LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The season’s first watch party is on September 4th, when the Tampa Bay Rays host the Minnesota Twins, available for free on mlb.com/virtual-ballpark with any internet-connected device.

• Significant development in the partnership between Major League Baseball (MLB) and Improbable, with MLB’s core digital products and a virtual shop now integrated into the virtual ballpark for these regular games.
• Launched in 2023 during the MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game presented by Corona, the virtual ballpark’s game lineup and select regular season match-ups now include new features:
  • Streaming and Gameday 3D - A 3D representation of the game, powered by MLB’s Gameday 3D product, synced with the live game broadcast for a smooth streaming experience.
  • Voice parties - Fans can interact in real-time using chat and spatial audio features. This year, fans can create small group parties to invite friends and chat in real time.
  • Virtual shop - actions within the virtual ballpark earn users points that can be redeemed for specialty jerseys at the digital merch store.

Upcoming games

• Wednesday, September 4th , 6:50 p.m. (ET) – Twins @ Rays
• Wednesday, September 11th , 7:45 p.m. (ET) – Reds @ Cardinals
• Wednesday, September 18th , 6:35 p.m. (ET) – Giants @ Orioles
• Wednesday, September 25th , 6:40 p.m. (ET) – Rays @ Tigers

Herman Narula, CEO of Improbable, declared: “This new season of the partnership between MLB and Improbable demonstrates the role that virtual and immersive environments will play in the evolution of sports rights: they revolutionize the fan experience in a world where less than 1% of a team’s fans have the opportunity to attend a live match in the stadium. Our worlds offer a different, more social, immersive, gamified, and interactive experience. With Web3 and sports prioritizing community and engagement, fans can now participate directly in their favorite sports by owning digital assets representing moments, memorabilia, or even team stakes. This deepens the connection between leagues and their audiences by offering transparency, security, and new ways to engage, also allowing leagues and clubs to reach a different, younger audience that wants to follow their sport in a new way.”