Live NBA is coming to Google's Daydream VR platform
The NextVR service is also expanding NBA in VR to Europe and Australia.
NextVR has expanded its NBA virtual reality coverage, now offering it on more than one headset and in countries other than the US. Along with the current Samsung Gear VR offering, you can now catch broadcasts on Google's Daydream platform. In addition, viewers in Canada, the UK, Germany and Australia will be able to catch on-demand games and highlights, though live broadcasts are limited to the US.
US-based viewers will be able to watch NBA games on-demand, along with highlights and features, for free in the NextVR app. The offering is available on both Samsung's Gear VR and Google's Daydream View headset. Viewers in other regions can catch any on-demand games that follow NextVR's Spurs versus Raptors broadcast from January 3rd.
You'll need to download the NextVR app and have compatible hardware to use it on either platform. From there you'll get an experience that's closer to sitting court side than it is watching the game on TV. In terms of how it feels, NextVR switches between eight RED cameras to give you the best view.
Although, as a word of warning, this Engadget editor watched the Rio Olympics on a Gear VR headset, as shot by the IOC. The experience was great, but the view can get heavily pixelated, which is little surprise considering the bandwidth and headset resolution limitations. So don't expect to believe that you're really there... at least not yet.
In all, NextVR's NBA broadcasts have received generally good reviews, though. If you already have an NBA League Pass and a Samsung or Google Pixel phone, we'd call it a no-brainer to get the Daydream View or Gear VR headset, since they're both less than $100. However, it'd be a stretch to sign up for the service just to get VR matches, given the quality limitations. In a year or two, however, VR sports might be good enough to become a fan destination on their own.
