San Jose Sharks fans will now get a chance to feel what it’s like to skate onto the ice of the SAP Center before a home game. Last month, the team and Zeality Inc. announced a partnership to provide virtual reality and 360-degree content to fans via the Sharks mobile app.
The Sharks Immersive media experience, as the new fan engagement initiative is being called, will be accessible for fans later this Spring in both the Apple and Google Play app stores.
“We are pleased to find in Zeality a partner that aligns with our core values and methodologies to undertake this unique opportunity,” Flavil Hampsten, Executive Vice President, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at the San Jose Sharks, said in a statement. “The mobile strategy of the Sharks is to provide fans with an app that not only delivers game-day functionality but also exclusive and innovative content. Zeality’s cutting-edge approach allows us to deliver an experience unlike any other in Sports.”
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Zeality’s cloud-based Immersive Media Engine technology platform is powering the Sharks new virtual reality experience, which will give fans a deeper look into the organization, SAP Center and other unique offerings. Fans will be able to virtually walk through the infamous Shark head, gain an inside view of the team’s locker room and see how players prepare before home games.
“The Immersive Media arena is evolving into an ecosystem that fans around the world can experience,” Dipak M. Patel, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Zeality, said in a statement. “Our capabilities combined with the content and deep fan base of the Sharks presents a fantastic opportunity to boost the overall experience Sharks fans can get. We are thrilled to work with the San Jose Sharks to make the vision of Immersive Media a reality.”