Virtual reality is continuing to impress people around the sports world. We first read about how virtual reality was being used to train athletes and then it shifted to entertaining videos for fans. And now as the technology continues to develop, we are watching virtual reality as it is pushing the broadcasting envelope.
NOS, a Portuguese cable and TV operator, has partnered with Samsung and Sport TV, a Portuguese sports premium channel, to give viewers the chance to watch a football match through virtual reality headsets. The match was aired on September 20th between FC Porto and SL Benifica at the FC Porto Dragon Stadium and was the world’s first live VR broadcast.
NOS is the biggest communications and entertainment group in Portugal. It offers the latest generation fixed and mobile phone, television, Internet, voice and data solutions for all market segments. “After having been the first operator to broadcast live and in 3D a football game of the Portuguese national team and the final of the Augusta Masters in 2010, and more recently surfing contents in ultra high definition (4k), Nos now takes another step forward in the quality of the experience it offers the Portuguese people,” stated Hugo Figueiredo, Brand and Communications Manager at NOS.
The broadcast used five different cameras, located throughout the stadium, giving it a 360-degree experience for viewers. Fans were able to select the angle that they wanted to watch the game. If fans were not able to attend the game, they were given the chance to watch the game broadcasted at the Samsung brand store in the Almada Forum or at the NOS Colombo cinemas. These locations still gave fans the chance to test Gear VR. Fans were even encouraged to wear the virtual reality goggles to gain a unique experience.
“This is without question an historic moment for Portugal and also for Samsung,” commented Frederico Paiva, Business Manager at Samsung Portugal. “We know that football is a passion point for the Portuguese people, so that this initiative, the first of its kind worldwide, has all the ingredients for users to have access to an experience that will change the way we look at the broadcasting of live contents.”
By giving fans more options to consume football matches, virtual reality broadcasting could potentially spread to every sport. It will break from traditional broadcasting and fans will be able to experience something like never before.
President of the Portuguese Football League, Pedro Proenca, said, “The Portuguese League is immensely proud to associate to these partners and to this revolutionary initiative in watching a football match. The match opposing FC Porto and Benfica will surely be followed by an even greater number of viewers, to add to the thousands of fans that will be at Dragon Stadium and to the millions that will watch it at home, on the television. Portuguese professional and all the emotion it offers will now be taken to a never before seen level.”