Virtual reality brings sports fans in the middle of the action

World Today

Virtual reality technology has already been used to live-stream sports to fans across the country and its growing in popularity and accessibility.

CCTV’s U-Jean Jung reports from the Republic of Korea.

Korea Telecom’s KT Wiz is part of the 10-team national baseball league in South Korea.

In April this year, they teamed up with virtual reality producer Mooovr to offer the world’s first 360 video livestream of a commercial baseball event.

“We think VR content has the potential to become something big due to the high level of immersion and representation of reality. If you compare it with 3D technology, 3D is made to ‘look’ like reality, while VR films a 360 view of the real thing,” Jae-Ho Lee a manager for Korea
Telecom said.

KT Wiz’s opening three games generated an average of 5,000 views per day: equivalent to almost a quarter of the seats in the Suwon stadium and far more views than other VOD content.

Cameras are set up near the 1st and 3rd bases to capture the players, and the cheerleaders.


Jason Powers discusses popularity, growth of VR technology

For more on the future and growth of virtual reality technology and it’s popularity in the world, CCTV America’s Susan Roberts spoke to Jason Powers, chief creative technologist for Brightline Interactive.