FOX Sports announced Wednesday that it would debut Social Virtual Reality, which enables viewers experiencing select CONCACAF Gold Cup matches to have the ability to recognize each other’s avatars and communicate with each other.
The group viewing is similar to the experience found in multiplayer video games. Users in the FOX SPORTS VR app will be able to select a “Social” tab and a “Join Friends” button that connects the user to Facebook upon authorization. Friends who have done the same will pop up on a friends list, creating the opportunity to view the experience in a social environment. The experience can also automatically select a viewing partner at random.
The three matches that will have the VR experience available are USA-Panama on July 8, a TBD match July 22 or July 23 and the Gold Cup championship on July 26.
“The massive feature set of this application keeps growing, and we think that social is a wildly important and seminal moment in the ongoing evolution of the technology,” Michael Davies, FOX Sports SVP Field & Technical Operations, said in a statement.
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For the Gold Cup coverage in VR, viewers can see the live action provided by multiple camera angles and have the ability to choose or watch a director’s cut that provides the optimal view.
For those with television provider credentials, the free FOX SPORTS VR app can be experienced with a smartphone without special VR equipment, with viewers wanting the full experience able to use a Gear VR or cardboard headset.