By John Rammas/ irammas@eurohoops.net
The truth is, we didn’t know what to expect from the whole experience. Not because every self-respecting journalist has to contact doubt anything, but the fact that most of us at Eurohoops are Generation X and Millennials.
We love technology and its gadgets, but it’s not like we all are living in the matrix.
And yet, it was so simple.
We entered the platform of our choice (web, Android, iOS, Oculus), put on our VR Headset, connected, set up the boundaries, typed our access code, and “entered” the gym!
So was it really like being in the court? Virtually!
Seating courtside was our first choice to experience as close as possible Kevin Pander’s game-winning three-pointer at Partizan’s 89-87 road win in Madrid.
Just before the shot entered the hoop, we immediately switched to one of the remaining eight (8) EuroLeague TV VR Cinematic Reality options and stood right behind the basket to watch the ball drop in. In the background, Zeljko Obradovic was celebrating with his two clenched fists. And behind him, Partizan fans wreaked their own havoc at the WiZink Center. We could hear them as if they were next to our ears.
The decibels skyrocketed when we put on the VR Headset again to enter the “Peace and Friendship” stadium, known also by the Greek acronym SEF, for the series premiere between Olympiakos and Fenerbahce.
It was sold out and if we had the time we could have counted one by one the 11,677 people who saw up close Olympiakos getting the 79-68 win since the 360° Cinematic Reality allowed us to see the entire stadium. OK, so it was 11,677+1, the VR viewer who was even closer!
But we didn’t stop there. And when we say “there” we don’t just mean the courtside seats at SEF.
One day of experience in Virtual Reality was enough for us to easily handle the VR Controllers and change Cinematic Reality according to what was happening on the floor, getting a unique experience that’s not just the future, but it’s available now.
All this from the couch of our home…err…sorry, from the couch of our offices.