[Al Sacco]

Hi all,

I'm a big Boston Red Sox fan, and I go to quite a few games at Fenway Park every year. During the last five years or so, the Sox Marketing Machine has really kicked into high gear, and in an effort to make Fenway Park seem more family friendly, they've targeted kids with new activities. Most of them seem quite gimmicky, but this year the Sox introduced a cool new "VR Dugout." I watch the VR space fairly closely, and as such, I've seen lots of cool uses of it. But this struck me as particularly memorable, just based on the kids' reactions.



The VR Dugout consists of two components: an area where kids can put on a VR headset and look around at a virtual Fenway Park, from a virtual Red Sox dugout; and a "VR batting cage," where kids get a small bat shaped sensor in addition to the headset, and they see a virtual pitcher, who throws baseballs for them to swing at. In many cases, you can tell these kids have never experienced VR before, and their reactions are priceless. Most seem a little freaked out at first, maybe dizzy and off balance. But when they sort of get used to it, they crack huge smiles and start trying to touch everything around them. Some completely freak out. It's awesome. (Check out #SoxVR on Twitter or Instagram to see photos.)

This is the most memorable use of VR I've seen to date. The only other one that comes to mind that was close was a Samsung "VR roller coaster" I saw at the company's 2016 developer conference. That also had people screaming and yelling over VR.

I'm curious, what is the most memorable use of VR you've seen to date? It doesn’t have to be the most unique or potentially valuable. But what stuck in your mind?

[Russell Holly]

That looks and sounds fantastic. I wish my local Orioles did something like this!

[pkcable]

Ok Phillies fan here! (Flyers too! How can we forget the 2010 playoffs, sorry had to mention it!!!! lol) Anyways, that sounds AWESOME. Citizens Bank Park has a bunch of fun activities too, and I LOVE this trend at modern ball parks! BUT this VR thing at Fenway DOES sound special!

Couple months back I took a gang of VRHeads fans to a local VR arcade/attraction in the Philly area called Centertec. They are hoping to franchise and take the concept natinwide. We had a GREAT time. There's a link to the thread about it here.

Also one of our local museums, The Franklin Institute has embraced VR and has a showcase and an app! .....

https://forums.vrheads.com/vr-commun...te-philly-9592

[iThunderbirt]

Very cool! That is a nice thing they've done. What kid (young/old) wouldn't like to hit a few during warm up before the game

This is something that would be cool to experience. We need a VR Expo :P

Go Sox!

[Chemy JMHT]

So far I still enjoy watching my family and friends using for the first time the VR Headset, sadly my internet speed doesn't help to have new stuff here so often.

But something amazing is watching all ages enjoying this so much, I just a few seconds ago was answering a thread when I said my grandma liked to see 360 pictures she somehow just enjoys it as an old person will do in a beach or a mountain, telling us what she is seeing and smiling about it.

It's nice to see that initiative, I remember one from United Nations where you travel across a country in conflicts which was amazing to make the people understand how that country is struggling in the daily basis.

[Al Sacco]

I'm honestly surprised that more ballparks and/or baseball teams don't do this. I kind of assumed it was an MLB-wide thing, at first, but it's not. I wouldn't be surprised if other teams follow the Red Sox's lead next year though. It's great exposure for VR--and for the companies that provide the tech.