THW Kiel revolutionizes sports experience: VR glasses for home games now available!

THW Kiel revolutionizes sports experience: VR glasses for home games now available!

The world of handball is being reinvented - and in a very special way. THW Kiel has launched an exciting novelty that could revolutionize the fan experience. From now on, fans can experience a home game with VR glasses in the THW fan world at the brick pond 30. A step that could not only influence the fans, but also the entire sports landscape. Because the 3D live transmission is not only a technical toy, but also offers the opportunity to make top sport tangible for many people, regardless of the location or possible restrictions.

Stefan Grote, deputy head of corporate communication at the Förde Sparkasse, emphasizes how important innovations like these are for sport. The THW fan world opens doors to new worlds of experience. Visiting the arena virtually and trying out the technology makes the event a must for every handball fan. The opening times at which the THW fan world is accessible are from Monday to Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Thursday until 6 p.m. and Saturday until 2 p.m.

A look into the future of handball

Alisa Türck, who has been the second managing director of THW Kiel since mid -June 2024, is decisively promoting this development. Their goal is to position the association as the world's first handball club that uses VR technology for live broadcasts. An exciting project, because the atmosphere of a handball game is difficult to convey from a distance. But with VR you break all the barriers that could separate us from the essence of the game. The planned transmission of a home game with VR glasses for a selected test audience took place at the end of May 2024 and has the potential to revolutionize the future of ticket sales.

Türck is aware of the challenges that this technique brings with it. Despite her uncertainty regarding the quality and response of the VR test, she sees great potential: regardless of indoor capacity, there could be new ways of sold out games. Ticket sales could be unlimited, which could make a dream come true for many fans. But before you jump into the future, the test will be waited to develop possible business models with the HBL and streaming services such as Dyn.

immersive technologies in sports marketing

The development of the THW Kiel fits perfectly into a bigger trend: More and more sports brands are using technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to intensify the experience for fans. ROOM.com reports that such technologies are not only considered elegant gadgets, but also offer concrete transformation potential in sports marketing. For example, Nike plows new fields with meta-verse marketing and NFTs to create new interaction options.

Imagine: Fans visit a stadium as avatars and experience games in virtual environments or at AR installations where you can interact without having to use expensive headsets. The possibilities are almost unlimited! At Bayer 04 Leverkusen, such an AR technology at the OMR Festival 2023 caused a sensation, as a visitor could virtually celebrate with the team. The THW Kiel could also benefit from these developments and reach new heights in fan interaction.

summarized it is shown that the THW Kiel with its initiative to integrate VR into handball not only plays a good pioneering role, but could also improve the fan experience sustainably. Innovative technologies open up new horizons and make the sport experience appear in a completely new light. So the handball could not only conquer the stadium, but also the domestic living rooms - and that is an exciting view for all fans!