VR experiences for sports fans

16th March 2016

Virtually Live

Joe Bush

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A fully immersive viewing experience for sports fans has been announced as part of a joint partnership between STATS LLC, a sports technology company and Virtually Live, a business that enables sports fans to experience live games and events through virtual reality (VR).

STATS and Virtually Live conducted trial tests of the STATS SportVU data by converting the raw X, Y data into a live virtual reality replica of Hampden Park during the Scottish League Cup final on 13th March and the Queen’s Park FC match on 16th March. An additional test will be held at Hampden Park with Queen’s Park this Friday, 18th March.

By transposing live STATS SportVU tracking data into an immersive virtual replica of the venue, the Virtually Live platform delivers the positions and motions of tracked objects in real time. Enabling users to enter the virtual world and socially interact with friends, Virtually Live gives fans the opportunity to choose any perspective on the action and experience an authentic in-stadium atmosphere, including on the field with the players.

“We are delighted to be working with STATS to bring sports fans never before seen experiences. STATS’ SportVU data enables a wealth of in-depth insights on sports games, and our partnership is giving fans new perspectives that will further enhance their viewing experiences,” said Tom Impallomeni, CEO of Virtually Live. “We look forward to developing new experiences in partnership with STATS after the successful implementation of the SportVU data for football.”

STATS SportVU utilises a six camera system installed in arenas to track the real time positions of players and the ball. This information is used to generate a wealth of metrics based on speed, distance, player separation and ball possession. STATS SportVU is used by top European football clubs to deliver advanced technical and physical performance insights and is the official tracking technology of the NBA.

“We are excited to be exploring the potential of STATS SportVU data to support the delivery of virtual reality experiences with Virtually Live,” said Roy Clements, Managing Director, Media and Gaming, Europe at STATS. “Delivering real time X, Y positioning, STATS SportVU tracking data can be used to support engaging digital sports experiences. Its integration with virtual reality represents an important new phase in its development.”