Though Saturday night’s Danny Garcia-Robert Guerrero fight will headline the first boxing card to be shown on primetime Fox in nearly 20 years, you don’t have to watch broadcast TV in order to see the action.
That’s because, for the first time on a card taking place in North America, Saturday’s matches will be offered in virtual reality through tech firm NextVR.
In order to broadcast in virtual reality, NextVR will set up multiple cameras around the ring to catch everything that happens while Garcia (31-0, 18 knockouts) tries to win a vacant world welterweight title vs. Guerrero (33-3-1, 18 KOs) inside the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
“This is the latest example of NextVR’s commitment to bring the most compelling live content to sports fans in virtual reality,” Brad Allen, executive chairman of NextVR, said in a statement. “We strive to deliver a great virtual reality experience and the key is great, exciting content.”
In the past year, NextVR has worked with Fox to broadcast a NASCAR race and the U.S. Open golf championship .
In order to see the fight in VR for free, Samsung Gear VR owners can download the NextVR app. Then, they can watch the fight through any Gear VR headset compatible phone.
“We continue to explore ways to offer FOX Sports viewers the most current and immersive technology available,” said David Nathanson, head of business operations for FOX Sports. “Sports fans expect FOX to be on the cutting edge with all of our broadcasts, and through the FOX Lab initiative, we will continue to experiment with new and exciting technologies with all of our partners.”
It’s the second time in a week we’ve seen innovation in the sport of boxing. During a heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Artur Szpilka last Saturday, Showtime streamed the fight for free on YouTube for the first time.
Photo via Leonard Wilson/Premier Boxing Champions