Fox Sports teams up with NextVR for virtual reality coverage

The Fox Sports division of US network Fox has sealed a partnership with virtual reality technology provider NextVR.

Under the deal, the two parties will collaborate to offer viewers live virtual reality coverage of top US sports events.

The agreement will run for five years, from 2016 to 2020.

In January, NextVR and Fox Sports showcased Premier Boxing Champions matches in virtual reality. The technology will also be applied to Fox Sports’ coverage of this Sunday’s Daytona 500 Nascar stock car race, which is being broadcast nationally on Fox.

“We have worked with Fox Sports for over a year to test live, virtual reality programming across several sports,” NextVR executive chairman Brad Allen said. “This wide-ranging agreement is proof that our technology provides an exciting and compelling option to witness great sporting events in virtual reality.”

Eric Shanks, Fox Sports’ president, chief operating officer and executive producer, added: “Virtual reality is the next great frontier in immersive experiences for fans across a wide variety of sports. It’s a rapidly changing technology, and this deal with NextVR positions us to be on the front lines for years to come.”