Apple and Spectrum are partnering to bring a new level of sports viewing to Apple Vision Pro owners. Starting this NBA season, select Los Angeles Lakers games will stream live in an immersive format designed exclusively for Apple’s $3,499 headset—positioning this as a real-world test for the future of sports and virtual reality.
A New Era for Live Sports in VR
For the first time, a major U.S. sports league will regularly broadcast games in Apple’s immersive video format. Viewers will be able to experience Lakers matchups from courtside angles, with specialized cameras placed at floor level and beneath the baskets. It’s not just a new way to watch basketball—it’s a chance to feel like you’re there.
If this experiment succeeds, it could mark a defining moment in the Vision Pro’s evolution from a technical marvel to a meaningful entertainment platform.
How the Streaming Partnership Works
This week, Charter Communications announced that its Spectrum SportsNet channel will power these immersive broadcasts via a dedicated SportsNet app. Apple and Spectrum say the streams will reach data rates of up to 150 Mbps and remain available for on-demand replays up to three days after the live event.
- Availability: The live immersive streams will be exclusive to Spectrum SportsNet subscribers and Spectrum
Internet customers within the Lakers’ regional market. - Replays and highlights: The NBA app will deliver replays and clips globally in markets including the U.S., U.K.,
Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the UAE. - Technology: Each broadcast will use custom Blackmagic Ursa Cine Immersive rigs, which capture high-resolution 3D
video calibrated for the Vision Pro’s optics.
Why This Matters for Apple and the NBA
The Vision Pro has long impressed early adopters with its hardware finesse, but many have questioned its purpose beyond tech demonstrations and short films. Live sports—driven by emotion, energy, and immediacy—could finally unlock that missing use case.
CNET’s VR/AR analyst Scott Stein calls the Vision Pro “a bleeding-edge tech showcase and the most advanced standalone headset ever,” though he notes that “the price will never appeal to any regular person.” Immersive Lakers games may expand the Vision Pro’s relevance but won’t suddenly make it mainstream.
Analyst Max Weinbach of Creative Strategies views the Lakers collaboration as “a step toward fulfilling the promise of XR platforms for entertainment and live sports,” calling it a valuable pilot for both Apple and one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises. For Apple, he says, this is another opportunity to “test what immersive video can do in real-time events while continuing to search for the Vision Pro’s killer app.”
When and Where to Watch
Spectrum and the NBA are expected to announce the specific games scheduled for immersive streaming before the end of November, with the first broadcasts expected in early 2026.
The 2025–26 NBA regular season tips off on October 21 and runs through April 12, followed by the playoffs.
If Apple and Spectrum can pull this off smoothly, Lakers fans may witness not just a game—but the beginnings of a new era in how we experience live sports.
