NESN Partners With Intel To Live-Stream Four Red Sox Games in VR
Available on Samsung devices, the VR experience offers four viewing angles, a switched feed
Story Highlights
NESN is collaborating with Intel to pilot production of four Red Sox baseball games with Intel True VR at Fenway Park. Beginning with tonight’s Toronto vs. Red Sox game and continuing for the next three (Sept. 6- 9), fans with selected Samsung phones will be able to experience the game from numerous unique camera angles in virtual reality using Samsung Gear VR headsets. The quartet of games marks the first time a regional sports network has streamed a live MLB game in VR.
Besides the Samsung GearVR headset and a Samsung smartphone, users will need the NESNgoVR app.
NESN viewers watching via these VR headsets will be able to select any of four locations at Fenway or a switched feed that automatically cuts between seven locations. In addition, real-time statistics will display in the 360-degree landscape.
Fans will continue to hear the NESN telecast and see HD replays. Every night, the VR experience will include a unique camera location, usually in a spot fans cannot normally access.
The announcement marks Intel’s latest VR foray on the MLB diamond, the company having signed a three-year agreement (which began in June) with the league to stream a weekly Tuesday-night game live in VR. Check out SVG’s full story on the Intel True VR MLB productions.
In advance of the game telecast, viewers planning to watch the VR experience on their Samsung GearVR headset and Samsung phone need to go to the Oculus Store to download the NESNgoVR app. Only consumers who can currently authenticate with their TV provider will be able to view the NESN VR telecast. These providers have set up authentication for NESN’s in-market live streaming: Atlantic Broadband, Xfinity (Comcast), Cox Communications, DirecTV, Metrocast, Playstation Vue, and RCN. These Samsung phones will work with GearVR for this experience: Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, S7, S7 Edge, S8, S8+, Note 5, and Note 8. For more details, Red Sox fans can visit NESN.com/VR.
