NextVR and NBA to will deliver free highlights of NBA All-Star Weekend.
Thanks to a partnership with NBA Digital, Turner Sports and NextVR, basketball fans in the United States will have free access to a VR experience during the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night and the NBA All-Star Game, which all happens during the NBA All-Star Weekend on February 18th and February 19th
This means that for the first time ever, NBA fans will be able to personalize their NBA All-Star Weekend experience by having the ability to switch between multiple 360° courtside views of the game using a Samsung Gear VR or a Google Daydream View headset with a compatible mobile device and the NextVR app. The fans will also be able to experience the produced feed with NextVR’s live virtual broadcasts, which will be fully produced with dedicated announcers, real-time stats, graphics and instant replays in VR.
“NBA All-Star weekend always delivers spectacular plays and we are thrilled to provide fans with an immersive courtside experience in virtual reality,” said Brad Allen, NextVR Executive Chairman. “We will continue to explore groundbreaking ways to expand our historic NBA partnership and deliver unrivaled access to the game to fans anywhere.”
According to NextVR’s website, the All-Star VR Experience Weekend looks like this:
Saturday February 18
TACO BELL SKILLS CHALLENGE
This year VR will bring a new experience to fans. You’ll feel like you’ve become part of the action. Players in the Skills Challenge will be showcasing their overall abilities including ball-handling, passing, and three-point shooting. Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Gordon Hayward, Isaiah Thomas, John Wall, Devin Booker, Kristaps Porzingis, and Joel Embiid will compete in this year’s event. Experience it in VR for the first time ever in NextVR.
JBL THREE-POINT CONTEST
For the first time ever, the three-point contest is available in Virtual Reality. Defending champion Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors and 2013 winner Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers lead the list of four NBA All-Stars who will showcase their shooting range. The eight-player field also features 2017 All-Stars Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors and Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets, as well as Eric Gordon of the Houston Rockets, Wesley Matthews of the Dallas Mavericks, CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Nick Young of the Los Angeles Lakers. In VR, you’ll experience it as if you were courtside.
VERIZON SLAM DUNK
Experience the force of the contestants’ rim-rocking dunks in VR for the first time ever. The Orlando Magic’s Aaron Gordon, last year’s runner-up, and NBA All-Star DeAndre Jordan of the LA Clippers will take flight in New Orleans. Gordon and Jordan are joined in the four-player field by Derrick Jones, Jr. of the Phoenix Suns and Glenn Robinson III of the Indiana Pacers. The Slam Dunk Contest in VR will change the game forever.
Sunday February 19
66th NBA ALL-STAR GAME
The 2017 All-Star Game is the first ever available in virtual reality. Now you can experience all of the three-pointers, rebounds, and dunks in mind-blowing NextVR. It’s like sitting courtside, watching the greatest players on earth right in front of you.
Of course, fans attending NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans will also have an opportunity to experience NBA highlights in virtual reality at NBA Crossover, which is a free multimedia exhibit showcasing the convergence of the NBA and pop culture through art, fashion, music and technology that is being held at The Chicory beginning Friday February 17th.
As for the rest of the world, immediately after the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night and the All-Star Game on Sunday night, basketball enthusiast from all over the globe will be able to access the free video-on-demand highlights using the NextVR app.
For more detailed instructions or information, head on over to the NextVR site.
Earlier today, the NBA also announced the launch of their own NBA VR app for Google Daydream, transports you into a three-dimensional virtual sports lounge with a library of immersive NBA content including video-on-demand, NBA highlights and features, and player and team statistics.
