Two days of world-class horse racing presented live via an “arena-like” experience.
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the 2020 Breeders’ Cup World Championship, one of the most prestigious international horse racing events in the world. Taking place at the Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, this annual two-day competition brings together some of the most talented Grade 1 thoroughbreds on the circuit. They’re very fast is what I’m trying to say.
This year event organizers have partnered with Facebook’s Oculus to deliver immersive remote coverage via the companies new-and-improved Venues platform. Beginning tomorrow, Oculus Quest and Quest 2 users can log into Venues to find a unique “arena-like experience” offering fans unprecedented access to the elite thoroughbred horse racing competition.
“With fans not allowed to attend this year’s World Championships, Venues presented the perfect opportunity to create a truly immersive live experience that they can enjoy from the comfort of their living rooms,” stated Justin McDonald, Breeders’ Cup Senior Vice President, Marketing. “This broadcast completely reinvigorates the remote viewing experience and brings fans closer to the World Championships than ever before. We’re excited about the potential that this technology holds and hope that our fans find it as captivating as we do.”
Fans will have the opportunity to catch all 14 championship races live from alongside the track either by themselves via their own private area or with friends and strangers. Those without VR headsets can enjoy the action from one of the 80 cameras that will be capturing the event in real-time. There’s also the “Contender Cam” which features 14 individual live streams of each race, a “BatCam” flying over 100 miles per hour above the track, and “Jockey-Cams” providing first-person views from the jockeys perspectives.
Of course, you can always catch the standard coverage on NBC and NBCSN, but where’s the fun in that?
In the past, Venues has served as a platform for numerous real-world events, from live musical performances and standup to professional sports and gaming. Recently, the platform hosted a live performance by pop singer Charlie XCX as well as the Onward Season 10 Tournament. On November 18th, Venues will broadcast a live performance by EDM superstars Major Lazer, a virtual concert I guarantee you won’t want to miss.
Venues is currently available in beta free on Oculus Quest headsets. For more information on the 2020 Breeders’ Cup live stream visit here.
Image Credit: Facebook, Oculus
