The strangest feature of the NBA bubble is the fan wall. If you are interested in watching yourself watching basketball, it may be a viable option, for free.
The NBA playoffs are a full-fledged spectacle, but the first thing most people will think when they tune into the game today is “How do people get on that fan wall?” The Association’s response to the problem of fan shortage induced by social distancing is both ingenious and captivating, but it’s not easy to find information on how the public gathers. Fortunately, the system of getting “seats” is simpler than you might expect … and cheaper too.
The reboot of the NBA is employing a system that people have grown to call “the bubble”. It is essentially a strict quarantine zone where players and service personnel are required to stay unless notice is given and anyone wishing to enter from the outside must undergo a solitary quarantine. The more than 300 people in the Orlando, Florida bubble take a weekly coronavirus test and have remained safe so far thanks to the rigid structure. But the rules also mean that fans cannot attend matches. To solve this problem, the league has a huge screen that shows people’s webcam feeds during matches to simulate the presence of an audience.
The system, based on the Microsoft Teams video conferencing app, was a smash hit. Funny fans and celebrities have made cameos on the fan wall, and players themselves seem to appreciate the connection with the fans. Since there is no real home team, that dynamic is expressed by populating the webcam feed with fans from whichever team is designated “home” and shouting in cheers and boos. Being part of this strange and interesting environment is more achievable than one might expect.
How to “participate” in the NBA bubble games
The hardest part of this process is getting the “tickets”. Each team could choose how to assign virtual spaces and they are not all the same. Some teams, such as Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat, have a dedicated website that offers seats on a first-come-first-served basis. Others do things like random draws or prioritize membership holders. Michelob Ultra sponsors the fan wall, so his site also offers sweepstakes seating. There are around 300 seats available per game and the home team fans get the majority. It also appears that a new crop of fans is being chosen for each encounter, so hopefully, the odds are in your favor.
Since the fan wall actually only runs Microsoft Teams Together mode, assuming you are lucky enough to be chosen for the wall, you should receive a unique username and password for Teams by email. From an equipment point of view, the system requires a camera but not necessarily a microphone. Microsoft does not recommend using a custom background (its AI will remove the background for the video feed), and decent lighting is also a plus.
You’ll start by downloading and installing the desktop version of the Teams app for free. If you are already logged in, log out and then log in with the credentials provided by the NBA. The Microsoft Teams calendar feature will list the game you are planning to attend as a meeting in the app within one hour of the start time. Once you join the meeting, you’ll see a Together view of you and the people “sitting” nearby and a synchronized feed of the game itself. You’ll have access to most of the traditional video chat options from there, and can leave your seat for a limited time before the mods replace you.
Sources: Microsoft, NBA
