Immersive Experience - YBVR°

Enjoy the best seats in the house for Valencia vs. Olympiacos with EuroLeague VR powered by YBVR!

May 16, 2023February 22, 2023 by Valeria Gomez Giraldo

Have you ever wanted to sit courtside at a top Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game but not leave the comfort of your own home? Well, now you can with EuroLeague VR! On Friday, February 24, get even closer to the action by using EuroLeague VR to watch Valencia Basket and Olympiacos Piraeus – two of the hottest teams in the EuroLeague – face off at La Fonteta. A few weeks ago, in Round 21, this season’s first game with VR capability took place, as Real Madrid hosted archrival FC Barcelona at WiZink Center. Getting tickets for El Clásico is often a very difficult task, particularly if you want to sit courtside, but by using VR, fans were able to see the action up close and personal. Thanks to the partnership between Euroleague Basketball and YBVR, a joint venture that first began at the Final Four events in Cologne and Belgrade, fans can enjoy the game from courtside thanks to the 180- and 360-degree cameras placed around the playing floor. What’s more, fans are able to tailor the experience to their own needs and desires because it is possible to seamlessly switch between different camera angles to find the angle that suits them best. Anyone watching on XTADIUM also has the ability to see the statistics in real time – a function that can be toggled on or off – and create private watch parties to take in the game with friends and family. It is possible to watch these selected EuroLeague games in VR as part of the EuroLeague TV subscription package, while fans in the United States can use this technology via XTADIUM, the VR app created by YBVR that is available to download at the Meta Quest Store.

Peter Hutton Joins YBVR to Guide Direct to Consumer Offering

February 20, 2023February 16, 2023 by digitalplaymakers

YBVR, a Silicon Valley based next generation sports broadcast company, have landed experienced media executive Peter Hutton to guide the company’s ‘direct to consumer’ offering. YBVR operates the “game-changing” Xtadium sports App available in the Meta Quest VR headset and work with the world’s top sports properties. Hutton’s consultancy role sees him continue work with YBVR that began in his time as head of sport at Meta. Hutton was previously CEO of the biggest sports channels in Europe, Asia and the Indian sub-continent (Eurosport, ESPN-Star Sports and Ten Sports). Hutton said ‘I’m delighted to be helping YBVR grow their business, as more and more fans enjoy the unique attraction of VR to have a real sense of presence at the world’s top sporting events’ ‘We are honored to have Peter Hutton among us’, said Hector Prieto (CEO and Co-Founder of YBVR). ‘With the talent of Peter and his extended B2C experience, we are confident of our success. Working with Peter we will amplify our current leadership position as the best VR Sports app in the world’ About YBVR Yerba Buena VR (YBVR) is the world leader in sports in VR, a Silicon Valley-based technology company whose main purpose is to bring emotions closer to sports fans by providing a unique experience that transports them to their favorite sporting events without leaving their homes. YBVR is a one-stop-shop that has been six years in the market for building the next generation of live immersive video experiences in VR/360, unleashing the potential of immersive broadcasting by providing unparallel immersive experiences to sports fans connected from anywhere with any device: mobile, web, TV, and, of course, XR devices. About Xtadium Xtadium is the Home for Sports in the Metaverse; it is the only VR App where fans can find different sports in branded virtual spaces (Xtadium rooms) with the content of each sports partner. Xtadium gives fans the opportunity of enjoying their favorite sporting events with their friends by introducing the watch party feature, which allows users to invite friends that are hundreds of kilometers away from them and watch different sports together, interacting with each other’s avatars and talking as if they were in the same room. Offering multiple camera angles, including 180°and 360° videos, replays, time-shifts, and real-time statistics, Xtadium is becoming the primary destination for watching live sports in the Metaverse. For media inquiries please contact with Valeria Gomez (Head of Mktg & Communications) – valeria@ybvr.com

AO STARTUPS TO INNOVATE WITH YBVR

February 1, 2023 by Valeria Gomez Giraldo

AO Immersive channel unveiled on Xtadium app, available for download in the Meta Quest headsets AO StartUps has on-boarded YBVR to pilot an AO Immersive channel in Xtadium VR app. YBVR is building the next generation of live immersive video experiences in VR/360, unleashing the potential of immersive broadcasting by providing unparalleled immersive experiences to sports fans connected from anywhere with any device: mobile, web, TV, and, of course, XR devices. YBVR launched the Xtadium app in 2022 with dedicated channels for several leading global sports including UFC, NASCAR & Euroleague basketball. The launch of AO StartUps is the latest step in Tennis Australia’s innovation program which helps early-stage companies pilot their cutting-edge technology at the Australian Open and other areas of Australian tennis. “We are constantly striving to bring fans closer to the action and as immersive technologies like YBVR continue to advance, there is immense opportunity to innovate the way sport is broadcast and consumed around the globe,” said Tennis Australia Head of Innovation Dr Machar Reid. “With a rapidly developing market, we expect immersive viewing experiences like YBVR can deliver will continue to grow into a bigger market.” During the pilot, AO fans in the US market can access the Xtadium app on Meta Quest headsets to watch selected archive highlights and full length matches from 12 different camera angles via the Director’s Chair feature. YBVR CEO Hector Prieto said it was exciting to add a global sport such as tennis to the Xtadium sport portfolio. ‘”YBVR is honored to join the AO Start-up program. Immersive Tennis is in our DNA and indeed we have a lot to thank to the AO family”, said Hector Prieto, YBVR CEO. “AO asked YBVR to deploy a trial of a Virtual Ticket VR experience for the AO 2021 finals and this became the trigger for our current partnership for creating the home for sports in the Metaverse, Xtadium; since then, we bring live sports emotions to the fans in multiple sports.” The full cohort of AO StartUp companies will be announced across AO 2023. Visit aostartups.ausopen.com to learn more. About YBVRYerba Buena VR (YBVR) is the world leader in sports in VR, a Silicon Valley-based technology company whose main purpose is to bring emotions closer to sports fans by providing a unique experience that transports them to their favorite sporting events without leaving their homes. YBVR is a one-stop-shop that has been six years in the market for building the next generation of live immersive video experiences in VR/360, unleashing the potential of immersive broadcasting by providing unparallel immersive experiences to sports fans connected from anywhere with any device: mobile, web, TV, and, of course, XR devices. About XtadiumXtadium is the Home for Sports in the Metaverse; it is the only VR App where fans can find different sports in branded virtual spaces (Xtadium rooms) with the content of each sports partner. Xtadium gives fans the opportunity of enjoying their favorite sporting events with their friends by introducing the watch party feature, which allows users to invite friends that are hundreds of kilometers away from them and watch different sports together, interacting with each other’s avatars and talking as if they were in the same room. Offering multiple camera angles, including 180°and 360° videos, replays, time-shifts, and real-time statistics, Xtadium is becoming the primary destination for watching live sports in the Metaverse. About AO StartupsAO StartUps is the latest step in Tennis Australia’s innovation program which helps startup companies pilot their cutting-edge technology at the AO and other areas of Tennis Australia’s business. Companies participating in AO StartUps will be provided the opportunity to prove their business models in real time and directly access proprietary intel and exposure at one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment events. It’s been designed to extract maximum value for the startup, streamline corporate processes that can often stifle innovating at speed, and provide an opportunity for future investment via Tennis Australia’s venture capital fund, Wildcard Ventures. The creation of AO StartUps follows the launch of Tennis Australia’s Venture Capital fund (Wildcard Ventures) and its multi-year partnership with global accelerator powerhouse, Techstars.

META PARTNERSHIP EXTENSION WITH THE NBA INVOLVES XTADIUM

January 27, 2023 by digitalplaymakers

Thanks to the immersive power of VR, you can enjoy all the action and suspense of a live game from the comfort of your couch—on us. And today, we’re excited to announce Meta and the NBA have extended their league partnership, which includes bringing the experience of basketball in VR to a new level with Meta Quest, the official VR headset of the NBA and WNBA. Basketball fans can now catch 52 live NBA games in VR during the current season for free, dive into a new immersive always-on fan experience, and express their fandom across Meta’s apps and technologies by dressing their Meta Avatars in NBA apparel. In the future, they’ll also be able to enjoy NBA League Pass in a social VR experience—all on Meta Quest. First up, and new for 2023, fans will be able to watch upcoming NBA match-ups in Xtadium* on the Meta Quest Platform. Xtadium offers high-definition video and the ability to host private watch parties with friends. And in the future, NBA fans will be able to watch even more content with their NBA League Pass subscription. Learn more about Xtadium here. Last but not least, Meta is partnering with the league to launch NBA-licensed apparel in Meta’s Avatar Store in the coming weeks. Fans will be able to purchase their favorite NBA or WNBA team apparel for their Meta Avatar and showcase it across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and on the Meta Quest Platform. “Meta’s immersive VR technology is opening up new opportunities for sports fans to engage and interact with their favorite NBA teams,” says Meta Director of Sports Media and League Partnerships Rob Shaw. “Fans will be able to express their fandom by donning their favorite team’s gear on Avatars and enjoy more live NBA games and experience NBA League Pass in a much more social and immersive way. The NBA is always pushing us to innovate and leverage the latest technology to open the door to new fan experiences, and this chapter of our partnership certainly achieves exactly that.” “VR’s superpower is making it possible to immerse yourself in shared experiences with friends and fans from around the world, and we’re thrilled to bring these killer features to the NBA Arena and live games,” adds Meta Director of Metaverse Media Content Sarah Malkin. Whether you want to watch NBA League Pass in Xtadium, hang out with friends and play mini-games in Worlds, or just express your team pride across Meta’s apps and technologies, we’ve got you covered. Who’s ready to drain some threes? Immersive 2022/2023 NBA Schedule: *Xtadium is only available in the US.

Euroleague Basketball and YBVR to stream EuroLeague games in VR

February 23, 2023January 27, 2023 by digitalplaymakers

Euroleague Basketball and YBVR have reached an agreement that will bring select Turkish Airlines EuroLeague games into a whole new dimension that offers an immersive and social experience to fans. Following a strategy to deliver new levels of innovation, Euroleague Basketball already collaborated with YBVR during the Final Fours in Cologne and Belgrade, allowing fans to take control of the action as though they were sitting at courtside through 180 and 360-degree cameras spread around the court. This Thursday’s clásico between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona will be the first regular season game to be offered through this cutting-edge technology, and with both Spanish powerhouses tied atop the standings with 13 victories, it promises to be intense. The revolutionary production approach through VR will not just affect what the fans will watch but the ways in which they can interact while following the games, allowing them to change between cameras anytime they want with seamless interaction. Fans watching on XTADIUM will also get real-time statistical overlays that can be toggled on or off and will be able to create private watch parties to enjoy the games with friends. The VR games package will be included in all EuroLeagueTV subscriptions for all the countries where the service is operational, while USA fans will have the chance to watch on XTADIUM, the VR App developed by YBVR that is available on the Meta Quest Store. “We are delighted to bring our partnership with YBVR to a next level. Their technology is terrific, and it really enables you to feel like if you were on the court, almost touching these incredible athletes,” Alex Ferrer Kristjansson, Euroleague Basketball Marketing and Communication Senior Director, stated. “We are constantly looking at every opportunity to elevate the experience we deliver to our fans, and technology nowadays is unlocking enormous opportunities to do that.” “We are excited to be pioneers with Euroleague in this immersive game experience. Our long-term agreement with them is already shaping the way in which basketball fans enjoy the sport. After being part of two Final Fours in a row, commercializing Virtual Tickets, it is really rewarding for the YBVR team to bring the best European basketball to XTADIUM, where USA basketball fans can enjoy EuroLeague live games on watch parties with friends,” Hector Prieto, CEO of YBVR, said. The schedule of immersive matches after this one is as follows.

YBVR° Achieves Silver for Best Start-Up Tech Company

December 7, 2022 by digitalplaymakers

YBVR are excited to announce that we have been selected as the runners-up for the ‘Best Startup Tech Company’ at the SportsPro OTT Awards. Our CEO and co-founder, Héctor Prieto, was in Madrid to accept the award. Congratulations to the YBVR team for all their hard work, which resulted in this achievement! Thank you to SportsPro Media for hosting a fantastic awards ceremony.

YBVR° LAUNCHES XTADIUM: A NEW HOME FOR SPORTS ON META QUEST

November 24, 2022November 24, 2022 by digitalplaymakers

Have you ever wanted to immerse yourself in the action of your favorite sport? Or host a private watch party—just you, your friends, and a larger-than-life screen, even if you can’t be together in person? Then listen up, sports fans, because game night just got real with the launch of XTADIUM* on the Meta Quest Platform. Developed by YBVR, XTADIUM gets you closer to the action than ever before by delivering 180-degree virtual reality footage in up to 8K video quality. Real-time statistical overlays that you can toggle on or off let you stay on top of the game, and you can choose from up to eight different camera angles to get the perfect shot. You can enjoy the event solo or create a private watch party for you and your friends. XTADIUM will offer live events, on-demand replays, and immersive highlights for the ultimate sports experience. Check out the launch lineup of sports content: … and that’s just for starters! We expect more sports content to hit XTADIUM in the coming months. Keep an eye on the app and the blog as we roll out new content. And in the future, fans will be able to get a ticket to live pay-per-view events or access subscription-only content via authentication from their favorite leagues and networks. “At YBVR, we are a team of sports fans and virtual reality enthusiasts who believe VR is opening the door to a whole new world of possibilities for people to watch their favorite sports,” says Sebastian Amengual, YBVR Co-Founder and CTO. “Drawing from the experience and technology we’ve developed during the last six years, we built XTADIUM to fulfill our dream of creating a new VR streaming application that delivers an immersive, interactive, and social viewing experience around some of the world’s most exciting sports competitions.” “One of our core principles as an organization is ‘Be First,’” says Craig Borsari, Chief Content Officer and Executive Producer, UFC. “UFC has a long history of innovating in combat sports and in mixed martial arts in particular. We want to lead our sport in creating unprecedented, fully immersive viewing experiences for fans using state-of-the-art virtual reality technology. Working with Meta and YBVR to provide sports content for XTADIUM is a big step forward in reaching that goal.” “Having just launched NASCAR’s first VR race-viewing execution for Meta Horizon Worlds, we’re thrilled to see that content come to life in XTADIUM, too, and look forward to the additional opportunities this new app provides for further customizing unique experiences fans can’t get anywhere else,” says NASCAR Managing Director of Gaming and Esports Nick Rend. So what’re you waiting for? Grab your Meta Quest headset, call up some friends, and jump into an immersive sports experience that puts you in control. *XTADIUM is only available in the US.

YBVR° Shortlisted for SportsPro OTT Awards!

November 29, 2022October 15, 2022 by digitalplaymakers

YBVR are honoured to announce that we have been shortlisted for the Best Start-Up Tech Company’ for this year’s SportsPro’s OTT Awards. This award recognises the most impactful technology company entering the OTT industry. This nomination reinforces our ongoing commitment to innovation and technological development and highlights the outstanding work done by YBVR’s team. Thank you to everyone who was involved in this achievement, your passion and determination are truly transforming the VR world.We look forward to hearing the outcome of the SportPro OTT Awards on Wednesday 30th November! Overall, YBVR has had a fantastic year covering premier events such as Wimbledon 360 Presented by Vodafone, Canadian Premier League, NASCAR and the US Open. Additionally, YBVR partnered with Meta to launch A NEW HOME FOR SPORTS in the Metaverse – XTADIUM. XTADIUM gets you closer to the action than ever before by delivering 180-degree virtual reality (VR) footage in up to 8K video quality. Real-time statistical overlays that you can toggle on or off let you stay on top of the game, and you can choose from up to eight different camera angles to get the best view. You can enjoy the ultimate sports experience by yourself or create a private watch party for your friends to join. What to find out more about our latest product XTADIUM? Follow the link below: https://xtadiumvr.com/

YBVR BUILDING THE METAVERSE OF SPORTS WITH 5G TECHNOLOGY IN CANADA

August 16, 2022July 25, 2022 by digitalplaymakers

YBVR accelerates deployment of Sports Metaverse with additional funding from TELUS Ventures SAN JOSE, Calif. – July, 2022 – YBVR, the global leader on Immersive Live Sports[1] streaming, announced additional funding from Telus Ventures, to advance the introduction of fully immersive Sports Metaverse services to Canada. The investment provides a boost to scale and deploy the technology across Canada, creating a major milestone for the company. TELUS Ventures’ investment comes to YBVR on top of previous investments from Verizon and Telefonica,[3] reinforcing YBVR’s research and development across 5G/MEC and low latency video technology. “YBVR is looking forward to partnering with TELUS for the next-generation of Live Sports streaming, bringing the tech that will make the Metaverse of Sports a marketplace for fans to enjoy and for the industry to monetize the value created around the sport,” said Hector Prieto, Cofounder and CEO of YBVR. “With TELUS’ 5G/MEC capabilities, we will ensure fans are closer to live sports emotions, whether remote or in-venue, providing immersive experiences with sub-second latencies.” In Canada, YBVR will deploy the next-generation VR technology for streaming live immersive sports and music events with unparalleled quality across devices that is yet to be experienced. “We are excited to be working with YBVR on growing the role of virtual reality experiences in live entertainment and leveraging our world-leading network to connect audiences with interactive and accessible content from around the globe,” said Mario Mele, Vice-president, TELUS Ventures. “At TELUS Ventures we value the role technology plays in our day-to-day lives and are looking forward to working further with this innovative Silicon Valley based startup.” About YBVR YBVR is re-defining the way fans experience live sports. Fans can now experience the magic of ‘being there’ from anywhere. YBVR tech enables a new immersive and interactive dialogue with sport fans, especially the new generations, engaging from home and in-venue. YBVR cloud-based tech empowers sport and music event organizers/right-holders with new assets for engagement and monetization. Fans can decide when, how, what and with whom to enjoy live streaming with premium viewing experiences, in real-time, and across devices. YBVR’s technology provides high-quality 360-degree live streams in 8K with patented Field-of-View optimization that consumes up to 80 per cent less bandwidth. YBVR headquarters are in California, with commercial presence in six markets. YBVR is the leader in immersive sports tech, already trusted by Wimbledon, Australian Open, Real Madrid, Fan Controlled Football, Euroleague Basketball and a number of other relevant players in the sports industry as well as Verizon, TELUS, Singtel and Telefonica. YBVR is embarking on their Series A raise to continue their leadership position in the market and capture the massive Sports Metaverse opportunity while building additional partnerships with major players. About TELUS Ventures As the strategic investment arm of TELUS Corporation (TSX: T, NYSE: TU), TELUS Ventures is one of Canada’s most active corporate venture capital funds. TELUS Ventures invests globally in companies from Seed to Pre-IPO with a focus on innovative technologies such as AgTech, HealthTech, Connected Consumer, IoT, AI, and Security to actively drive new solutions across the TELUS ecosystem. Led by a team of experienced operators, investors and executives, the Ventures team is passionate about creating positive social impact through financial tools and has invested in more than 100 companies since inception. For more information please visit ventures.telus.com.

YBVR joins the industrial world with the support of EU H2020 5G-INDUCE project

August 16, 2022April 25, 2022 by digitalplaymakers

As previously announced, YBVR is working with the support of EU H2020 5G-INDUCE project to develop applications for industrial environments to grow the industry 4.0. Within this project YBVR has developed a use case that aims to offer industrial improvements using 5G infrastructures to help factories to have safer and more efficient working environments. This use case, developed by YBVR, joins the monitoring of the industrial environment with the new possibilities of the immersive reality. This goal will be achieved through the installation of 360° cameras in an AGV (Auto Guided Vehicle) and connecting these cameras with 5G technology. This will provide near real-time 360° images of the environment to the person operator responsible for monitoring the AGVs, getting access to a direct view around of the AGV anywhere and whenever he needs them. Additionally, real-time data collected from the AGV and the 5G network are displayed overlayed on the immersive view, to help the operator for quicker troubleshooting. In the development of the use case, YBVR has collaborated with large companies, like Ericsson, which is providing the 5G infrastructure, Ford, offering the Motors factory of Valencia where the use case is deployed, and ASTI Mobile Robotics, the manufacturer of the AGVs, other startups are contributed to the use case, as FiveComm, that has developed the 5G modem which will provide the 5G connectivity of the 360°camera. Below, you can find a picture with the description of this use case. After of being working on the development of the NetApp that offers this use case for more than one year, recently the first proof of concept was deployed and tested successfully in the 5TONIC facilities of IMDEA Networks in Madrid. The next step will be to test this NetApp at the Ford Motors factory in Valencia where a part of the 5G infrastructure of the 5G-INDUCE project is being deployed.