DirecTV weighs in to Virtual Reality space with boxing app

US pay TV operator DirecTV has launched its first Virtual Reality (VR) app, designed to give boxing fans “a ringside seat” with immersive fight highlights.

The Big Knockout Boxing (BKB) VR App offers highlights from a BKB fight event in Las Vegas and lets users select different fight highlights and close-up camera feeds.

DirecTV said it was designed as a “short-form immersive experience” focused on presenting “a selection of the most exciting fight moments”.

The immersive content was filmed by a five- camera system, designed to capture the event from the perspective of a fan in the audience.

“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 at 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 app is available now for Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition headsets and Google Cardboard headsets with Android and iOS phones. Fight fans can also access the highlights via the Samsung Milk VR service. Viewers can download the BKB VR app from the Oculus Store, Google Play, and Apple App Stores.