Kids in Mumbai, California will together watch US basketball game

Students at a school in Mumbai and children at a hospital in California over 8,000 miles away will be able to share Wednesday's Opening Night game of Sacramento Kings, a professional US basketball team.

This has been made possible thanks to National Basketball Association's Sacramento Kings owned by Mumbai born Indian-American businessman Vivek Ranadive making a strategic investment in VOKE, a leading virtual-reality innovator and immersive real-time and on-demand media company.

The vantage point of students at Dhirubai Ambani International School in Mumbai and children hospitalised at the Kaiser Permanente Women and Children's Centre in Roseville, California will be one of the most-sought after seats at Sleep Train Arena - courtside next to Ranadive.

To demonstrate VOKE's innovative platform, the Kings in partnership with NBA India, will livestream its 2015 home opener on Oct 28 directly to select fans who do not have the opportunity to enjoy NBA basketball in-person.

"Around the world, there are fans who may never have the chance to be a part of the spectacle of NBA basketball," said Kings' chairman Ranadive.

"By partnering with VOKE, we can share the in-arena excitement in an unprecedented way. Through technology, we'll connect with emerging fans, find new ones, and provide a truly unique experience."

VOKE's media platform utilises a synchronised multiple point-of-view stereoscopic panoramic camera system that allows fans to be immersed in live action, as well as access multiple seat locations.

A seamless 180 degree view allows viewers to follow the action in every direction. The technology enables mobile devices, computers and virtual reality headsets to utilize the same feed, as well as provide special control in 2D and 3D.

Virtual add-ons like scoreboards, advanced player metrics and custom video provides the viewer with more information than ever before.

"The Sacramento Kings are well-known as a leader in bringing technology breakthroughs to the sports industry," said Dr. S. (Jay) Jayaram, VOKE's co-founder and CEO.

"As such, their investment in VOKE is a strong statement. We've been working with the Kings to create engaging real-time virtual reality experiences of live basketball games. We are looking forward to delivering an unrivaled immersive experience to Kings fans via VR headsets, mobile phones and tablets."

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)