The Masters Tournament is adding virtual reality and generative AI to the experience for golf fans in its latest attempt to grow the game.
For the 2024 tournament, IBM (IBM) and the Masters have introduced an app for Apple (AAPL) Vision Pro for fans of the sport who can’t travel to Augusta National Golf Course in Georgia.
“For example, this year’s new Hole Insights feature uses eight years of historic tournament data (over 170,000 shots) to give fans a detailed breakdown of how Augusta’s courses have played. ,” said Noah Shiken, vice president of sports and entertainment at IBM. said in a statement to Yahoo Finance. “This level of detail allows long-time golf fans who have been playing golf at home to get closer to the action, while also making the game more approachable for new fans.”
The Masters invitation is one of the most coveted for players in the golf world and is held at Augusta National, one of the most exclusive country clubs in the world. Fan attendance is also not guaranteed, and tickets are limited to Masters lottery winners.
As of Friday’s second round, the most affordable ticket for Sunday’s final round of the Masters Championship is $1,785.
Instead of shelling out big bucks, many fans watch the tournament on TV, streaming platforms, and the Masters web and mobile applications. Now, the Masters app, combined with IBM watsonx data and Apple Vision Pro devices, expands the experience portal for fans who want to enjoy the event from afar at an affordable price.
“This partnership is a great example of how data and AI can deliver previously unimaginable digital experiences that bring fans closer to the events they care about,” Saiken said. Masu.
But those who can attend events in person are spending in droves on everything from restaurants and lodging to souvenirs.
Fans have flooded Augusta National’s gift shop, waiting in amusement park-like lines to buy Masters golf merchandise that can only be purchased in person.
According to Mastercard’s top economist, this points to a strong recovery in the experience economy and “purchasing power that still exists overall.”
“Small and medium-sized enterprises [are] We’re seeing a really significant uptick,” Michelle Meyer, chief U.S. economist at the Mastercard Economic Institute, told Yahoo Finance about the impact the Masters will have on Augusta’s local economy. [are] sightseeing [is] It brings about this huge explosion of activity. This means consumers are really looking for time to spend, and once they find it, they know they have the ability to actually engage. ”
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