In line with its constant quest for innovation, Ciril GROUP recently collaborated with Infinity Nine Media, the LDLC ASVEL Club and the Centre Léon Bérard as part of a partnership that opens up new horizons for hospitalized and confined individuals. This collaboration offers the opportunity to experience live basketball through virtual reality, immersing participants in the heart of the action, even if they cannot be in the stadium.
This initiative, the first of its kind in Europe, was praised by Tony Parker during the pre-match press conference, embodying the partners’ collective desire to make sports accessible to all, regardless of the circumstances. It's an alliance between values of sharing and technological challenges that allowed the realization of this ambitious project.
Thus, on April 12, 2024, during LDLC ASVEL’s last match of the season at the LDLC Arena, an innovative decide was deployed to allow Raphael, a young patient confined at the hospital, to experience the intensity of the game as if he were present on the player’s bench. Through a virtual reality headset connected to a 3D camera placed in the stadium, he was transported from his hospital room to the vibrant basketball court, alongside professional players and staff. In addition to the view, he could also hear what was happening thanks to headphones integrated into the virtual reality mask. Driven by his passion for sports, Raphael was immersed in the intensity of the game, feeling every emotion and every moment of the encounter. And when LDLC ASVEL secured victory, it was a moment of shared joy, even through the pixels.
This ambitious project faced several technological challenges. A major constraint was to combine the VR headset, which delivers immersive 3D images, with a high-quality live stream for a smooth experience. Additionally, it was necessary to combine these technologies into a lightweight device, easy to install at the edge of the court. However, the commitment of the partners helped overcome these obstacles to offer an unprecedented experience.
The future of this promising initiative still holds many surprises. Possibilities such as transmitting sound in 3D for more immersion and moving the camera into the locker rooms with the players for a more personalized experience are being considered. Furthermore, broadcasting the signal to multiple people in different locations is now a technical possibility that would allow many people to benefit from this unique experience.
Following the success encountered, the team aims to repeat the operation during the playoffs and the next season, still in partnership with the Léon Bérard Center. The presence of a person to animate and complement the immersion experience is also considered, thus reinforcing the link between high-level sports and the support of those in need. Because beyond entertainment, the real heart of this initiative are innovation, sharing, solidarity and humanity. And it is this conviction that will continue to guide our actions, today and tomorrow.
