Live-action virtual reality broadcast technology company NextVR has agreed a partnership with Relevent Sports, a division of US sports and entertainment firm RSE Ventures, to broadcast matches from pre-season club football series the International Champions Cup live in virtual reality.
Next year’s tournament will break ground in becoming the first series of sports events to be scheduled for live virtual reality broadcasting.
The 2016 International Champions Cup will take place next summer and feature matches in North America, Australia and China. Virtual reality broadcasts are planned for each region and will be available for global viewership.
The broadcasts will allow the viewer to decide whereabouts on the pitch they would like to watch the action from. Viewers can also switch between different camera angles in-game.
NextVR executive chairman Brad Allen said: “We are using virtual reality to redefine 'the best seat in the house’, as we will provide access to places fans could never experience. We will deliver 360-degree experiences from midfield, near the goal, next to the coaches and players on the bench, and even the tunnels when the world's premier players enter the field.”
NextVR in October oversaw the first-ever virtual reality broadcasting of an NBA basketball game when the Golden State Warriors faced off against New Orleans Pelicans.
Some of the world’s top football clubs compete in the International Champions Cup each year. Spanish LaLiga side Real Madrid won the Australian and Chinese legs of the 2015 series, while French Ligue 1 champion Paris Saint-Germain claimed the North American title.