Virtual reality is here to stay, and the NBA is wasting no time jumping on the bandwagon. The league just announced that its upcoming season will feature at least one game broadcast in VR each and every week.
The games will be presented in actual virtual reality—not a giant 2D screen in a virtual theater, as has been the case with events like the presidential debates—which means the camera will be situated in a way that makes you feel like you’re actually there. This is thanks to a partnership between the league and NextVR, a virtual reality production company that has handled events such as Oculus Conn3ct, HBO boxing, and the US Open.
But all this futuristic sports awesomeness comes at a cost: NBA games in VR won’t be free to just anyone with a VR headset. Instead, the league has chosen to make these special broadcasts an exclusive for those who subscribe to the NBA League Pass for a hefty $200. That’s on top of the cost of whatever virtual reality hardware you still need to pick up in order to enjoy them.
Still, despite the high barrier to entry, it’s nice to see a major sports organization embrace VR even when the current hardware has such a small amount of market penetration.
H/T Recode