Imagine being able to combine the last seconds of a championship sporting event with the comfort of your home. Now imagine being offered the authentic sights and sounds that television can’t offer.
Founded in 2009, NextVR has been working to develop real-time virtual reality displays of sporting events; starting with the NBA and NHL.
Using a virtual reality headset, the viewer sees a high-definition 360-degree image from one of multiple set points at whatever sporting event they are attending; giving a field of vision up to 30,000 feet.
NextVR holds or is in the process of acquiring 19 different patents for the, “capture, compression, broadcast quality transmission, and display of virtual reality content.” These patents allow the company to transmit immersive, high-definition virtual reality broadcasts over the internet in real time.
Based in Laguna Beach, CA. NextVR started as Next3D, developing broadcast technology for 3D televisions, but made the switch over to virtual reality in 2012. Their service will come pre-packaged on the Samsung Gear VR headset and will operate through mobile devices.
In an interview with SportTechie, co-founder David Cole said that their main goal is to “create an immersive environment” for fans to enjoy comfortably.
“Everyone wants to sit at center court, but not everyone can,” he said.
NextVR’s first demonstration was at the 2015 NBA All-Star Technology Summit, debuting prerecorded highlights from a preseason exhibition game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat in Brazil.
On February 21, NextVR debuted its live streaming service at the 2015 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series between the L.A. Kings and San Jose Sharks.
According to Cole, both the NBA and NHL are very interested in virtual reality technology as a new broadcast medium to reach fans. “We started with the NBA and NHL because they are very innovative themselves and are looking for new fan experiences, which is a big factor,” Cole explained. “They’re always looking for more connectivity to their fans.”
Another reason teams and leagues would be interested in virtual reality programming is that it would allow arenas to essentially sell the same courtside seat an infinite amount of times, creating an additional revenue stream.
Cole felt that they were in the, “right place at the right time” when it came to VR streaming.
“3D TV looked like a booming market, and the application of that technology is what drove us to create a new platform. The leagues we’ve worked with are incredibly forward thinking, and wanted us to create a platform to steam VR in high quality.”
NextVR has also experimented with broadcasting British Premier League matches and also tested a golf broadcast at Augusta National, as well as broadcasting Coldplay’s “Ghost Stories” concert series that was shot completely with virtual reality technology.