Global soccer series to be first-ever scheduled live slate of Virtual Reality Programming
LAGUNA BEACH, California, Dec. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- NextVR, the leader in live-action virtual reality broadcast technology, and Relevent Sports, a division of RSE Ventures – a multi-national sports and entertainment venture firm with a focus on new technologies – announced an exclusive partnership to broadcast coverage of International Champions Cup (ICC), matches live in virtual reality.
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The International Champions Cup matches are the first slate of live sports programming scheduled for virtual reality. NextVR pioneered live virtual reality broadcasts, including the first-ever NBA game on Oct. 27 between the 2015 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans.
The International Champions Cup is an annual summer tournament featuring the world's top soccer clubs, including 2013 ICC winner Real Madrid, 2014 winner Manchester United and 2015 North America winner Paris Saint-Germain, among others. Games for the 2016 International Champions Cup will be held across the globe including North America, Australia and China, with virtual reality broadcasts planned from each region and available for global viewership. The schedule for the summer games will be announced soon.
"This is exactly the type of live sports programming we are developing for virtual reality," said Brad Allen, executive chairman, NextVR. "We are using virtual reality to redefine 'the best seat in the house,' as we will provide access to places fans could never experience. We will deliver 360-degree experiences from midfield, near the goal, next to the coaches and players on the bench, and even the tunnels when the world's premiere players enter the field."
NextVR's technology platform will allow viewers options on how they want to watch a match – from the goal or midfield – and switch between views, as if they were the broadcast director.
"Virtual reality is about immersing yourself in the action and viewers will feel as if they are there – even from thousands of miles away," said Matt Higgins, CEO OF RSE Ventures. "RSE continues to push the envelope in terms of partnerships with new and exciting technologies and this is the latest example. We are thrilled to partner with NextVR to provide soccer fans a truly cutting-edge viewing experience of the world's most popular sport."
In November, NextVR announced it raised $30.5 million in Series A funding with participation from the biggest names in sports and entertainment, including RSE Ventures, Time Warner, Comcast Ventures, dick clark productions, The Madison Square Garden Co and Peter Guber, Chairman and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment as well as co-owner of the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Football Club. The funding round was led by Formation 8.
About NextVR: NextVR enables the transmission of live, long-form virtual reality content in broadcast quality – leading the way for live and on-demand VR to become a mainstream experience for sporting events, concerts, cinematic productions and more. Launched in 2009, NextVR has more than 26 patents granted or pending for the capture, compression, transmission, and display of virtual reality content. NextVR's platform allows the fully immersive content to be streamed with pristine quality using current home and mobile Internet connections. NextVR was founded by veterans in stereoscopic imaging technology, software development and an award-winning filmmaker. For more information, go to www.nextvr.com.
About RSE Ventures: Founded in 2012 by Stephen M. Ross and Matt Higgins, RSE Ventures is a multi-national sports and entertainment venture firm with a focus on new technologies. RSE builds, owns and operates companies in sports, media, entertainment and technology, including the Miami Dolphins, Vayner/RSE, Relevent Sports, Ascendent Sports Group and the International Champions Cup.
About Relevent Sports: Relevent Sports provides an innovative approach to building a soccer presence in the United States and around the globe. Relevent Sports showcases the best matchups and tournaments in soccer featuring the top clubs, international teams and players. In addition to hosting the International Champions Cup annually every summer, Relevent Sports works closely with national teams including Brazil, Argentina and Portugal to host exhibition matches in major sports venues throughout the year. Utilizing brand development, grassroots planning, corporate sponsors, international touring and philanthropic initiatives, Relevent Sports promotes and grows the love of soccer worldwide.
About the International Champions Cup: The International Champions Cup is an annual summer soccer tournament organized by Relevent Sports, featuring the best clubs from around the world. A staple property of Relevent Sports and RSE Ventures, the International Champions Cup brings the best in soccer to iconic sports venues across North America, Australia, Europe and China.
Media Contacts
Karena Bibbins, for NextVR
Burson-Marsteller
Karena.Bibbens@bm.com
+1 (310) 309-6663
Harrison Raboy, for RSE Ventures
harrison@derris.com
+1 (646) 362-4705
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