Have you heard of Zeality Inc.? If the answer is no, you are not alone. The company provides an Immersive Media Engine that provides a platform through which interactive content can be delivered to mobile devices.
However, you won’t be able to escape their influence for much longer. The company has paved the way for NFL teams to not only acquire 360-degree video content from fans but to also make it possible for franchises like the San Francisco 49ers to regale their fan base with 360-degree videos.
The development is quickly becoming a trend that has already spread to the NHL. And it looks like the 49ers are leading the charge. The team is looking to give its fans access to team videos, this along with video games targeted towards younger fans. The goal is to increase engagement with fans.
NFL teams have been looking to monetize new advancements in technology for quite a while. And like the 49ers, the NHL Sharks are embracing immersive video technology by launching a team app that creates an interactive bridge with fans.
The innovative platform offered by Zeality not only attracts new fans but it also creates a new revenue stream for teams like the 49ers to benefit from. If the 49ers have their way, the team will soon have a comprehensive application through which fans can access all the video content they could possibly desire.
Despite previous fears, it hasn’t been a struggle for the 49ers to adapt to Zeality’s technology. Their production team is already capable of shooting 360-degree videos. The app the 49ers are looking to deliver will not only give fans access to the team’s immersive content but it will also activate their front facing cameras, allowing them to experience 49ers games through one another’s eyes. There is also an option to narrate the video or to zoom.
The recorded content from fans is eventually sent to Zeality and published for everyone to see. If that wasn’t enough, the 49ers are going to use Zeality’s technology to take fans behind the scenes. Those most loyal sports enthusiasts will gain virtual back stage passes as they got closer to the team than they could have ever dreamed.
Everything will depend on Zeality’s ability to deliver, and Co-Founder Dipak Patel is certain that the 49ers and their fans will be pleased. With Zeality’s partnership with the NFL, fan engagement will most likely skyrocket, especially as content options begin to explode.
Through some of these apps, Zeality aims to give fans the sort of content they couldn’t possibly get anywhere else. And everyone will benefit in the long run, not only the fans but the clubs involved.
There are still a few kinks that must be ironed out. For most clubs, Zeality’s offer might sound enticing but they still have to create a marketing strategy that will make the most effective use of the available technology.
If the 49ers and the Sharks can figure out all the details, including the manner in which they will get their immersive content to fans, the NFL will be drastically changed.
