The Cosm in LA has introduced live sports as “shared reality” experiences. This concept, different from larger competitors, has led to the construction of additional locations.
This massive wrap-around LED wall immediately brings to mind the large Sphere in Las Vegas. But it belongs to a new immersive location in Los Angeles that opened in July and has been making headlines and generating enthusiastic social media posts ever since. The Cosm in Hollywood Park features a concave 12K LED screen. With a diameter of 87 feet (around 26 meters), it’s a fraction the size of the Endosphere – The Sphere’s indoor LED – but still delivers stunning visuals that deserve the otherwise overused term “immersive.”
Cosm is positioned very differently to The Sphere. While the LED sphere is its main attraction, it is not the only feature of the location. Also part of the concept are a wide lobby and a terrace, both also generously equipped with LED. Drinks and food are served throughout the building, including on the tiers of the LED wall, known as the Dome. Guests who don’t want to leave their seats can order via app. The design, however, is intended to encourage movement around the building and emphasizes socializing.
Cosm to bring NBA, NHL and UFC on board
Cosm focuses on artistic short films, such as those by Cirque Du Soleil, which are specifically created for this setting, and above all, on live sports broadcasts. The venue is perfectly suited for both, and partnerships already exist. To broadcast British Premier League soccer matches, for instance, Cosm has partnered with NBC Sports. It was also a recent Premier League match that put Cosm in the social media spotlight.
Other partnerships exist with the UFC, which attracts millions of viewers in the USA and worldwide, and with ESPN, which allows the broadcasting of major US sports leagues such as the NBA and NHL. Cosm refers to this type of sports broadcasting as “shared reality.”
New Cosm locations in Dallas and Atlanta
This “shared reality” experience will not be limited to LA; Cosm plans to expand across the US. On August 31, a new Cosm will open in Dallas, Texas, and a third location is set to be built in Atlanta, Georgia. The company recently secured over USD 250 million in an investment round to fund these expansions.
The Cosm locations are not the only asset within the company structure. The company unites several businesses under its umbrella: the traditional tech firms Spitz and Evans & Sutherland, the creative entity Cosm Studios, Cosm Immersive (formerly LivelikeVR), and CS360, which offers visual hardware and software solutions.
Prague Planetarium to use the same technology
The LED dome technologies are therefore not only used for Cosm sites, but are also offered as a solution any other company can procure. For instance, the Prague Planetarium announced at the beginning of the year that it would install a Cosm LED dome with a diameter of 22 meters.
As far as the LED technology used is concerned, the company uses its own CX Display products. It’s not entirely clear whether the LED modules are assembled in-house or if a third-party manufacturer is involved. The control of the LEDs is also seemingly handled by the company under its CX Engine brand.
A new era?
After The Sphere succeeded last year in setting new standards in event entertainment with its all-encompassing experience, Cosm will attempt to usher in a new era of sports watching. After The Sphere succeeded last year in setting new standards in event entertainment with its all-encompassing experience, Cosm will attempt to usher in a new era of sports watching.
