The mainstream adoption of Mixed Reality continues, and if you’re skeptical, the NFL’s embrace of Mixed Reality technology should be enough to change your mind.

The Carolina Panthers’ home opener featured a fresh addition for football enthusiasts – a Mixed Reality panther roaming around Bank of America Stadium. This new mixed-reality mascot quickly became a viral sensation, garnering over 8.9 million impressions on Twitter. Media outlets like Yahoo, NBC, and others covered the story extensively.

Much like augmented reality, the key distinction with mixed reality lies in its capacity to interact with the environment, as demonstrated in Bank of America Stadium. While fans in the stadium can’t physically see the panther, they can do so through the cameras on the jumbotrons scattered throughout the venue. This immersive experience offers a blend of visual and auditory sensations, allowing fans to witness the panther’s dynamic entry into the stadium and its lively movements. The Mixed Reality panther seamlessly interacts with its surroundings, including leaping around the stadium and ultimately snatching the opposing team’s flag from a pole.

While this isn’t the NFL’s first encounter with Mixed Reality technology, it certainly stands out. In 2019, during a primetime Sunday Night Football game, the Baltimore Ravens showcased their own Mixed Reality raven at their home stadium, M&T Bank Stadium. Creators from The Famous Group noted a couple of key distinctions in an interview with Yahoo. Firstly, the lighting during the night game had an impact on the realism of the raven, affecting its believability. Secondly, the interaction with the environment, as mentioned earlier, played a pivotal role. The success was notable, drawing national media coverage including a prominent spotlight on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

The Carolina Panthers are elated by the tremendous response generated and have committed to featuring the Mixed Reality Panther at every home game this season. Other NFL teams are also exploring Mixed Reality possibilities; The Famous Group mentioned their ongoing collaboration with the Houston Texans. In the preceding week, they employed this technology for an exciting sponsored race at NRG Stadium.

Historically, Mixed Reality has been employed to engage fans before games, during halftime, and throughout commercial breaks. Looking ahead, the potential of this technology extends beyond mere entertainment. Teams are poised to leverage Mixed Reality for diverse marketing endeavors, from strategic product placements to adjusting the appearance of seating areas. As Mixed Reality technology evolves, it inches closer to seamlessly merging the physical and augmented worlds to an indistinguishable degree.