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Hardcore sports fans may share the lows and highs of their favorite teams on a weekly basis simply by watching the games, but nothing beats getting the chance to personally connect with the athletes themselves. While Egraphs — the service that gets sports stars to record unique personal messages for fans — has gone some way to achieve that connection, gaming platform OverDog is offering fans perhaps the ultimate dream — giving them the opportunity to beat pro athletes at their own game.

While it may never happen in the real world, taking down an NFL player like Ray Rice or dribbling past New Orleans Pelicans’ Al-Farouq Aminu to score a slamdunk is entirely possible in the virtual world of gaming. Fans downloading the OverDog app first select their favorite sports and teams. The company currently has a roster of more than 350 pro athletes who regularly log on to challenge fans. If a star from a chosen team sends a challenge, users have 3 minutes to enter themselves into the draw. The winner is then sent the details they need to get into the game through their Xbox or PlayStation. According to the company, many sports stars are also gaming addicts and users can end up playing titles ranging from sports games such as Madden, FIFA and NBA2K to shooters like Call of Duty, Halo and Battlefield. The athletes aren’t typically paid for playing against fans, instead receiving early access to games and free merchandise, which keeps the network free for users. While they’re holding out for Adrian Peterson to set up a one-on-one challenge however, users can also throw down the gauntlet with other fans. The video below offers an example of the OverDog experience:

OverDog offers a unique way for fans to connect with their idols, in a way that’s much more fun than waiting in line for an autograph. How else can celebrities use the web to offer fans a truly personal experience?