High-tech Warriors: Building tomorrow's basketball arena (pictures)

The Golden State Warriors team, like many sports franchises, has pushed to make its arena more high tech. Features of its app encourage fans to stay involved in the game.

The Warriors' technologists plan to mic up the court and transmit the sounds -- like bouncing balls and squeaking shoes -- to fans sitting too far away to normally hear the action.

One technology used throughout the Oracle Arena is Apple's iBeacons. The hardware sends notifications to users via Bluetooth, giving them the opportunity to do things like get free popcorn with the purchase of pizza. The concession stand notifications haven't been very successful yet, the Warriors' technologists say.

One iBeacon ping fans receive is an offer to upgrade to better seats by selecting the deal in the app and paying the price difference. The Warriors don't have many empty seats per game, though. The venue has sold out more than 100 games in a row, and there's usually only about five to 10 tickets -- which were held for owners and other people -- that are available for upgrade purchases.

The Warriors' team store includes a beacon (it's the small black box located near the Adidas sign) to send fans deals, such as a free item after spending a certain amount. Fans with the beacon promotion spend 93 percent more than those without the offer.

The Warriors have embraced social media, offering deals to fans who check in on Facebook. One recent free offer was the chance to shoot a free throw on the court after the game.