Could Live Sports In VR Be A Glimpse Into What The Future Holds?

Experience courtside action from the comfort of your couch with VR. The NBA and Meta extended their partnership in 2023, allowing fans to watch 52 live games of the season for free in Horizon Worlds. Out of these 52 live games, fans get to watch 5 games as immersive, monoscopic 180-degree videos.

Experience The Feeling Of Being Right On The Court With VR Technology

Sean D. Emory credits a new Twitter video to Marc Zuckerberg, depicting the experience. In the video, we see the view of a Meta Quest Pro XR headset. It starts with a display of the physical environment, then switches to virtual reality, where Zuckerberg is courtside at an NBA game. He can look around naturally by moving his head, enjoying a courtside experience.

Sports Broadcasts Are Becoming More Immersive With The Use Of Virtual Reality

Unlike traditional VR broadcasts that are rigid in view and less immersive, this experience allows for different viewpoints and perspectives. This new way of watching sports could revolutionize broadcast events by bringing fans right where the action is. Formula 1 fans can sit at the edge of the track from their living rooms, and boxing enthusiasts can get closer to the action than fans on site.

Meta’s Xtadium sports streaming platform partially enables this already. The streaming platform presently offers 180-degree live streams of the All-American Cup tennis tournament and NASCAR races. However, it is only available to fans in the USA. It’s uncertain if and when Xtadium will expand to other countries. The same applies to Horizon Worlds, which presently has low user numbers.

Could VR Be The Go-To Platform For Future Events?

As the popularity of virtual reality grows, it’s not just about games anymore. Live events, including concerts, are taking center stage. Fans can now enjoy immersive experiences like Megan Thee Stallion’s “Enter Thee Hottieverse” and upcoming AmazeVR events. VR headset maker Pico even brought famous DJs to virtual reality, and a music festival rocked the social VR platform Rec Room.

Featured image from si.com