It’s the start of a new month but the end of June had plenty to offer in the way of virtual reality (VR) sporting announcements. LiveLike has teamed up with Fox Sports to broadcast three Gold Cup games, later this month NextVR will broadcast El Clásico live for the first time and German tech company SAP has created an immersive experience on board a catamaran.
LiveLike and Fox Sports to Broadcast Three Gold Cup Games in 360 as Part of new ‘Virtual Suite’
Fox Sports has been a regular on This Week in VR Sports, having partnered with another regular NextVR on boxing as well as other sports including American Football. This week however is the turn of traditional (European) football – or soccer if you like – with Fox partnering with San Francisco-based startup LiveLike to showcase three Gold Cup matches in 360-degrees.
This is all part of a new virtual suite powered by LiveLike called Fox Sports VR App, with the CONCACAF Soccer Gold Cup being used to promote the app. Users get to overlook the field, being able to select different camera angles, checkout the suite and chat with friends – represented by basic avatars, view pre-produced content, and more.
To see what it’s all about take a look at the video below. The matches begin at the end of the week with the US team playing Panama on 8th July.
NextVR to Live Broadcast FC Barcelona v Real Madrid C.F This Month
Regular VRFocus readers should be well aware of NextVR by now, as the company tends to be fairly prominent in the field of 360-degree sports broadcasting. Later this month El Clásico Miami will be taking place, featuring football heavy weights FC Barcelona and Real Madrid C.F., and naturally NextVR will be livestreaming the proceedings.
La Liga rivals FC Barcelona and Real Madrid C.F. will be going head to head on 29th July, 2017 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, with Real Madrid C.F. making a record fifth appearance in the International Champions Cup (ICC), having played in every year of the tournament’s history.
NextVR will be broadcasting El Clásico live in 360-degrees for the first time. It’ll feature dedicated announcers, the halftime show experience and behind-the-scenes footage exclusive to VR headsets. Multiple cameras positioned along the pitch and throughout Hard Rock Stadium will transport fans into the heart of the action.
Fans with a Samsung Gear VR headset or Google Daydream View, can download the free NextVR app from the Oculus Store or the Google Play Store respectively.
Go Extreme Sailing with SAP+You: The Smarter Skipper Experience
Ever wanted to see what extreme sailing on vessels like a catamaran is all about but never quite fancied all the pressure and stress that goes with it? Well SAP, a German tech company that’s fond of sponsoring this type of sport has created an immersive experience called SAP+You: The Smarter Skipper experience.
The experience puts the viewer on a replica catamaran, getting up close and personal with the extreme sailors. Fans of extreme sailing will get be able to get greater insight into the sport, watching the sailors race whilst being fed relevant data such as real-time wind conditions, boat speed and water currents.
“When you get to sit on the boat virtually, you almost feel how it lifts up and picks up speed,” said Milan Cerny, the technology and innovation lead of SAP’s Global Sponsorships business, reports SportTechie.
“In virtual reality, you’re in the middle of the action,” Cerny added. “You’re getting the thrill, understanding what’s going on and how (sailors) are interacting with what devices on the boat and deciding where they should go. You could see how far competitors are behind you, if they’re approaching the boat. It’s an interactive way and playful way to understand the measures that are important to win a race.”