It’s no secret that virtual reality is on the way up- the industry will be worth a staggering $150 billion by 2020. To ride this imminent wave, FOX sports has announced a 5-year deal with NextVR to deliver selected live sport in virtual reality.
NextVR signs 5yr deal w/ @FOXSports; Daytona 500 will be broadcast live in VRhttps://t.co/4LV42juiUk pic.twitter.com/CBXREcwzwt
— NextVR (@nextvr) February 17, 2016
NextVR is a virtual reality company with a current specialty in real-time broadcasting. The hope is to generate a means of watching matches, tournaments and races in the most immersive way possible, and stems from a successful year-long trial between the two parties.
So far, the opportunity will be limited to those with Android Smartphones, who will have to download the NextVR app to stream the sport through Samsung Gear VR headsets. At this moment in time, for everybody else, television will have to suffice.
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NASCAR fans will have the first opportunity to sample this new partnership, which will be debuted for the 58th annual DAYTONA 500 on Sunday. The spectacle will offer a complete 360-degree view of the action, with the goal of progressing on from the standard format of television viewing. For all other sports fans, FOX will be revealing their next virtual reality broadcasts later this year- what a tease.
NextVR has already helped FOX to produce virtual reality, real-time boxing broadcasts, but what they will roll out in the future is anyone’s bet. What is certain is that the Android smartphone using/NASCAR enthusiasts amongst us have permission to be excited. Quite clearly though, this demographic does not form the majority.
But does FOX have their timing right? If the technology is, as Fox Sports President Eric Shanks clearly feels, “the next great frontier” of entertainment, then they could have just set a glowing example for other major networks to follow. FOX Sports has made their move, which network is next?