“How the NBA became the first major sport to embrace VR”

Arturo Kim

ENG2150

Professor Allison

A numerous amount of people cannot attend and/or afford NBA tickets, for they have other expenses to pay for and a limited amount of time throughout their day. In the sensational article, “How the NBA became the first major sport to embrace VR,” Sean O’ Kane announces that Samsung has partnered with the NBA to bring the court side experience to the Gear VR. This is the new era of experiencing the NBA, as if you were actually there, at home.

Although this new invention will enhance NBA games, we can’t anticipate that it will actually take into full effect. It’s still a work in progress, but with the collaboration of BigLook360, the NBA, and Samsung, they promise a high quality experience when the footage makes it to Milk VR. “They see it as a way to test an exciting new technology in a focused manner, according to Jeff Marsilio… Basketball offers a proximity to the action that’s hard to find in other sports, and proximity is key when it comes to virtual reality and 3D.” Basketball is the one sport that enhances the experience and intensity if you are in front of the action. And the fact that technology is advancing, this proposal would not only improve the experience of the games, but also maximize customer’s demands.

BigLook360 and Samsung ran experiments during the All-Stars game, and it seemed so realistic that they quoted, “You can feel like you’re shoulder to shoulder with some of the NBA’s best in a few weeks—if you own a Gear VR.” The one dilemma about this experiment is that it’s difficult to keep filming without disruptions. The camera crew must film the action up close to get that full intensity of the game, which causes many interruptions such as players or the ball slamming into the tripods. So they must execute this operation wisely by running multiple test runs in order for it to be a success.

The proposal of producing an advanced way of watching NBA games is intriguing, but there are still problems that need to be worked. If this idea does become successful, then not only would it benefit the NBA, but it can also expand to other leagues, creating an improved way of perceiving sports through technology.

“How the NBA Became the First Major Sport to Embrace VR.” The Verge. N.p., 17 Feb. 2015. Web.