CASE STUDY
AT&T NCAA BASKETBALL Beat Box Interactive Fan Experience
Brand Activation
- Minneapolis MN
- Brand Activation, Event Technology, Experiential Marketing, Immersive Experiences
Executive Summary
At the NCAA Final Four AT&T Fan Zone in Minneapolis, NPARALLEL + Atomic Props partnered with Faculty New York to create an interactive basketball experience that transformed speed, rhythm, and movement into sound and light.
Designed as a high-energy, repeatable fan engagement moment, the AT&T NCAA Basketball Beat Box invited fans to test their reflexes by triggering beats through touch-sensitive basketballs. The result was a multisensory activation that blended play, technology, and brand storytelling into a moment of connection on one of college basketball’s biggest stages.
Business Challenge
With thousands of fans moving through the NCAA Final Four Fan Zone, AT&T needed an activation that could immediately capture attention and sustain engagement in a fast-paced, competitive environment.
The experience had to be intuitive for fans of all ages, durable enough for constant interaction, and visually compelling from across the space. It also needed to encourage repeat play, social sharing, and throughput without sacrificing the quality of the experience.
Goals & Objectives
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Create a hands-on fan experience that translates energy and motion into sound and light
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Encourage repeat participation through speed-based gameplay
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Design an intuitive interaction that requires no explanation
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Reinforce AT&T’s brand through innovation-driven engagement
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Support high fan throughput within a busy fan zone environment
Our Solution
Interactive Court Design
NPARALLEL + Atomic Props designed and fabricated three identical interactive courts to maximize participation and minimize wait times. Each court featured seven touch-sensitive basketballs positioned at varying heights to encourage movement, speed, and competition.
Three basketballs were mounted on hoops, while four were mounted on vertical posts. Each ball triggered a distinct beat and lighting response, allowing fans to activate one ball at a time or layer all seven beats together if fast enough.
Integrated Sound and Lighting Technology
Each basketball was housed within a 10-inch acrylic globe, painted with translucent finishes and wrapped with vinyl graphics featuring basketball striping and the AT&T logo. Microprocessors paired with PIR proximity sensors detected motion near the balls, while conductive paint enabled the globes to illuminate instantly when touched.
The overlapping sound and lighting effects created a dynamic, rhythm-driven experience that rewarded speed and experimentation, turning physical movement into a personalized beat sequence.
Built For Durability and Flow
Designed for continuous public interaction, the installation balanced durability with visual impact. The modular court layout allowed multiple groups to participate simultaneously, increasing dwell time and sustaining energy throughout the fan zone.
EXPERIENCE THE BEAT BOX LIVE
Step into the AT&T Basketball Beat Box as it comes alive at the Final Four. From pulsing lights to overlapping beats, this video showcases fans in motion as they compete, experiment, and turn movement into music in real time.
Results
The AT&T NCAA Basketball Beat Box delivered a high-energy fan experience that stood out within the Final Four Fan Zone. Pulsing lights and rhythmic beats drew fans in, while the intuitive gameplay encouraged repeat participation and friendly competition.
The activation successfully translated AT&T’s innovation-forward brand into a physical, memorable interaction, creating moments fans could feel, hear, and share.
Ready to Create Your Next Fan-Driven Experience?
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If you’re looking to engage audiences through intuitive interaction, innovative technology, and unforgettable design, let’s create something bold together.