For those who want to watch the NCAA Tournment in virtual reality you will now have an opportunity to do so starting this week. Turner Sports along with CBS and the NCAA wil offer the tournament in VR beginning with the Sweet Sixteen. This marks the first time the NCAA Tournament will be available in virtual reality.
A March Madness Live VR app is now available in the Oculus store for compatible mobile phones. People will be able to watch the games as if they’re sitting in a courtside seat.
And there will be a couple of options for fans to choose from:
Gold – for $2.99 per game or $7.99 for all six games, fans will be able to feel like they are sitting courtside with their favorite team, via fully-produced VR coverage incorporating multiple courtside cameras, sounds from inside the arena and dedicated game commentary featuring Spero Dedes with analyst Steve Smith and reporter Lisa Byington. Dedes, Smith and Byington will call the game specifically from the perspective of fans watching the live coverage in VR.
Silver – for $1.99 per game, fans can experience VR through a single courtside camera presentation (180-degree live stream) with the same commentary featured on the CBS broadcast with Jim Nantz, analysts Grant Hill and Bill Raftery, along with reporter Tracy Wolfson.
In addition, the March Madness Live VR app will offer a full tournament bracket with video highlights, virtual stats, scoreboards and shot charts. And the March Madness Facebook page will provide users with 360-degree highlights from games produced in VR.
The March Madness Live VR app will provide coverage from the Sweet Sixteen into the Elite Eight as well as the Final Four and the National Championship Game.
So Turner is trying to step up its presentation of the NCAA Tournament by bringing in new technology.
