The NBA has taken a bold step into the future of sports viewing with its new Tabletop feature on the Apple Vision Pro app. This innovative addition allows fans to experience a diorama-scale, virtual representation of the live game they’re watching, right in their own living rooms.

Imagine floating above a miniature basketball court, where digital avatars of players mimic their real-time movements, passes, and shots. It’s a game-changer for how we engage with sports!

Tabletop works alongside the traditional 2D livestream view, which appears as a large virtual screen in front of you. This dual-view setup means you can enjoy the benefits of both perspectives simultaneously. However, it’s worth noting that due to DRM protection, the 2D livestream isn’t visible in screen recordings.

Those who have tried the feature report a slight delay—approximately half a second—between the live game and the Tabletop representation. This delay is likely caused by the processing time required for motion capture technology used in stadiums. While theoretically, the NBA could sync the livestream to match the Tabletop view, they have opted not to do so at this time.

Currently, Tabletop is available for select games each night, with plans to expand its availability to all League Pass games next season. To access this feature, users must have an active League Pass subscription, which starts at $15 per month.

The Tabletop feature draws comparisons to Lapz, a now-defunct app that provided a similar 3D representation for Formula 1 racing. Both applications showcase the potential of augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (XR) technologies in enhancing sports viewing experiences.

In contrast, on Meta Quest headsets, fans can watch up to 52 NBA games streamed in immersive 180-degree views for free through the Xtadium app. While Xtadium offers floating 2D virtual screens and supports multiple games simultaneously, it lacks the unique 3D representation that Tabletop provides.

As technology  continues to evolve, features like Tabletop signify a shift towards more immersive sports experiences. Whether you prefer watching your favorite sport in a dynamic 3D model or through traditional 2D views, it’s clear that innovations like these are paving the way for how we consume sports content. So, would you rather enjoy your game in immersive 180-degree video or as a 2D flatscreen view complemented by a tabletop 3D representation? The choice is yours!