The NBA, in collaboration with MediaMonks, is delivering live NBA games for VR headsets through Oculus. Scheduled for 10 games this past basketball season, the streams are available for all users with access to the free Oculus Venues app.
Delivering this type of content live for viewers, in this case a 4k 60fps stereoscopic video feed, requires a significant amount of processing power on site. MediaMonks bypassed this issue by directing the live video feed into an Amazon Web Services (AWS) computer hosted in Amazon’s server facility and accessed remotely over the internet. This bypass allows MediaMonks to offload the power that would normally require large racks of computers and a large on-site crew to manage it all. Now they can send in a lean crew to connect to the internet with the ability to work from anywhere either filming on-site or managing the live stream remotely. NBA fans watching in VR can now view the games from virtual courside seats in a truly immersive environment.
Studies show that VR platforms are incredibly effective in workplace training and education compared to traditional digital methods. Media Monks director of creative solutions, Lewis Smithingham, noted that because of this effectiveness “Digital broadcasts can likewise enhance memory by instilling meaning in the experience. There’s little difference in the experience of watching one game on TV versus another, but through delivering distinct digital experiences that enhance the spectatorship experience in novel ways, you can help viewers encapsulate that moment and create meaningful experiences.”
While the last game streamed by MediaMonks was in May with the Toronto vs Dallas game, there are still upcoming live events streaming such as the WNBA. With these types of events being live-streamed only, be sure not to miss out on experiencing the court up close and personal.
