EL SEGUNDO, CALIF.—AT&T-owned DirecTV is set to deliver virtual reality programming. The satellite TV provider will launch VR in the ring with the Big Knockout Boxing, or BKB VR App.
The new app will deliver highlights from the June 27 BKB fight event at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. DirecTV said one can “experience the blows and knock downs on your VR-ready smartphone as if you were actually at the fight.”
The BKB VR app is now available for Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition and Cardboard (Android and iOS) headsets. The content also is in Samsung Milk VR, a premium virtual reality service. The BKB VR app on the Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition enables selection of different fight highlights and close-up camera feeds. It can be downloaded now from the Oculus Store, Google Play, and Apple App Stores.
“We know that VR can be a deeply engaging entertainment medium. It delivers a compelling sense of ‘being there’ that’s unmatched by any other technology,” said Jon Molod, vice president of Digital Entertainment Products Group for DirecTV. “We believe that much of VR’s growth will be mobile driven. As the technology evolves we hope to find new ways to use VR to enhance not just BKB, but all sports experiences.”
The BKB VR app was designed as a short-form immersive experience focused on presenting a selection of the most exciting fight moments. The app’s immersive content was filmed by a five-camera system designed to capture the event from the perspective of a fan in the audience.
