Virtual reality stories are cropping up more and more in the sports technology world. The tech has been used to engage New York Jets fans in the NFL, embraced the boxing scene and has even more recently been adopted to enhance youth soccer training. So, the next logical step for the use of virtual reality? Swimsuit models, of course.
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In a move that has seemingly got ‘teenage boy’ scrawled all over it, Sports Illustrated have brought virtual reality to the forefront of their infamous Swimsuit Edition. The controversial edition will feature eleven virtual reality videos of the models involved- Nina Agdal, Hannah Davis and Irina Shayk. “VR is an emerging tech and we want to get out ahead in this space,” revealed Chris Hercik, the (very) creative director at Sports Illustrated.
It will now be possible to view the videos through headsets like the Oculus Rift, while also remaining possible through smartphones. For an additional $2, copies of the magazine will be available to buy with compatible cardboard viewing headset, aimed at those with a really, really keen eye for swimwear.
With the story set to one side, whether this marks the beginning of the mass distribution of virtual reality material will certainly be interesting. In order to make this move, SI reached out to Wevr, a company who aim to create an independent community comprising of talented virtual reality creatives. As they know, the virtual reality community is certainly growing, and with this latest announcement, is perhaps likely to filter down to particular demographics more than others.
Love it or hate it, nobody will be surprised. Just over a week ago the Broncos beat the Panthers in the Super Bowl. But for the male 18-34 year old demographic, SI’s annual swimsuit edition still entices far more views than the big game ever does. Peyton Manning, Cam Newton and company will have to take a back seat for a while- not that they have much choice.