Redefining the Replay
Major League Soccer explores mixed reality with Microsoft HoloLens
What if a coach, player or fan could study and review match plays, not just on a screen, but with holographic players on a field right in front of them? What if they could use this new form of visualized data to examine exactly what went right and wrong? These were some of the questions POP and Major League Soccer asked as they explored ways of incorporating Microsoft’s HoloLens technology into a professional sports training environment.
For the uninitiated, HoloLens is a completely untethered holographic computer that allows users to view and interact with digital holograms in their physical environment, creating endless potential at work, home and play, from devising more collaborative workspaces to developing new kinds of games and entertainment. Many consider HoloLens’ mixed reality approach a leap-frog over virtual reality, which places users inside a completely immersive virtual world.
When HoloLens was just an excited whisper on the lips of developers and technology enthusiasts, Microsoft approached POP with a rare opportunity: an invitation to participate in an exclusive agency readiness program, and that’s where MLS came on board.
“MLS was an ideal client for us to partner with on this,” said Dave Curry, VP of Emerging Trends and Technology at POP, “We have a great collaborative relationship with them, they embrace technology and innovation, and we have a ton of soccer fans at POP, which made it even more perfect.”
“It was just a great opportunity to jump into something completely brand new that we hadn't seen anybody else play around with, and partner with POP to use their design and tech resources to really see what we can pull off,” said Samir Gole, Vice President of Digital Products at Major League Soccer.
After MLS and POP workshopped their ideas they landed on a proof of concept (POC)—a holographic tool that re-imagined how match plays are studied and reviewed—the POP team set to sketching, prototyping, building, and iterating.
“Early on, one of our Microsoft mentors told us we were going to have to try things thirty different ways just to land on the one that works. And he was right,” said Eric Rak, Creative Director at POP. “It's very important to have a mindset that finds motivation in failure; it means you’re learning and eventually when things click, the wins are awesome.”
POP iterated for three months to create its POC for MLS, successfully completing an experience that allows users to examine a match play in a whole new way. Using gaze, voice commands, and simple gestures, users can inspect and interact with players on the field along with visualized player data like never before.
As impressive as the POC is, it’s just a hint of what an application like this could be.
“We had to be extra diligent to stay focused on our project’s core goals. The possibilities are truly endless and we kept coming up with interesting ideas to explore, but our timeline was short and our POC was ambitious—we couldn’t afford to get distracted. I’m thrilled with what we produced and as a certified HoloLens partner agency, I can’t wait to see what we dream up next for HoloLens,” said Dave Curry.
MLS sees potential for holographic experiences beyond coaching, as well.
"We have the youngest fan base in comparison to the other major sports leagues in the U.S. and Canada," said Gole. "Our fans are digitally-savvy and hungry for new innovation and capabilities. It’s very important for us to try to stay ahead of them by trying to push the envelop in what we can do to meet their expectations.”
With dev kits for HoloLens shipping to select developers now, more amazing applications are sure to come. As for POP, the agency will continue to explore how to best utilize HoloLens for a wide range of businesses, discovering new ways to improve lives and delight customers.