Fans "could soon be able to watch football in virtual reality mode" after the tech was trialed by Man City and Sky Sports, according to Omar Oakes of CAMPAIGN LIVE. The club, "in concert with Sky Sports and LiveLike, trialled VR devices with fans" in London, N.Y. and Melbourne who were watching Man City play Arsenal on May 8. The trial "was delivered alongside VR startup LiveLike and was supported by U.S. broadcasters NBC and Fox Sports in Australia, showing the interest in offering innovative ways of broadcasting sport." Broadcasters are "under increasing pressure to offer value-added experiences in live sport" as they face potential competition from "over-the-top" providers from the likes of YouTube and Twitter, which will stream live NFL games next season. Man City Senior VP of Media & Innovation Diego Gigliani said, "There’s still a lot to be done until the technology matures and we find the right content offering, but the fans’ reactions to this test prove how incredibly engaging and transformational virtual reality can be" (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 5/10).
