Sports are of great interest to virtual reality enthusiasts. Various franchises have made it clear they will broadcast different sports events to VR headsets in the years to come. The BBC, UK’s main broadcast network, will stream its 33 Word Cup 2018 matches to virtual reality users in the UK at no additional cost.
Watching the World Cup in VR
It is quite interesting to see how major broadcasting networks embrace VR technology. While it is evident there is a bright future ahead for sports and virtual reality, the availability of content is still problematic. That situation will not change completely anytime soon, although improvements can be noted.
The BBC will provide live coverage of 33 World Cup 2018 games in virtual reality. This is done through a new application called BBC Sport VR – Fifa World Cup Russia 2018. Unlike what most people may think, this is a cross-platform solution. The app works on Apple, Android, Gear VR, Oculus Go and PlayStation VR headsets alike.
Users will be put inside their own luxury private box within the stadium where the game is being played. Giving viewers the best seat in the house is of the utmost importance to the BBC in this regard. Users can also access live game statistics which pop up from a virtual coffee table. Plus, there is an option to switch the view from the box to behind one of the two goals.
It is evident more and more broadcasters will need to pay attention to virtual reality. There are a lot of opportunities waiting to be unlocked. Even so, broadcasting such a major sports event live in VR is still a major undertaking. One can only hope the BBC doesn’t run into any unforeseen problems during these broadcasts.
Header image courtesy of Shutterstock
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