The NBA Kings yesterday announced an investment in Voke, a company that specializes in virtual reality and on-demand media. As part of the deal, the Kings will live stream tonight's home opener against the Clippers to select fans. Students at Dhirubai Ambani Int'l School in Mumbai and children hospitalized at Kaiser Permanente Women & Children's Center in Roseville, Calif., will view the game in real-time virtual reality (Kings). In Sacramento, Mark Anderson noted Kings officials "haven't said when the technology will be deployed again, but it is likely to be a feature" of the team's new Golden 1 Center, which opens next year. It will allow fans to "watch replays from any angle on their tablets and smart phones." Voke previously has been used at concerts, Jaguars games and "some international soccer matches." The Kings "will use two Voke semi-hemispherical cameras on either side of the court." The "stereoscopic camera apparatus uses six pairs of camera lenses to capture a 180-degree view." Voke spokesperson Ken Reed said that the software "creates an image of the entire floor, allowing remote users to choose their angle" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 10/27).
KINGS FOR A DAY: In Sacramento, Dale Kasler reports while the Kings franchise itself "remains something of an enigma in NBA circles, with a winning season far from guaranteed, the business side of the organization appears to be operating on all cylinders, selling a slew of tickets while finding new ways to operate the arena and engage fans." Sports marketing experts have said that the Kings’ business operations "are far more savvy and aggressive" since Vivek Ranadive bought the team in '13. Kings President Chris Granger said that season-ticket sales "have improved over last year, and the Kings now have more than 10,000 season-ticket holders for the first time in at least seven years." Granger added that more than 12,000 fans "have put themselves on a waiting list for tickets at Golden 1, and practically all the premium seating at the new arena is spoken for." Kasler notes the Kings last week announced a partnership with S.F.-based Frankly Inc. to "upgrade the team’s website and mobile apps with a chatroom, emojis of the players and coaches, and more" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/28).
