Adidas Sneakers Give Berliners a One-Year Pass to their Mass Transit System

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Via Adidas/BVG

Adidas is all about innovation and creativity, and one of their latest sneakers checks both of those boxes.

With the limited edition EQT Support 93/Berlin, Adidas has created a shoe that not only provides support for one’s feet but also provides a one-year pass to the city’s mass transit system known as the BVG.

In her explanation to the Guardian, Petra Reetz (spokeswoman for BVG) stated “The motivation behind the collaboration is really to get young people on to public transport… in a big city like Berlin, the quality of life and quality of the air are important. We wanted to tell young people public transport is cool – you don’t need to buy a car.”

Not only is this collaboration an attempt to make public transport cool and relevant, but it is also an attempt to modernize the BVG and the culture of public transport. As Berlin’s transportation system turns 90 this year, this collaboration with Adidas is a great attempt towards rebranding the BVG.

Via Adidas/BVG

While also appealing to footwear collectors with limited pairs sold (only 500 were made) and with their unique BVG-inspired look, the EQT Support 93/Berlin also appeal to people seeking a significant discount on Berlin’s yearly public transport system. Currently, the cheapest option is around 728€ ($893). But the sneakers, which double as transit passes, sell for 180€ ($220).

As far as the technology that is used to produce the transit pass within the sneakers, the pass is embedded in the tongue of the sneakers and doesn’t involve any over-the-top technology. 

Via Adidas/BVG

How this technology will work in practice is unsure. However, people won’t have to take their shoes off to scan them. Berlin public transport is honor system-based, with occasional security checks. But rules around using the shoes as a pass are strict: You must have both shoes on your feet when you expect to use them (as opposed to giving one to a friend and having one in your bag).

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From My Perspective

This is a great move by Adidas and an even greater move by Berlin and the BVG. Not only does this collaboration bring a new feeling to the 90 year old BVG, but it also helps sustain Berlin's public transport system beyond its years. By collaborating with Adidas, BVG is setting the tone for other cities to involve more of their culture and staples with a new and current generation in regards to style/fashion and technology. 

The EQT Support 93/Berlin went live on January 17, 2018, and sold out on the first day. The BVG transit pass will last until December 31, 2018.
 

Sources: AdWeek | The Guardian

NBA G League Games to Stream Live on Twitch

– Up to Six Weekly Games Featuring Fan Commentary and Cutting-Edge Interactive Stats –

NEW YORK, NY – NBA G League games will stream live on Twitch, the world’s leading social video service and community for gamers with 15 million daily active users, beginning Dec. 15.  This will represent the first time a major sports league has tapped into several technological innovations unique to Twitch.

During the 2017-18 regular season, basketball fans can expect up to six NBA G League games to stream live on Twitch each week at twitch.tv/nbagleague.  After each live broadcast, these games will be available on demand.

The partnership expands NBA G League game distribution and aims to ambitiously innovate the digital presentation of basketball.  In addition to the main broadcast, this partnership will feature co-streaming with select Twitch personalities and basketball fans.  Co-streaming allows a creator to share another channel’s video feed, but with their own commentary and community, resulting in a more personalized, social experience that includes the ability for viewers to chat with commentators during the game.  At launch, GoldGlove and more than a dozen other top personalities on Twitch will take part in the co-streaming initiative.

Additionally, this partnership will introduce interactive functionality for Twitch viewers in the form of a channel overlay that provides easy access to a wide range of stats and the ability to accrue loyalty points.

To enhance the viewing experience, Twitch is adding interactive features with the NBA G League Extension.  This is a channel overlay created using Twitch Extensions, which are a new set of tools that allow developers to help creators customize their channel pages with interactive experiences.  The NBA G League Extension provides the following features for Twitch viewers which will update and evolve over time:

• Stats: Viewers can click on a team’s name or logo next to the scoreboard to view player, team, game, and season stats. There will also be a ticker featuring league stats related to other games from around the league.

• Loyalty Display: Logged in viewers will be rewarded with loyalty points for passive and active behaviors and interactions with the stream. Viewers can compete to unlock achievements, climb season long leaderboards, and more to eventually earn prizes.

“Our deal with Twitch will be groundbreaking,” said NBA G League President Malcolm Turner.  “By leveraging fan commentary, new technology and a passionate community, Twitch elevates video in a unique, engaging way that resonates with young viewers.  We look forward to collaborating with their team to create something truly special for basketball fans.”

“From day one, the NBA team got what Twitch is all about.  We aren’t a traditional sports experience on TV; we are much more,” said Michael Aragon, Senior Vice President of Content, Twitch.  “From our broadcasters to our engaged community to our interactive product that brings everyone together, collaborating with their team is going to bring a unique experience to basketball fans worldwide.  We are thrilled to be working with the NBA G League and look forward to seeing the impact of social video on mainstream sports.”

As a research and development arm of the NBA, the NBA G League tests rules, technological innovations and equipment in an effort to elevate the game.  This season, the league played with four-person referee crews during the month of November, while testing rules such as the innovative Coach’s Challenge and a two-minute overtime period.  During the league’s 17-year history, it has experimented with the international goaltending rule, away-from-the-play fouls and in-game flopping penalties, among other rules.

About the NBA G League

The NBA’s official minor league, the NBA G League prepares players, coaches, officials, trainers and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. Featuring 26 teams with direct affiliations with NBA franchises for the 2017-18 season, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. An all-time-high 44 percent of all NBA players at the end of the 2016-17 season boasted NBA G League experience.  In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA Cares programs.  NBA G League games are available on ESPN’s family of networks and NBA TV.

About Twitch

Twitch is the world’s leading social video service and community for gamers. Each day, millions of community members gather to watch, talk, and chat about shared interests. Twitch’s video service is the backbone of both live and on-demand distribution for all types of content, including the entire video game ecosystem, the creative arts, vlogging (IRL), and more. Twitch also runs TwitchCon, an annual convention for celebrating the Twitch community. For more information about Twitch, visit ourPress Center, Twitter feed (#Twitch), and Blog.