4K & VR At The Masters: The Next Traditions Unlike Any Other?

The folks at NEXTVR have been demonstrating the Masters in virtual reality and the technology demonstrates incredible potential to change the way we view sports. Think of it not as a replacement for the traditional telecast, but as the ultimate inside-the-ropes view designed to compliment our appreciation of the action.

The VR app and viewing experience is already pretty simple and affordable. The $100-and-up headsets that will only get better with crisper imagery, portending well for adoption as soon as the content hosts--Augusta National in this case--are willing to allow cameras in more locations.

For its 2016 debut, the VR demo is available to the Masters media and exclusively to Android users with the NextVR app and a headset. For this year's debut, two cameras show a 180-degree, stereoscopic view of the 6th tee and the 16th green (with sound). Move your head left or right, up or down and you get the live view. The sensation suggests you’re there, only without the chance to buy a pimento cheese sandwich.

It’s very easy to imagine a VR approach to Amen Corner Live (II), with cameras at the tees and greens taking us “there” without actually bothering the players or patrons. We could listen in on chats, feel the moment the leader walks up to the 12th tee and get the sensation of being bird just hanging out on a dogwood branch, observing players and caddies as they tackle Amen Corner. 

As for the 4k demo that DirecTV subscribers are enjoying this week if they have a 4k television, the pictures are as stunningly crisp and jaw-dropping as you'd expect.

Given that this is the first-ever major sporting event broadcast this way, the enthusiasm from viewers and already widespread adoption of 4k TV's will hopefully usher in this technology. In a strange paradox, adoption of 4k sets would normally be the issue, but it sounds as if the content providers are a little behind the television makers, perhaps burned one too many times by "next things" that did not pan out.

But 4k is the next iteration of HD and kudos to the Masters for pushing the technology forward.