ATP, Playstation & Infosys Partner On World Tour Finals O2 Fanzone VR Experience

ATP Media linked up with partner Sony Playstation and IT and consulting outfit Infosys to offer fans a virtual reality tennis experience in the Fanzone at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at London’s O2 arena.

Using PlayStation’s new VR headset, the fan experience features a blend of real court images, live TV match coverage, augmented reality game statistics and a virtual studio.

Running through the PlayStation 4, this immersive VR experience uses headset tracking technology and the console’s physical controller to enable users to reactive to and customise the environment.

Thus users could pull up Hawk-Eye at any time during a match, view an overlaid social media streams from MyATP (the ATP’s social media platform), as well as having the option to switch from a broadcast studio view to court-side for a closer look at the action.

While this immersive experience focused on fans stepping in to unique interactive pods in the O2 Fanzone itself, it was also PR’d and amplified socially by the partners across their digital and social channels.

Experience #tennis in a 'World First' #virtualreality release driven by #data & visualizations. #VR #MoreATPwithInfosys #ATP @ATPWorldTour pic.twitter.com/45wUkvjiEz

— Infosys (@Infosys) November 16, 2016

This partnership between ATP, ATP Media, Infosys (the Global Technology Services Partner of the ATP World Tour) and Sony Professional Solutions Europe, marks the first time that PlayStation’s VR headset (which was only released in October) has been used outside of the gaming space.

The aim of the initiative, which ran on-site from 13 to 20 November, was to give tennis lovers and ticket holders ‘an opportunity to experience the adrenaline of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in a whole new way’.

‘We wanted to replicate the feeling of being there and create an augmented experience that lets fans engage and interact with the finals on screen in a way they never could before,’ explains ATP Media’s technology and broadcast director Shane Warden.

‘PlayStation VR is an incredible product and we knew it would help us to achieve this goal thanks to its simple to use and intuitive operation.’

Stuart Watts, ATP Media COO added: ‘We are delighted to be demonstrating our continued commitment in advancing media and technology. We have created not only the potential for an exciting complimentary product for broadcasters but one that can easily be delivered on-venue at fan and sponsor activation sites.’

While Mark Grinyer, of the Sony Professional Solutions Europe’s sports team, said: ‘It is great to be working with ATP, ATP Media and Infosys to push the envelope of immersive fan experiences. We have worked hard to create a platform which can deliver the exciting vision of our partners.’

‘Bringing virtual reality to tennis presents an opportunity to amplify human potential, not just in terms of seeing and understanding the game in a new dimension, but also arming players with the insight they need to elevate their performance,’ commented Infosys COO UB Pravi.

Comment

There was no sign that this PlayStation VR experience is set to be a permanent offering at ATP events, but the initiative does continue ATP Media’s ongoing strategy of bring new technologies to its properties in order to enhance its broadcast capabilities.

Indeed, the initiative builds on ATP Media’s ongoing virtual reality broadcasting programme – with earlier work including projects with LiveLike VR and the revamped TennisTV.

It isn’t the first time the tennis world and its commercial partners have rolled out at-event virtual reality experiences.

Previous interesting activations include American Express’ US Open ‘Pro Walk’ (see case study), Jaguar’s ‘Wimbledon Works’ (see case study), Stella Artois’ ‘Wimbledon 360’ (see case study) and American Express’ 2015 ‘You vs Sharapova’ campaign (see case study).

But it is the first time one has appeared at the ATP World Tour Finals.

Other activations and content pieces at the O2 around the 2016 tournament ranged from a treasure hunt to win a trip to Hawaii run by Maui Jim,

to the ATP’s own ‘Top 8 Players’ Mannequin Challenge’.

Links

ATP Web:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/

ATP Twitter:

https://twitter.com/atpworldtour

ATP Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ATPWorldTour

ATP Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/atpworldtour/

ATP YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/ATPWorldTour

Sony Playstation Web: