Writer Josh Greenblatt tests Apple Vision Pro technology watching a basketball game as if he’s on the court.Edward Row
In 2023, Paul Frewen had his undergraduate students watch live-streamed sports using virtual reality (VR) devices to see whether they preferred the experience in 3-D compared to 2-D screens. Turns out, they did. You certainly feel like you’re there,” says Dr. Frewen, a professor of psychology and psychiatry at Western University. You’re engaged, you’re cheering.” The immersive VR experience allowed for a richer level of fan engagement, he says.
Most VR research focuses on gaming, and how the technology can enhance social interaction in digitally immersive worlds. But according to Dr. Frewen, VR in the context of sports spectatorship needs to be studied more. In his research, he seeks to understand the temporal aspect of VR, whether people feel like they are actually at a game. “It’s the realism factor,” he says. “The more you feel like you’re really there, the more you feel socially and physically present, then the engagement factor is definitely levelled up.”
Experts suggest that this ‘realism factor’ could revolutionize not only how fans watch sports but also how they interact with each other and the game itself, potentially altering fan culture permanently.
Platforms like NextVR and Meta Quest offer immersive experiences where fans can virtually attend games, tour stadiums and even train with athletes. Canadian sports teams are starting to experiment with VR. The Toronto Raptors, for instance, have already integrated VR elements into fan experiences.
The technology connects fans to their favourite teams and sports, but also to each other. “For those of us with headsets, it means you’ll be able to watch games together,” says Kris Alexander, who teaches video game design and virtual production at Toronto Metropolitan University. “And for those of us who have less time, or have friends all around the world, or are making new friends through fantasy sports, it’d be cool for folks to get together and create private parties and hang out.”
According to Tyler Wilson, a senior consultant in technology transformation at EY, the headset experience also offers real-time data overlays that you can’t get from TV. The Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs have experimented with this technology. Last year, the team offered fans an immersive experience called SportsX – made possible through a collaboration from Amazon Web Services and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment’s digital arm. With glasses connected to a smartphone, fans could watch a Leafs game with an augmented reality (AR) overlay that tracked the movement of the puck or a specific player from either team. They could also watch a simulated Raptors game played on a life-size court using a headset. “You could be right over the basketball net if someone jumps up and dunks or literally right behind the net and seeing the puck land right in front of you,” says Dr. Frewen of these immersive experiences. Some virtual experiences incorporate Web3 technologies that allow fans to buy merchandise during games. “Maybe there’s a great play and you can seamlessly buy a jersey without leaving the viewing experience,” says Wilson.
Despite the innovative appeal of VR and AR, these technologies are not without drawbacks. A notable issue is VR sickness, a form of motion sickness triggered by the disconnect between visual input and physical sensation of movement. This can make prolonged use uncomfortable for some users. Additionally, there are concerns about social isolation, as individuals may spend extended periods in virtual environments, potentially at the expense of direct human interaction. Addressing these challenges is essential for the responsible integration of VR and AR into mainstream sports consumption.
Still development on the technology continues. The Apple Vision Pro takes the immersive experience to a new level thanks to its spatial computing capabilities – a broad term for technologies that seamlessly blend physical and virtual worlds, including VR, AR and mixed reality. While checking social media for live commentary, fans can simultaneously watch multiple games with incredible resolution and with a front-row view.
This melding of the virtual and real worlds is not just enhancing fan experiences; it’s forging entirely new ways for spectators to engage with sports, turning passive viewing into an interactive, multi-sensory event. While wearing the headset and watching a clip of a pre-recorded basketball game from under the net, the image of a ball bouncing toward the camera looks so real the user can physically flinch.
Dr. Alexander envisions a future where VR can offer personalized experiences, like being able to ask their favourite football player a question in the post-game scrum. “We can see the training room, but can we sit down and talk to the athletes? Are we able to see the huddle?” he says. “A lot of our love for sport is seeing fantastic performance, seeing that excellence, and being close to that excellence. So being able to talk to your players, as you do on social media now, but in the middle of a game, I see a future where that happens.”
