First Ever: NBC Sports & NextVR Presents 2016 Kentucky Derby in Live VR
Kentucky Derby is upon us. For 142 consecutive years, it has been a grand American tradition. It’s popularity has only increased heavily in the past 20 years, thanks to globalization and the internet. Like fine wine, it has matured with age and is now hotter than ever.
Every year, millions of viewers tune in, or meet at the event to participate. Hats, horses and odds is the talk of the town and basically every major network has a reporter on the event. To help get you into the mood, here’s a quick video of the event:
Kentucky Derby in VR
It should come as no surprise that word of the adrenaline-inducting showdown reaches the innovators of technology and as well. The event drew in a whopping 16 million last year. Hopefully, this year will be no different. As a matter of fact, 2016 might grow to be even larger, and here’s why: Virtual Reality — That’s why.
In an awesome display of innovative technology, NextVR and NBC Sports Group found a way to bring the Derby-sensation to the world in Virtual Reality. By Setting up a total of 13 fully functional VR cameras on-location, they broadcasted the event in live 360° video.
What this meant, was that anyone with a virtual ticket could go to experience the head-turning excitement of the race, without ever having to fly across the country to do so. Some even turned in from across the globe.
“We are excited to bring the pageantry and passion experienced annually by those at the Kentucky Derby even closer to viewers at home with the new medium of live virtual reality,” — Rob Hyland. Coordinating Producer. NBC Sports Group.
NextVR
We know that the NBC Sports Group is being a leader in american sports reporting by setting this up, and opening VR up to the mainstream. NextVR however, is what has made the biggest leap in making this happen.
To help you better understand what makes NextVR different from any other producer of VR content, here are 2 awesome facts about the company:
- NextVR has developed a custom lens-to-lens system for capturing and delivering
live and on-demand virtual reality experiences in true broadcast quality. - NextVR is the only company capable of transmitting live high definition, three-dimensional virtual reality content over the Internet delivering a completely immersive and life-like experience for the viewer.
If you are interested in more awesome broadcastings, check out NextVR on their website: www.nextvr.com.
If you would stop for a moment, dear reader and contemplate what this means for the future of not only live sports, but also traditional reporting like foreign journalism. Will we see photo journalists reporting live from the third world, transferring the experience straight into the living room of viewers?
…And the winner is
For those of you who didn’t get a chance to strap on your headset for the live-stream or meet at the event — Here’s a video of the Kentucky favorite. If you would like to see the finishing seconds of the race, here’s the video:
