The Players’ Tribune is catching the virtual-reality marketing wave hitting publishers. The online magazine, which features articles written by professional athletes, announced a new content collaboration with Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
The Players’ Tribune (TPT) will produce athlete-driven, short-form 360-degree videos and photography using Samsung Gear 360, the company’s 360-degree camera used to create VR content.
TPT athlete contributors Von Miller and Hassan Whiteside are tapped to capture content using Gear 360, providing sports fans with a visual experience at exclusive events. The first event the NFL and NBA athletes captured for the project was the 2016 ESPYS last week, when Miller and Whiteside walked the red carpet and interacted with fellow athletes.
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The content will be published on The Players’ Tribune platforms and social channels, as well as Samsung VR, Samsung’s virtual reality content service.
“With Gear 360, Samsung offers a new way for storytellers to create their own 360-degree content. This collaboration gives sports fans exclusive access to the athletes they love through immersive stories and unique visual experiences,” stated Jaymee Messler, president of The Players’ Tribune.
Messler told Publishers Daily that VR is a “new and immersive format" for athletes to connect with fans. “We are focused on diversifying our content and further developing content on different platforms,” she added.
Messler said VR will be a “major player” in the content space, and that this partnership with Samsung gives fans “unique insight from the perspective of the pros.”
“Fans love behind-the-scenes access to their favorite players,” she said.
Publishers are discovering the draw of fans experiencing professional sports through virtual reality. In May, USA Today Network’s branded content studio GET Creative launched its first virtual reality experience, in partnership with Honda, and produced online videos for fans to experience Honda’s new Dallara car, which released during this year’s Indy 500.