JWT Authentication

Virtual Stadium uses JWT tokens to authenticate users and control access to features. The general JWT setup (key generation, standard claims, signing, and key rotation) is documented in the Engagement Tools JWT guide. This page covers Virtual Stadium–specific claims and how to pass the token when initializing Virtual Stadium.

#Overview

To authenticate users with Virtual Stadium:

1. Generate an RSA key pair and share your public key with Sportradar
2. Sign JWT tokens server-side using your private key, with scope vs and the Virtual Stadium-Specific Claims below
3. Pass the token when initializing Virtual Stadium

#RSA Key Generation

Generate a pair of RSA keys using the OpenSSL toolkit:

# Generate private key (2048-bit RSA)
openssl genrsa -out rsa-private.pem 2048

# Extract public key from private key
openssl rsa -in rsa-private.pem \
  -pubout \
  -outform PEM \
  -out rsa-public.pem

# View private key
openssl rsa -in rsa-private.pem -text -noout

# View public key
openssl rsa -in rsa-public.pem -pubin -text -noout

-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----
MIIBIjANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8AMIIBCgKCAQEA...
...
-----END PUBLIC KEY-----

#The Token Object

JSON Web Token (JWT) is an open standard (RFC 7519) that defines a compact and self-contained way for securely transmitting information between parties as a JSON object. This information can be verified and trusted because it is digitally signed.

Learn more about JWT structure.

{
  "header": {
    "alg": "RS256",
    "typ": "JWT"
  },
  "payload": {
    "

#Token Payload Attributes

#Standard JWT Claims

All JWT tokens must include these standard claims:

{
    iss: '<organization>',
    sub: '<id>',
    scope: 'av' | 'vs' | 'sb' | 'av vs sb',
    iat: 1681718850
}

#Virtual Stadium-Specific Claims

apiKey string required

Your Virtual Stadium API key provided by Sportradar during onboarding.

displayName string required

User's display name shown in the Virtual Stadium interface (visible to other users).

userType enum required

User access level. VIP users have highlighted chat messages and special privileges.

Possible enum values:

• Normal - Standard user access
• VIP - Enhanced user with highlighted messages

Virtual Stadium Claims Example:

{
  "apiKey": "vs_live_abc123xyz789",
  "displayName": "John Doe",
  "userType": "Normal"
}

VIP User Example:

{
  "apiKey": "vs_live_abc123xyz789",
  "displayName": "Jane Smith",
  "userType": "VIP"
}

#Complete Token Payload Example

All required claims combined in a single payload object.

Complete JWT Payload:

{
  "iss": "your-organization",
  "sub": "user123",
  "scope": "vs",
  "iat": 1681718850,
  "exp": 1681776450,
  "apiKey": "vs_live_abc123xyz789",
  "displayName": "John Doe",
  "userType": "Normal"

#Create a Token

Sign your JWT using the RS256 algorithm with your private key. Most JWT libraries support RS256 signing.

#Pass JWT to Virtual Stadium

Deliver the signed JWT from your backend to your frontend, then pass it when initializing the Virtual Stadium widget. The jwt property is required for authenticated sessions.

SIR("addWidget", "#virtual-stadium-container", "virtualStadium", {
  channelId: "your-channel-id",
  jwt: generatedJwtToken,
  // ... other configuration
});

For full initialization options, see the Virtual Stadium Quick Start.

#Key Rotation

Rotate signing keys without service interruption: