Photo credit: Surya Patil

This was my view of the U.S. Open from my seats at the “Cosm.” This venue offers showings of live events, including sports games and media art, and utilizes technology to create an impressive immersive experience.

Courtside tickets to the U.S. Open are my and every other tennis superfan’s dream. But their price — nearly $20,000 — is absurd.

When my uncle sent me a link to an article about the Cosm, an experiential venue streaming the tennis tournament, I needed no convincing to attend. We bought premium tickets for $61 each to watch two fourth-round matches, offering a more affordable alternative to an actual ticket.

The Cosm does not exclusively show tennis matches. From NBA games to college football, there are a wide array of choices. If sports is not your thing, they also present artistic pieces that showcase talented media artists and other unique offerings like “Circ de Soleil.” Located in Inglewood, it neighbors Los Angeles’s iconic entertainment destinations, including the SoFi stadium and the newly established Intuit Dome.

Walking into the Cosm, my family and I entered The Hall, which in itself seemed like a perfect place to watch a sports game. The walls were covered in flat-screens, and the room was packed with fans. General admission ticket prices start at just $6. The main attraction, however, is The Dome. Immediately after, I was transported to a front-row seat in Arthur Ashe, the largest and most iconic tennis stadium in the world.

The revolutionary technology of the dome, which includes a wraparound LED screen with a diameter of 87 feet, made me feel completely immersed in an environment almost 3,000 miles away. There are three levels of seating offered, and all are close to the screen. The Cosm reminds me of a more intimate version of Las Vegas’s Sphere.

According to Cosm’s chief product and technology director Devin Poolman, “Cosm” events are filmed with company cameras that provide four to six different angles. In-house technical directors switch perspectives in real time to create an illusion of being extremely close to the action.

With the exception of an occasional glitches and delayed sound, the technological audio and visual elements of the venue nearly replicated the match in real time. I was able to hear the squeak of tennis shoes as the players moved and see the heavy topspin of the ball as it flew across the court.

Within minutes, I found myself clapping and engrossed in every point of the match, as if I was there. The atmosphere curated by The Dome felt identical to my past experiences at tennis tournaments like Indian Wells. During the match, my heart raced with excitement, and I was buzzing with adrenaline. Incredibly, technology has evolved so far to where it can emulate this unique feeling.

During the viewing, I ordered from their menu, which served typical American bar food, as well as more upscale dishes. The food was pricey and nothing special, but I did thoroughly enjoy the ice cream sundae for dessert.

I am eager to return to the venue with my friends, so they too can transport to their favorite arenas through the Cosm.