Viasat has announced plans to offer coverage of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in both 360 degree Virtual Reality and Ultra HD formats, the first broadcaster in Europe to do so.
In the US, NBC Olympics will provide VR coverage of the game. A total of 85 hours of VR programming will be available, captured by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS), and will include the opening and closing ceremonies, men’s basketball, gymnastics, track and field, beach volleyball, diving, boxing, and fencing, as well as highlight packages of those sports.
“VR technology carries incredible potential for the sport broadcast industry, offering a truly immersive user experience,” said Yiannis Exarchos, OBS CEO.
“VR has the power to enable hundreds of millions of people around?the world to have a real sense of presence and participation in the most universal celebration of humanity, which is the Olympic Games.”
The new Viasat Ultra HD channel will be launched in Sweden in time for the Olympics opening ceremony on August 5. The coverage will be available to all Viasat Sport and Viasat Satellite subscribers, but with a one-hour delay.
The launch of the Virtual Reality app Viasat Sport 360 comes as part of a partnership with the manufacturer Samsung; the content will be exclusive to authenticated users of compatible Samsung Galaxy smartphones together with Samsung Gear VR
“Ultra HD, VR and 360 degree video are revolutionising the way we watch and enjoy TV. These exciting technologies enable products that bring viewers closer to the action than ever before, and it does not get any bigger than the Olympics. We love to embrace new ideas that can shape the future of entertainment, and look forward to delivering an even better Olympic experience for Swedish sports fans,” said Bartek Gudowski, CTO, MTG Broadcasting.
Viasat Sport 360 will be free to Gear VR owners from August 2 and from the Google Play store as of August 23
