Nearly 10 years after MLB’s first virtual-reality broadcast deal, baseball is returning to the VR diamond.
Apple announced Tuesday that four of its remaining games will be broadcast in the company’s immersive format in Apple Vision Pro headsets, starting with a Yankees vs. Red Sox matchup on Aug. 28.
Apple will use 3D video captured in 8k with a 180-degree field of view, similar to the immersive broadcasts of Lakers games this NBA season. The broadcasts will have their own announcer teams and specialized microphones in the ballpark designed to deliver spatially aware sound.
All games will also be available in 2D via Apple TV. The announced schedule includes the Pirates vs. Angels (Sept. 4), Giants vs. Padres (Sept. 11) and Dodgers vs. Giants (Sept. 18) games.
Apple’s seven-year MLB deal, signed in 2022, has created a testing ground for both sides as baseball learns the pros and cons of moving some games behind a streaming paywall while the tech giant pairs exclusive rights with its existing platforms and capabilities.
