Sports in 2050: Fans can wear virtual reality glasses to locate themselves anywhere on the field?

[Dan Druff]

I was thinking recently about how the way we watch sports will evolve in the coming decades.

Progress has been slow in that respect.

While we do have little graphics on the screen giving us some useful info (where pitches were located, where on the field the 1st down line is), watching sports on TV in 2016 isn't too different from how it was in 1986. We're watching in HD, we have some better information, but that's about it.

But we do have some exciting innovations which might change the way we watch sports forever.

- Super-high-def cameras

- Ability to deliver mass information quickly

- Virtual reality goggles like the Oculus


So picture this...

Many extremely high definition cameras are placed throughout the stadium.

The fan at home is able to put on VR glasses, and put himself anywhere in the stadium, in real time. So you can be standing on the pitcher's mound, hanging out in the outfield, standing next to the shortstop, or even hovering up in the air.

Or you could be anywhere on the NBA court. Or anywhere on the football field.

You could see baseballs whizzing right by your head (or right through you), or sitting on the basket as your favorite player dunks the ball.

And if you get bored of your position, you can move... or even move along as the game moves, such as running down the court with your favorite basketball player.

We're far off from such a thing now, but I could easily see something like this becoming reality by something like 2050, and it would be incredibly cool. In fact, once this becomes the norm, people will probably laugh at their elders who used to watch games on boring old TV.

What do you think?

I haven't read any articles about this. It just popped into my head, and I thought I would post it here.

Feel free to bump this in 34 years if it turns out to actually happen.

[gut]

I was thinking recently about how the way we watch sports will evolve in the coming decades.

Progress has been slow in that respect.

While we do have little graphics on the screen giving us some useful info (where pitches were located, where on the field the 1st down line is), watching sports on TV in 2016 isn't too different from how it was in 1986. We're watching in HD, we have some better information, but that's about it.

But we do have some exciting innovations which might change the way we watch sports forever.

- Super-high-def cameras

- Ability to deliver mass information quickly

- Virtual reality goggles like the Oculus


So picture this...

Many extremely high definition cameras are placed throughout the stadium.

The fan at home is able to put on VR glasses, and put himself anywhere in the stadium, in real time. So you can be standing on the pitcher's mound, hanging out in the outfield, standing next to the shortstop, or even hovering up in the air.

Or you could be anywhere on the NBA court. Or anywhere on the football field.

You could see baseballs whizzing right by your head (or right through you), or sitting on the basket as your favorite player dunks the ball.

And if you get bored of your position, you can move... or even move along as the game moves, such as running down the court with your favorite basketball player.

We're far off from such a thing now, but I could easily see something like this becoming reality by something like 2050, and it would be incredibly cool. In fact, once this becomes the norm, people will probably laugh at their elders who used to watch games on boring old TV.

What do you think?

I haven't read any articles about this. It just popped into my head, and I thought I would post it here.

Feel free to bump this in 34 years if it turns out to actually happen.

Uh...in 1986 viewing live was a much better experience than the shitty televised cast. In 2016, there is no reason to go to the game unless you have great seats or you are a sucker for live events. I turned down a free ticket last week for the Blazers....frankly don't want to pay $10/beer and watch from the upper deck. Hi-def TV + home bar is great.

[Brittney Griner's Clit]

While I believe they would have that technology I don't feel it would ever be implemented.

It would dissuade people from attending the game too much to be worth it.

[FRANKRIZZO]

The year will be 2050 in 34 years. Maybe Ben will have the keys to the kingdom. Was watching a piece on Bryan Gumble about the epidemic of fans in baseball stadiums getting hit by foul balls. Some really nasty shots to the face that cost tons of money for whatever insurance didn't cover. Off course baseball absolves itself of paying by a disclaimer on the ticket that fans assume the risks any medical expenses. There were some horrific facials and reconstructive surgeries needed. The stadiums should 100 percent be liable if they aren't going to protect the fans with nets.

[Brittney Griner's Clit]

The year will be 2050 in 34 years. Maybe Ben will have the keys to the kingdom. Was watching a piece on Bryan Gumble about the epidemic of fans in baseball stadiums getting hit by foul balls. Some really nasty shots to the face that cost tons of money for whatever insurance didn't cover. Off course baseball absolves itself of paying by a disclaimer on the ticket that fans assume the risks any medical expenses. There were some horrific facials and reconstructive surgeries needed. The stadiums should 100 percent be liable if they aren't going to protect the fans with nets.

Lol if it came to that baseball would certainly spring for the nets. People don't like looking through the nets. If you are looking through a net you better have some damn good seats. People sitting deep down the line in no man's land being forced to look through a net just wouldn't buy those tickets any more. All of a sudden those seats would be cheaper than outfield and upper deck.

Also the view through the net would get exponentially worse the deeper down the line you became because the net would become less squared up to your view of home plate.

Did Bryant Pinball bring up any of that?

[FRANKRIZZO]

The year will be 2050 in 34 years. Maybe Ben will have the keys to the kingdom. Was watching a piece on Bryan Gumble about the epidemic of fans in baseball stadiums getting hit by foul balls. Some really nasty shots to the face that cost tons of money for whatever insurance didn't cover. Off course baseball absolves itself of paying by a disclaimer on the ticket that fans assume the risks any medical expenses. There were some horrific facials and reconstructive surgeries needed. The stadiums should 100 percent be liable if they aren't going to protect the fans with nets.

Lol if it came to that baseball would certainly spring for the nets. People don't like looking through the nets. If you are looking through a net you better have some damn good seats. People sitting deep down the line in no man's land being forced to look through a net just wouldn't buy those tickets any more. All of a sudden those seats would be cheaper than outfield and upper deck.

Also the view would get exponentially worse the deeper down the line you became because the net would become less squared up to your view of hone plate.

Did Bryant Pinball bring up any of that?

So if the stadiums aren't going to protect the fans with nets, then you are correct, they should pay for any injuries incurred. And yes, the topic of views being obscured by nets was covered. Japan has protective covering in the hotspots generally around the first and 3d base line. Nets aren't needed that much in bleachers and outfield. They have protective netting behind home plate right? Japan pays for all injuries sustained by fans hit with foul balls and even has attendants in every section that personally check on fans hit by foul balls.

Baseball ticket sales, television right sales generate more then enough money for the stadiums to pay the medical bills of fans struck by foul balls for whatever isn't picked up by fans insurance.

[Brittney Griner's Clit]

Maybe Japan is a beautiful country or something and they care, but this is Murrica. If Murrican baseball's hand is ever forced to pay for these injuries then our nets will becone bigger and more bad ass than any Jap net overnight.

[4Dragons]

You could do it with like a real-time LIDAR which basically maps textures to 3d radar reflections. i'm not sure they can do it in real time and the amount of detail you would need for that point cloud would be insane. But it's not impossible.

[Brittney Griner's Clit]

With that said, I believe they will most likely increase netting. Watch like a row ten seat half way between third base and warning track get cheaper than upper deck though.

[Sanlmar]

Also the view through the net would get exponentially worse the deeper down the line you became because the net would become less squared up to your view of home plate.

Did Bryant Pinball bring up any of that?

In order of importance.

Bryant Pinball needs to die. Like 25 years ago. Affectations galore and a pompous poseur. Sonatine needs to review his file. He better be quick with it too cause Gumbal don't look too good suddenly.

The point you make about the net is interesting and never heard or thought of that before.

[GrenadaRoger]

well yes, but virtual viewing "indoor sports" is where the money will be made imho

[Sanlmar]

Got home at 11pm and turned on Dodgers v Cardinals.

It's ironic that an LA guy is looking to tech to make the story better.

Vin Scully is god. As generations come and go and tastes change Scully, decades later, is still revered. It's the story and how it's told. How the game is related to people with varied degrees of understanding.

Anecdotes, explanation, great pipes and pacing beat stupid graphics.

Movies now have impressive special effects and sound systems that can make your ears bleed. A shitty story in 3D is just a shitty 3D story.

Better definition and more data would be great. But that's baked into the future.

The last frontier is being in the huddle or in the dugout. It's the seat that can only be had on TV. Might never happen b/c of public decency and signs and strategy that would leak. Shit talk about opponents would start wars.

Anyway, have a 5 minute delay like poker. Have some sponsor brand it and offer a separate feed/channel. I gear up most sports 15-20 minutes late whenever possible anyway to save time and avoid commercials.

Fuck all that, find another Scully. You cruise around the MLB package and the broadcast teams are dreadful. Video games can't fix that.