FOX Sports Delivers High-Powered Notre Dame at Michigan State in Social Virtual Reality
FOX Sports VR App Allows Group Viewing Similar to Multiplayer Video Games
Wendy’s Sponsors ‘Virtual Suite’ Experience; 360-Degree Skycam View Debuts
CHARLOTTE, NC – It’s not the best seat in the house … it’s better.
FOX Sports is giving college football fans the opportunity to watch the high-powered matchup between Notre Dame and Michigan State in newly released social virtual reality. Coverage of the game begins Saturday, Sept. 23 (8:00 PM ET) on the FOX broadcast network and also is available through the free FOX Sports VR app. On the app, viewers have the ability to watch together from the best views in the stadium, all while verbally communicating and interacting with each other’s in-suite avatars throughout the experience.
Once again teaming with LiveLike, with presenting sponsorship from Wendy’s, the Official Hamburger of the NCAA, FOX Sports is unveiling another view to its virtual reality production package, enabling users to access a 360-degree Skycam look at the action between the Spartans and Fighting Irish.
The c360 Skycam livestream streams 360-degree panoramic footage on four consumer touchpoints: the FOX Sports VR app, @CFBonFOX on Twitter, FOX College Football (CFBonFOX) on Facebook and the FOX Sports YouTube channel.
Viewers can watch pre-game festivities, team warm-ups, halftime band performances and post-game celebrations live via the c360 Skycam stream on social platforms, with multi-view, live game action available through the FOX Sports VR app.
In addition, c360 footage is available for use in the FOX game broadcast.
“FOX Sports continues to accelerate the development of virtual reality as a unique complement to our overall package of sports offerings,” said Jeb Terry, FOX Sports Vice President of Partner & Program Management. “With the debut of social VR with the Gold Cup in July, and now the addition of the Skycam perspective, we continue to strengthen an already robust offering to both viewers and advertisers.”
Through its “virtual suite,” the FOX Sports VR app will offer:
- Multiple high-resolution camera angles that give users the ability to choose between views or enjoy a director’s cut that automatically selects the best camera angle for live game action; including the introduction of the view from the c360 Skycam
- On-demand, all-access 360 videos leading up to the game
- After the game, VR highlights of the biggest plays from the best angles
- Exclusive look at non-game action, including pre-game, halftime festivities and post-game
When entering the experience, users are able to select a “Social” tab and a “Join Friends” button that connects the user to Facebook upon authorization. At that point, friends who have done the same will pop up on the user’s friends list, creating the opportunity to view the experience in a social environment. Additionally, the experience can automatically select a viewing partner at random, with viewers having the ability to seamlessly switch Social VR “on” or “off.”
The FOX Sports VR app can be enjoyed without any special VR equipment through the mobile-specific interactive, 360-degree viewing experience built specifically for smartphone viewing, or with a Gear VR or cardboard headset. Fans can access this FOX Sports VR “virtual suite” by downloading and installing the free FOX Sports VR app and signing in with their television provider credentials.
The social virtual reality initiative is the latest effort from FOX Sports Lab, a designed approach to exploring technical partnerships that give viewers a fresh perspective and ad sales teams more targeted sports integrations.
Over the last two years, FOX Sports has offered more than a dozen major events in VR, including Super Bowl LI, the 2016 & 2017 Big East Men’s Basketball tournaments, 2017 UEFA Champions League Final, 2016 U.S. Open Championship, 2016 MLS Cup, 2017 Gold Cup, 2016 Bundesliga season opener, 2016 Daytona 500, 2016 Big Ten Football Championship and a PBC heavyweight title fight.
