Virtual Reality Football?

[Bostin]

No doubt that there have been some serious advances in the use of technology within football over the years. There’s obviously been VAR and goal line technology within the last few years.

Sky have trialled various things over the years, players cam, fan zone etc. It got me thinking where will it be in 10 years?

While contemplating not using my ticket on Saturday, I wondered whether it would be possible to use virtual reality? Theoretically you could have several cameras around the ground and watch remotely via a VR headset. You could even buy a ‘virtual reality season ticket’ and chose where to sit!

They streamed the champions league final in VR on YouTube last year. Didn’t work all that well on my phone but with the right equipment I’m sure they could almost replicate being there.

 

[Andy]

Yeah, this is coming. There are a few companies working on it.

 

[WolvesAreBoringOnCeefax]

They can already record (perhaps not stream - I don't really know) from multiple cameras and then stitch it into something that you can interact with in 360 degrees as it plays. Being down on pitch level able to watch everything going on would be the ultimate experience surely - although where the cameras would be for that to be possible I don't really know. Whether they'd pop up like the sprinkers and disappear back down when a player or the ball was incoming!? Being able to don a headset and be 'present' in the stands is surely not far away though.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

What's the point? They used to have loads of options for watching one player, watching the whole game game from one camera position etc which I think have largely gone haven't they - presumably because nobody used them. Even if the ref had a big google maps type thing on his head so you could be in the middle of the play it wouldn't be as good a view shown currently.

 

[Bostin]

They can already record (perhaps not stream - I don't really know) from multiple cameras and then stitch it into something that you can interact with in 360 degrees as it plays. Being down on pitch level able to watch everything going on would be the ultimate experience surely - although where the cameras would be for that to be possible I don't really know. Whether they'd pop up like the sprinkers and disappear back down when a player or the ball was incoming!? Being able to don a headset and be 'present' in the stands is surely not far away though.

They use that spider cam a lot in the NFL, there would probably be s series of cameras on a cable system above the pitch?

 

[Bostin]

What's the point? They used to have loads of options for watching one player, watching the whole game game from one camera position etc which I think have largely gone haven't they - presumably because nobody used them. Even if the ref had a big google maps type thing on his head so you could be in the middle of the play it wouldn't be as good a view shown currently.

I think the single camera views were a novelty that wore off. You’ll never replace being there, and I wouldn’t want to but for people who live abroad or can’t afford to go to games it would potentially be an immersive match experience.

 

[Erick1011]

I actually worked with Fox Sports and VR on the BIG EAST basketball tournament. They tried this in the Bundesliga, and while it looked cool, it wasn’t too big of a hit, but as VR becomes more commonplace, I expect VR football will follow.


Remember the 2010 World Cup being streamed in 3D? Lolol