Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Giving Fans Immersive Virtual Reality Experience


From now until Nov. 20, tennis fans attending the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The 02 in London will be able to experience the sport via virtual reality.

The ATP and ATP Media partnered with Infosys and Sonys Europe sports team around a new exhibit within the Fan Zone, leveraging the newly-launched PlayStation VR and its tracking camera and handheld controller to give fans a deeper look inside the sport they love.

“We look forward to unveiling this pioneering new technology at our season finale at The O2, offering a new and exciting way to experience our sport, as we look to leverage new technologies and engage with the next generation of fans,” said Chris Kermode, ATP Executive Chairman and President in a statement.

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As fans jump into the interactive pods, they will view not only real court images and television match coverage but additional data and visual pieces from Infosys and Hawk-Eye, a vision processing company under Sony.

According to UB Pravin, Chief Operating Office at Infosys, the new data, insights and digital integrations will “reinvent the tennis experience” for rabid and casual fans alike and help them “understand the game in a new dimension.” Social media streams will also be included throughout the on-site virtual reality experience from MyATP on Vixlet.

“PlayStation VR is an incredible product and we knew it would help us to achieve this goal thanks to its simple to use and intuitive operation,” said Shane Warden, ATP Media Director of Technology and Broadcast in a statement. “We wanted to replicate the feeling of being there and create an augmented experience that lets fans engage and interact with the finals on screen in a way they never could before.”

(Courtesy of ATP)
(Courtesy of ATP)
(Courtesy of ATP)
(Courtesy of ATP)