It would appear there may be a bright future ahead for virtual reality in the NBA. The Sacramento Kings have partnered Verizon for a 360-degree VR experience. This experience will be livestreamed over 5G, which is considered to be the next frontier in mobile data. Viewers will be able to enjoy a courtside seat to boost the overall experience.
Sacramento Kings Offer VR Streaming
It is commendable to see how NBA teams envision the future of virtual reality. This technology, while still relatively appealing, is not clicking with the average consumer. That is primarily because there is no real engaging content for VR users to enjoy at this time. Solving that solution will require the participation of many different entities. For the Sacramento Kings and Verizon, this creates an appealing opportunity.
Their particular vision revolves around livestreaming a game over 5G connectivity. This will serve as a first 360-degree VR experience involving both franchises. This viewing will be made available to loyal your from Men’s and Women’s Leadership Academy, as well as College Track Sacramento. It is an important step in the right direction to take VR more mainstream.
Sacramento Kings CTO Ryan Montoya adds:
“We are excited to be the first professional sports team in the United States with the ability to demo how 360 AR/VR powered by Verizon’s 5G technology can transform the fan experience. This is an extension of our commitment to using technology to enhance the way fans engage with the team – whether live streaming a game in 360 virtual reality, downloading real-time statistics via our award-winning dual mode app, or watching 4K replays on our ultra HD videoboard, technology allows us to create and deliver engaging content.”
Verizon currently holds all of the cards in terms of 5G connectivity. As such, they are the right partner for the Sacramento Kings where this particular venture is concerned. It is not the first time service providers target 5G connectivity specifically. There are a lot of opportunities where this technology is involved, but proper testing is required first and foremost.
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