The Minnesota Twins Debut Shared AR Experience at Target Field

As fans flock back to physical venues for in-person events, the digital experience has not fallen by the wayside. Rather, music artists, sports teams, and other live entertainment producers are capitalizing on tech like augmented reality (AR) to blend real and digital elements and further enhance the fan experience onsite.

The Minnesota Twins are the latest organization to pursue this approach, claiming a first in the sports world with its new stadium-level shared AR platform, ARound, at its home venue Target Field in Minneapolis.

The AR platform, which is part of Stagwell, allows the audience to interact with fellow fans throughout the venue and with the physical ballpark in real time, and provides an engaging experience for fans during game downtime. ARound utilizes 3D spatial computing to localize content to users around the park and display the same 3D effects to every guest in real time.

Fans can access the experience via the ARound app on their smartphones. By simply pointing their phones at the field, the app opens up a selection of multi-player AR games including Batter Up and Fishin’ Frenzy. The app also displays content that fans can interact with based on events during the real-life game, such as after homeruns.

“Part multi-player video game, part augmented reality, with the ability for future expansion into an interactive next-gen stats platform, we believe what we've built with ARound will provide fans a next-level experience available only at Target Field,” said Chris Iles, Minnesota Twins Senior Director, Brand Experience & Innovation.

While the experience may currently only be available at the Minneapolis ballpark, it’s only a matter of time before similar tech is deployed around the country as sports leagues double down on the potential of AR to engage fans. Other teams are also building digital venue twins to engage fans virtually, and innovation in this space will only continue to grow.

"Current AR platforms isolate users in singular experiences. ARound believes massive, multi-user AR enables a host of creative opportunities to redefine what it means to be part of a connected fan experience," added ARound Founder and CEO Josh Beatty. "Be it a player, a mascot, a brand, a play or even another fan, ARound captures people's attention and brings them closer to what's right in front of them – during times they might otherwise be unengaged and on their phones – turning distraction to interaction and enhancing their overall experience."