Apple is taking spatial computing to the basketball court with a groundbreaking announcement that select Los Angeles Lakers games will be streamed live in the Apple Immersive format on the Vision Pro headset during the 2025-26 NBA season. This marks the first time live sports content will be available in Apple’s immersive 180-degree 8K format, potentially revolutionizing how fans experience professional basketball.

The Courtside Experience From Your Living Room

Starting early 2026, Lakers fans with Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headset will be able to watch select games as if they were sitting courtside, with perspectives that traditional broadcasts simply cannot capture[1]. Apple promises that viewers will “feel the intensity of each game as if they were courtside,” utilizing special camera placements around the court and under each basket to create an unprecedented viewing experience[2].

The immersive broadcasts will be captured using Blackmagic Design’s new URSA Cine Immersive Live camera, a specialized piece of equipment designed specifically for Apple’s spatial video format[1]. These cameras will record in 180-degree 8K resolution with Spatial Audio, creating a truly three-dimensional viewing experience that places viewers right in the middle of the action.

How to Watch

To access these immersive Lakers games, fans will need several components. First and foremost is the Apple Vision Pro headset itself, which is currently available in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and several other countries[2]. The headset must be running visionOS 26 or later, which Apple released on September 15, 2025[2].

The games will be streamed through two apps: the forthcoming Spectrum SportsNet app and the NBA app on Vision Pro[1]. Viewers will need an active subscription to either a Spectrum internet plan or Spectrum SportsNet+ to watch the live broadcasts[1]. The live streams are geographically restricted to the Lakers’ broadcasting territory, which includes Southern California, parts of Southern Nevada, and Hawaii[1].

For those outside the Lakers’ regional broadcast area or outside the United States, replays will still be available. Full game replays and highlights in Apple Immersive format will appear in both the Spectrum SportsNet and NBA apps one to three days after each game concludes[1]. International viewers in the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the UAE can access these replays through the NBA app[2].

What This Means for Sports Broadcasting

This partnership between Apple, Charter Communications’ Spectrum, and the NBA represents a significant milestone in sports broadcasting technology. While Apple has previously released immersive content featuring concerts, documentaries, and pre-recorded sports content, this marks the company’s first venture into live sports streaming in the Apple Immersive format[2].

The technology builds on Apple’s existing immersive content library, which has included performances from artists like Bono and Metallica, as well as nature documentaries and behind-the-scenes sports content[2]. However, live sports present unique technical challenges, requiring real-time capture, processing, and distribution of massive amounts of spatial video data.

A specific schedule of which Lakers games will receive the immersive treatment will be shared later this year[1]. While not every game will be broadcast in this format, the selected games will serve as a proof of concept for what could become a new standard in premium sports broadcasting.

The Future of Immersive Sports

This announcement could signal the beginning of a broader shift in how premium sports content is delivered to fans. The success of these Lakers broadcasts may determine whether other NBA teams, and eventually other sports leagues, adopt similar immersive streaming options for their games.

The technology represents a convergence of several cutting-edge developments: spatial computing hardware, advanced camera systems, high-bandwidth streaming infrastructure, and sophisticated audio processing. As these technologies mature and become more accessible, the barrier to entry for both content creators and consumers is likely to decrease.

For now, the Lakers immersive broadcasts remain a premium offering for early adopters willing to invest in Apple’s Vision Pro ecosystem. But as with many technological innovations, what starts as a luxury feature today could become commonplace viewing tomorrow.

Sources:

[1] MacRumors - Some Los Angeles Lakers Games Will Get 3D Live Streams on Vision Pro: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/some-los-angeles-lakers-games-will-get-3d-live-streams-on-vision-pro.2468863/

[2] TechRadar - Wish you could be courtside at a Lakers game? Put your Vision Pro back on: https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/wish-you-could-be-courtside-at-a-lakers-game-put-your-vision-pro-back-on-and-fire-up-the-nba-app

[3] Sports Video Group - Spectrum Brings Select L.A. Lakers Games to Apple Vision Pro: https://www.sportsvideo.org/2025/10/10/spectrum-to-present-l-a-lakers-games-in-immersive-experience-for-apple-vision-pro/

[4] UploadVR - Apple Vision Pro Is Getting Live Apple Immersive LA Lakers NBA Games: https://www.uploadvr.com/apple-vision-pro-la-leakers-live-apple-immersive-announcement/

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