KPN teams with ESPN for VR streaming of PSV-AZ match

Dutch telco KPN has teamed up with ESPN to stream this Saturday’s football match between Eredivisie sides PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar in virtual reality for the first time in the Netherlands.

The match, to be played at 18:45 local time on Saturday, will be shown live in VR for a select audience. By connecting a special, camera position from the Philips stadium with a set of VR glasses, 100 fans at the GoGaming! LeidscheRijn venue in Utrecht will be able to view the match in the enhanced format.

Mark Versteegen, sponsoring director at KPN, said: “KPN will continue to invest heavily in the digitisation of the Netherlands in the coming years. We are continuing to improve the Dutch digital infrastructure. In addition to the rollout of fibre and investments in new 5G applications, KPN is developing the best digital offering especially for customers by collaborating with leading partners in the field of entertainment, gaming and security. From our main sponsorship of the Eredivisie and our relationship with ESPN, we are bringing Dutch football closer to our customers in an innovative and digital way.”

Matthijs van Elk, director digital at ESPN, said: “ESPN is there for the fans always and everywhere. The best experience is of course in the stadium, but outside of that ESPN is the best alternative in various ways to experience football live. On the television in your living room, online on your second screen or on the go on your smartphone. With this special match in VR, we are the first in the Netherlands to go one step further: the real stadium experience from the comfort of your home. We are very curious about how it will be received.”