Virtual Reality Becoming Reality For Major Sports Leagues
Among the leagues that seem to be most eager to embrace the VR technology NextVR is offering are the NHL and the NBA. In addition to the NHL game shot by NextVR, NextVR also shot the NBA’s summer league game in Rio De Janiero this past summer. The NFL has started to embrace the possibility of using virtual reality to help quarterbacks study opposing defenses in a realistic environment but aren’t yet in the discussion for live broadcasting in VR.
Both the NBA and the NHL however, appear to be quite smitten with the technology and the prospects.
“One of the owners of the team came up to me and said ‘I own the team and I can’t even buy a ticket for this seat,'” Allen said. Another one of the CEO’s told Allen that after he tried it he “couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
Even though the owners are sold, major questions about the interest of the general public have circled around for quite some time. Even more importantly than that, currently the technology required to view a VR experience is very isolating and expensive, not exactly a perfect fit for the often communal events that sports games tend to be.
While there will be skeptics and pitfalls as there always are with new technologies, most fans that have encountered the technology are excited about it as a complement to, not a replacement of, them going to games and enjoying the in-person experience.
“Fans that are season ticket holders were going, ‘wow, maybe this can be in addition to my season ticket when I can’t come I can have this experience,” Roller said.
See the full story here: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/03/02/virtual-reality-becoming-reality-for-major-sports-leagues/