The NBA is currently in the process of experimenting with virtual reality for fans. The NBA showed this at the 16th NBA All-Star Technology Summit and called the showroom "NBA Virtual Backcourt". During this showcase they showed highlights from the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers' game that was played in Brazil. Jeff Marsilio, the NBA Vice President of Global Media Distribution, thinks this is a new way to engage more fans. This will be available to fans in the near future and will be free as long as the fans have the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition (shown above) and a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. Because court-side tickets are expensive, this product would offer a cheaper alternative to experience the baseline in virtual reality.
I think this could be something that is extremely prevalent in the future because it offers the experience of being court-side from your own home and a low price. I still believe that it will not be nearly the same experience of being there, but it will be close to it.
To read more go to http://www.sporttechie.com/2015/02/16/the-nba-experimented-with-virtual-reality-during-all-star-weekend/
This will just be another outlet and another market for members of the sport industry to sell to fans. I believe that when it is readily available to all fans, that it will be a hit. It could also hurt the number of ticket sales that a team accumulates.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't believe that this would be a good move on behalf of the NBA. This will most definitely decrease the number of ticket sales and it would not be good for all NBA teams.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great product. It will allow all fans the same access to the games. Once it is proven that it really works and people start to realize it, the product sales will elevate.
ReplyDeleteI like the concept of the product, it saves the average fan a lot of time, money, and effort. However, in my opinion, I'd still much rather experience the game in person. There's nothing quite like experiencing the atmosphere of a major sporting event.
ReplyDelete