This weekend’s Final Four and National Championship games will be live-streamed for the first time in virtual reality.
Maybe your team didn’t make it to the Final Four this year, but if you own a Samsung Gear VR you might as well make your way to some courtside seats because – VR.
The NCAA has announced a partnership with CBS and Oculus to provide live game coverage this weekend with the help of virtual reality live-streaming provider VOKE. The 180-degree live stream will be available for free by downloading the NCAA March Madness Live VR app in the Oculus Store.
Along with getting some courtside perspective seats of live games, fans will also be able to see a virtual scoreboard with live stats.
Although the 180-degree live video coverage may not be as immersive as full 360-degree VR video, we figure nobody really cares to get an immersive look at that obnoxious fan who keeps dancing behind you in the seats. Also cutting down the footage to just 180-degrees will also make streaming at a higher quality more accessible. NCAA March Madness Live will also offer a 2D, 180-degree live stream on desktop for the Final Four Semifinals and National Championship game, along with 360-degree highlights posted to the NCAA March Madness Facebook page.
Early version of VOKE’s 3D 180-degree camera.
This weekend’s VR live-stream is the second experiment this month from the NCAA. Just a few weeks ago, the association partnered with Fox Sports and NextVR to live-stream a few of the Big East Tournament games.
The live streams will also include commentary from the TBS broadcasting team along with sounds from the arena, so its kind of like you are watching the game live with headphones tuned in.
This year’s Final Four Semifinals and National Championship will be televised on TBS, marking the first time in the 78-year history of the event that the title game is airing on cable television. The Semifinals will be held Saturday, April 2, with coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET, with the National Championship taking place on Monday, April 4, starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Image Credit: VOKE / NCAA