Demystifying VR: How Sports And Virtual Reality Are Coming Together

Internet is bursting through the seams with talk about VR-related contend: Oculus, HTC, backpack laptops for VR, games, movies, Tilt Brush, you name it! You just can’t get away from it all, and we aren’t immune, either. As such, we decided that we want to see how VR is impacting different and discrete segments of our lives. We will choose a subject and see what kind of hardware, software and content is created for it - all VR-related, of course!

A good place to start would be one of the most vibrant branches of entertainment (a way of life for some, too): we’re talking about sports! This summer is full of important sports events: Euro 2016 has just ended, Rio Olympics is less than a month away, Copa America finished with a Chilean victory against Argentina on June 27th… That’s why we are taking a quick look at how VR has already influenced the field, what we can expect from VR once Rio comes around, and what fancy technology are we’re being promised for the future.

When we think about sports and VR, we can discern several groups of people that will be influenced by the merge of the spheres. Obviously, there are the athletes themselves; then there are the viewers who are there to consume sport as content, experience fun, and are generally curious about what is going on. The last group is the advertisers who want to catch the attention of the viewers; however, we’ll be tackling this group in the future when we get to VR’s possible impact on advertising and media industries! Now, onward with the viewers.

Virtual Sports For Actual Viewership

So, what’s in it for the guy who just wants to relax and watch the game? Well, for starters, 360-degree cameras! This is one part of the VR revolution that is already in progress. People can already enjoy their games as if they were sitting in the stadium or the arena, all thanks to the strategically placed cameras filming the game. There are some snags, however: most events come pre-recorded, and the live ones can be experiencing video freezing. It’s all done in a few select events, and it depends on who is working with who.

For example, NextVR is working with NBA, so the VR broadcast of games can only be experienced on their platform. NextVR has also worked on broadcasting Stanley cup finals. The reach of the company is really inescapable, as it’s also partnering with Fox Sports Media group bring in short VR and video-on-demand features covering boxing and tennis events as well as NASCAR. UEFA had announced usage Nokia OZO 360 degrees cameras to film some of the games during EURO 2016. So the efforts are there, but still rather scattered, and many videos simply end up in archives for later review rather than being experienced live.

Later this year we’ll get even more content: Getty Images has promised that every photographer they’ll send to the Rio Olympics will have a 360-degree camera. Meanwhile, NBC has an exclusive deal to bring VR coverage of the games exclusively to the users of Samsung Gear headset.

However, there are still things that need to be sorted out for the future. The possible future of live 360-degree broadcasts is hampered by the VR headset install base, which limits demand. And the companies are still working on broadcast quality. Dutch company Scopic and NextVR are working on it right this moment. Tata Communications, who is partnering with Formula 1, are putting effort into building networks to ensure good broadcast quality. There’s also space for social VR to bloom. Interacting with other fans has always been one of the most important parts of the sports experience, and the technology can serve to bring them together like never before.

Athletes And Taking Real Game To Virtual Realms

Athletes are no less important to the game (since there would be no game without them) and they’re also going to reap benefits from VR. The most immediate effect we’re going to see comes from their training. VR will enable them to re-evaluate situations that arise in the game and the decisions they made. A company named StrivrLabs is working on just that while also cooperating with a number of American football teams. They also provide training for high schoolers.

The more far-out ideas will require some imagination. For example, how many times have you heard sports commentators say “the referee might not have seen the whole accident happen from his position”? Well, 360-degree cameras and VR playback could help them see the situation from many more angles and solve such issues. However, nobody is rushing to develop this technology, and it may take as much time to catch on as, say, goal-line technology did in football (though this is more on electronic side). The future is as of yet undecided!

It is clear that exciting things are happening in sports-related VR both for viewers and the participants. The development will follow demand and the money it generates, and it’s up to the fans and the players to show that they need it. And while VR will make watching sports at home better, it will never replace the the sheer joy of going to watch the game live!