• Loading stock data...
Monday, February 10, 2025

Leagues Embrace Apple’s Mixed-Reality Device But Raise Questions

  • Vision Pro device allows immersive digital media to be integrated with the real world.
  • Several sports leagues are actively developing applications for the new technology platform.
Apple Vision Pro
Major League Baseball

Apple is taking another big technology swing, introducing Friday its new mixed-reality headset, the $3,499 Vision Pro. And not surprisingly, several sports leagues have quickly moved to build apps for the headset and take advantage of this new platform, which seeks to advance the notion of “spatial computing.” But arriving right along with the excitement are a series of pressing questions. 

MLB, the NBA, and the PGA Tour were among the leagues to be first movers on a device that allows immersive digital media to be integrated with the real world—a fundamental difference from the more isolating nature of most virtual-reality applications. 

Sports offerings within the Vision Pro will include live and archival games in 4K resolution, interactive statistics, and three-dimensional enhanced data visualizations—all controlled with eye tracking, speech recognition, and hand gestures.

“The performance of new devices like this simply unlocks a new set of experiences that become possible,” Jamie Leece, MLB senior vice president of games and VR, tells Front Office Sports. “The Vision Pro is so much more powerful than devices that have come before, and has given us more horsepower to do greater things.”

Despite the Vision Pro’s ability to blend actual and virtual realities in a single experience, the technology still encounters many of the same issues that have hampered sports in VR for years, notably a conflict with the social interaction that is inherent to watching live games. Many of the leagues already active on Vision Pro are working on synchronized experiences in which two headset users who are geographically separated can watch a live game together. But group-viewing of games in a real-world setting will still be challenged with the Vision Pro, and not just because of the high price point.

“If you and I were together in the same space and wanted to watch anything, baseball or otherwise, I don’t know if we’d make the choice of both putting a headset on, even if we were fortunate to have two Vision Pros,” Leece says. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Doncic protest

Mavs Owner Patrick Dumont Defends Luka Trade While Mark Cuban Mocks It

Dumont insisted that his team won’t move to Las Vegas.

YouTube Golf Goes Pro: Peoples League Joins Creator Competition Boom

A new league is launching for golf content creators.

Eagles Set to Host 2025 NFL Kickoff: Who Will Be Their Opponent?

Speculation begins on Philadelphia’s opponent for the 2025 kickoff game.

Chiefs to Make $17M Travis Kelce Decision After Super Bowl Loss

Kelce, 35, is the NFL’s highest-paid tight end.

Featured Today

Brady and Mahomes

Chiefs Fatigue Is Real. It’s Nowhere Near Patriots Hate Yet

People who have covered both teams say the difference is stark.
Nov 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) celebrates with running back Saquon Barkley (26) after the Eagles defeat the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium.
February 7, 2025

How the Eagles Reinvented Championship Roster Construction

Philadelphia is one of the most innovative franchises in the NFL.
February 3, 2025

‘Ultimate Throwback’: The Unimpeachable Cool of Hartford Whalers Gear

Nostalgia and street cred have driven a consistent frenzy for merch.
January 20, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44), before a 2024 NFC divisional round game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium.
February 1, 2025

The New WAGs: Sports Wives Building Business Empires

Athletes’ wives and girlfriends are bucking stereotypes and cashing in.
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Fox Sports NFL Sunday analyst Michael Strahan (left) and Fox Sports NFL Sunday analyst Jimmie Johnson (right) react before Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome.

Jimmy Johnson Stops Short of Retirement After Fox Sports Tribute

Fox ran a tribute to Jimmy Johnson’s career during the Super Bowl pregame.
exclusive
February 8, 2025

5 Big Sound Bites From Radio Row at Super Bowl LIX

Straight shooting from Greg Olsen, Chiefs and 49ers team execs, and others.
February 9, 2025

Fox Sports Debuts Controversial Score Bug for Super Bowl LIX

Reviews on social media were mostly negative as sports fans are resistant to change.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
February 7, 2025

Jameis Winston Eyes NFL Return, but Keeps Door Open for Potential TV..

Jameis Winston played for the Browns last season.
February 7, 2025

ESPN Faces Potential Exit from MLB Media Rights As Opt-Out Looms

A 35-year rights relationship now faces a very different media landscape.
Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton (44) leads Oracle Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) during the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit.
February 7, 2025

Netflix Exploring Bid for Formula One Rights in U.S. Starting 2026

ESPN holds the rights to F1 through 2025.
February 7, 2025

How Much Longer Can Fox Sports Keep the Top-Rated Pregame Crew Together?

The three have been at Fox NFL Sunday since 1994.