If you’ve ever wanted a court-side seat at an NBA (basketball) game but couldn’t afford the $9.000 price tag, Samsung and the NBA may well be on the verge of providing a solution. All you need is a Galaxy Note 4 smartphone, its accompanying Gear VR headset, access to Samsung’s Milk VR Store and you could be watching NBA highlights in virtual-reality
So what exactly are Samsung and the NBA doing then? Well, they are going to film today’s All-Star Game at Madison Square Garden, the 3-point contest, the dunk competition, as well as a private practice session using virtual reality cameras. Gear VR owners will be able to view the footage in all of its 360-degree glory via the Milk VR virtual-reality app in a few weeks time. While the actual footage will be available free of charge, you do have to possess a Galaxy Note 4 handset and the Gear VR headset. It’s likely that the upcoming Galaxy S6 will also support the Gear VR, but even so, it’s a niche technology at the present time.
As you can expect from such an infant technology, there are a lot of variables. The camera crews are still experimenting with camera locations in order to provide a realistic but immersive experience. The NBA isn’t sure what format the highlight package will take in its final form other than the best moments being compiled into 360-degree highlight reels. The footage is shot with VR cameras that can record video in every direction that is then ‘stitched’ together afterwards to provide that immersive experience.
Jeff Marsilio, the NBA’s Vice President of Global Media Distribution says that
“VR is amazing for big spectator events, but it’s also great for those kind of intimate access moments (private practice sessions). You see somebody in a location where you couldn’t even buy a ticket for. You feel like you’re there. We showed it to everybody around (the league offices), and the first reaction was always an ‘expletive, wow, this is amazing.’”
The NBA VP went on to say that the video packages will have a lot of replay value, with viewers being able to watch the game footage as a whole or to witness the reactions of courtside celebrities or even the other competitors.
Samsung is trying to find new uses and partners for its Gear VR headset. This collaboration with the NBA may inspire other types of entertainment to bring their fans closer to the action than would otherwise be possible. I could imagine the WWE making good use of this technology. Where do you think we will see it next? Would you be tempted to buy the Gear VR (and accompany Galaxy Note 4), just to watch NBA highlights in 360-degrees?
Source: Wired
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