting at yesterday’s game, fans at SoFi Stadium were the first to experience shared augmented reality (AR) in an NFL game with the launch of ARound, a next-generation fan engagement platform designed to enhance gameday fun with live, real-world AR experiences, sponsored by SoFi, digital personal finance company and SoFi Stadium naming rights partner. First launched in August with the Minnesota Twins, ARound expanded its platform to include in-venue broadcast integration and some AR experience.

ARound, part of the Stagwell Marketing Cloud, uses three spatial computing to localise content to individual users throughout the venue, enabling SoFi Stadium’s 70,000 attendees to see the same real-time 3D effects and participate in the same shared experiences. Using the ARound Stadium app, fans point their smartphone at the field to open up a universe of AR effects, interacting with the physical venue and fellow fans in real-time. ARound and the Rams have taken shared AR several steps further through new fan experiences custom to the Rams and to the NFL:

Infinity Screen AR: Fans can view effects like “Rampede” and “Make Noise” come to life on the Rams’ state-of-the-art 70,000-sq. foot videoboard, The Infinity Screen, with AR experiences incorporated into the gameday production in real-time.

Players in 3D: Key player callouts are featured through special effects, making their personalities larger than life.

The Best Seat in the House, At-Home AR Experience: Fans can join the gameday festivities and contests through a life-size virtual stadium experience from their homes, mirroring what’s happening during the game at SoFi Stadium.

SoFi: Official ARound Sponsor: Opening the door to this new, connected marketing medium, digital personal finance company and SoFi Stadium naming rights partner SoFi has signed on as ARound’s first platform partner with stadium-wide AR games, contests, effects, and a remote experience amplifying the energy and excitement of Rams gamedays and the SoFi brand.

Marissa Daly, VP & GM of Los Angeles Rams Studios, mentioned: “We are thrilled to team with ARound and SoFi to incorporate AR into gamedays at the Rams House in unprecedented ways. This experience continues the game-changing ways we’ve partnered with SoFi at SoFi Stadium and across Los Angeles to elevate the fan experience on gamedays and beyond.”

Josh Beatty, founder and CEO of Around, stated. “Fans come to the stadium to feel closer to the game, players, and other fans. We developed ARound to enhance those feelings through highly immersive and interactive AR experiences that complement the action on the field,” 

Lauren Stafford Webb, CMO of SoFi, commented: “At SoFi, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of innovation to create seamless experiences for our members, all while fulfilling our mission of helping our members achieve financial independence.”