Apple Takes a VR Swing at MLB, Starting With Yankees vs. Red Sox

Nearly 10 years after MLB’s first virtual-reality broadcast deal, baseball is returning to the VR diamond.

Apple announced Tuesday that four of its remaining games will be broadcast in the company’s immersive format in Apple Vision Pro headsets, starting with a Yankees vs. Red Sox matchup on Aug. 28.

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Apple will use 3D video captured in 8k with a 180-degree field of view, similar to the immersive broadcasts of Lakers games this NBA season. The broadcasts will have their own announcer teams and specialized microphones in the ballpark designed to deliver spatially aware sound.

All games will also be available in 2D via Apple TV. The announced schedule includes the Pirates vs. Angels (Sept. 4), Giants vs. Padres (Sept. 11) and Dodgers vs. Giants (Sept. 18) games.

Apple’s seven-year MLB deal, signed in 2022, has created a testing ground for both sides as baseball learns the pros and cons of moving some games behind a streaming paywall while the tech giant pairs exclusive rights with its existing platforms and capabilities.

Last year, for instance, Apple integrated iPhone 17 Pro devices as cameras during MLB broadcasts. An MLS match was then shot entirely on iPhones (with the help of additional professional-level gear) this spring.

Sitting courtside—or behind home plate—has long been a selling point for virtual reality devices. MLB’s VR foray dates back to a 2017 deal with Intel for a VR Game of the Week series on Samsung Gear headwear.

However, VR sports broadcasts remain relatively rare today. Producing an additional broadcast incurs significant expense, with only a slice of the audience able to view the streams. Apple has not released sales numbers for its $3,700 Vision Pro line, but it’s fair to say that flat screens remain more common. Traditional TV has also spent decades perfecting itself as a sports delivery medium, with fans building their lives around living room sets and handheld devices.

Still, sports experiences can get people to try VR headsets (or get them to pick up their old one), where they might find additional uses for work and play. MLB fans will get their latest chance to see just how far the tech has progressed starting later this month.

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