At each game through the season, a handful of lucky fans appear on the stadium scoreboard between innings as camera crews roam around the ballpark. Your face pops up on the scoreboard, you get a second to wave, and then it’s on to the next fan.
According to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, MLB Advanced Media has partnered with an app called 15 Seconds of Fame, which will now allow fans to share their scoreboard appearances on social media. It also works if you appear on a television broadcast. Here are the details from Rovell:
The technology comes from a company called 15 Seconds of Fame. Fans who download the app and take a picture of their face will immediately receive a video clip of themselves on the video scoreboard if they were featured.
If they were captured in a broadcast, the clip will appear after the game ends. An undisclosed financial arrangement with Major League Baseball Advanced Media, which controls the game rights, allows the clips to be fully shareable.
Even in this day and age, by time a fan whips their phone out to take a picture or video of their scoreboard appearance, it’s too late. The clips only a last a few seconds and fans usually aren’t given advance notice when they’ll appear on the scoreboard. The new app gives them a chance to share the video instantly.
“We think going to a baseball game is one of the best experiences fans can have,” said MLBAM’s executive vice president of business Kenny Gersh to Rovell. “So sharing a memorable and enjoyable experience is very important to us.”
Prior to hooking up with MLB, 15 Seconds of Fame had agreements with individual teams in several different sports. This is a pretty neat feature. If you’re on the scoreboard, you don’t have to worry about hastily snapping a photo to show your friends. Now it’s all sent to you.
