The NCAA March Madness Live VR app offers a virtual seat to the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Starting with the "Sweet 16" games in San Jose, the app gives viewers a variety of viewing options for watching the collegiate tournament in VR.
The app is free to download from the Oculus store, but there are small per-game fees to tune in virtually. For US$1.99 per game, you can tune into a 180-degree live stream with commentary from CBS correspondents. For $2.99 per game or $7.99 for all six games, you can watch VR coverage that includes arena sounds, multiple courtside cameras, and VR-specific commentary. The app also includes a tournament bracket, game highlights and other relevant stats.
The NCAA March Madness Live app is only compatible with Samsung Gear VR headset. Oculus Rift and Google Daydream owners are out of luck.
VR broadcasts of major sporting events is becoming more common – the Fox Sports VR app offered Super Bowl coverage – but so far, we've been unimpressed with the video quality to enjoy it too much. This app promises a "fully-produced" experience which could mean a better viewing experience, but that remains to be seen.
