Apple’s Vision Pro headset will launch in the US in early 2024. While waiting for Apple to share more details about its upcoming title, the company said that one of its key features will be the ability for users to watch sports events live in virtual reality.
Apple says you can also see a 3D rendered replay of a shot while watching a basketball game on the Vision Pro.
According to an exclusive report by the New York Post, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league is working closely with Apple to bring a technology-enhanced viewing experience to the $3,499 Vision Pro virtual reality headset.
The NBA currently has a $24 billion media rights deal with Disney’s ESPN and ABC and Warner Bros.’s Turner Sports that will run through the end of the 2024-2025 season. While Disney plans to add VR content for the Vision Pro, there are more rumors that claim Apple is planning to bid on NBA streaming rights for Apple TV+.
The news, originally broadcast by CNBC, said the NBA would likely not stick with just Disney and Warner Bros., as the league wanted to “create a new package or two for bidders, increasing media rights partners from two to three or four.”
“In general, I do a lot of conversations with media companies and technology companies,” Adam Silver told The Post. Interest in premium live sports seems to continue to be incredibly strong. “I think they’re looking for ways to find new opportunities to distribute these sports rights in wider, unique and different ways than before, especially in the personalization that comes with so many advanced technologies.”
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