The NBA, in collaboration with NBA Digital partner Turner Sports and virtual reality outfit NextVR, tonight will produce its first live game stream in the enhanced format during the Pelicans-Warriors season opener. The broadcast, including the Warriors’ championship ring ceremony before the game, will be shown live in virtual reality through a Samsung Gear headset and NextVR’s portal. The companies have collaborated previously on VR content, including elements of last season’s All-Star Weekend in N.Y. But the move to a live production represents a further advance of the technology’s development. “It’s still very early days for this technology, but we’re very eager to take the next step and test to see what we can do,” said Turner Sports Exec VP & GM Matt Hong. “We know this isn’t going to be watched by millions in this format, like it will be on TV, but we think this really will present a user experience that resembles actually being there.” The VR production of tonight’s game will not include any graphics or announcer commentary, but rather rely on the in-arena noise for audio. NBA VP/Global Media Distribution Jeff Marsilio said league Commissioner Adam Silver has "challenged us to use technology to bring more fans closer to the game." Marsilio: "This represents another effort toward that.” The production also features multiple holdings of Warriors co-Owner Peter Guber, who in addition to owning part of the team is an investor in NextVR and chairs the company’s advisory board (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer). CNBC's Jessica Golden notes the NBA would not comment on the "number of people it expects to tune into the stream." However, the league claims that if this "is successful, this could be the beginning of something bigger." Marsilio said that the league has "no current plans to broadcast future games in virtual reality, but its success on Tuesday will be closely monitored" (CNBC.com, 10/27).
THE NEXT BEST THING TO BEING THERE: USA TODAY's Swartz & Blumenthal note the NBA for years has "made a concerted push to establish itself as a global brand," but league officials acknowledge many of their fans "will not have a chance to attend a game." Marsilio said that making a VR experience available "is the next best thing." Tonight's game is a test for the VR technology, and the league is "open to streaming other games" (USA TODAY, 10/27).
