Image via @WFNYScott
Last week Budweiser and the Cleveland Cavaliers combined forces to create specially designed Budweiser-branded cardboard virtual reality screening headsets for fans. As fans stepped into the stadium, a total of 750 of them had the rare opportunity to watch virtual reality footage of Game 2 of the Cavaliers series against Atlanta Hawks on May 4th at 8:00 p.m.
“As a company we are always looking for new ways to bring fans closer to the teams they love, and virtual reality is a big part of that,” said Lucas Herscovici, VP of Consumer Connections at Anheuser Busch. “The Cavs have been great partners in helping us activate this technology in the NBA and we look forward to continuing to evolve this activation.”
Both the Cavs and Budweiser provided a series of four videos to fans via the Cavaliers official mobile application and Budweiser’s virtual reality YouTube channel. One of the videos gave an exclusive tour of the Cavaliers’ locker room, practice facility and even a look at the Cavaliers’ dunk squad. Additionally, the device was not only a virtual reality viewer, but could also be folded into a beer holder for the fans.
“We’re always looking for new ways to connect with our fans by leveraging emerging technologies that deliver unique experiences. VR was a logical next step and an area we’re excited to explore,” said Mike Conley, Cavs VP of Digital. “The technology has endless opportunity and thanks to our partnership with Budweiser and Yinzcam, we’ve been able to get a head start in the emerging VR space with the new video content available on the Cavs App.”
The fans that did have the opportunity to experience the VR headsets were pleased with the results. The Cavaliers are the first team to incorporate VR into their mobile app, and it will be interesting to see how other teams follow this route in the future.
