“Greenest Show on Grass” Goes Virtual

As the title sponsor of a major PGA TOUR event since 2010, Waste Management (WM) has influenced the sustainability and zero waste efforts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open (WMPO). This year, WM helped expand the PGA TOUR experience through a live 360 and virtual reality (VR) experience during all four rounds of competition at the WMPO that was held earlier this month, calling it the “Greenest Show on Grass.”

“The TOUR is proud of the influence that [WM] has had on the tournament as the title sponsor, specifically that the [Waste Management Phoenix Open] showcases how sustainable our sport can be,” says Devon Fox, director of Digital Platform Innovation for the PGA TOUR, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

In 2012, Houston-based WM launched the Zero Waste Challenge at the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based tournament to control event materials and educate attendees so that no waste was sent to landfill. There were no trash receptacles on the golf course, only recycling and compost bins. In 2015, the company achieved its goal of diverting 100 percent of all tournament materials from landfill.

“The PGA TOUR has been experimenting with live virtual reality coverage of tournaments for almost two years now,” says Fox. “The Waste Management Phoenix Open offers some of the most exciting views in golf and we wanted to bring fans even closer to the action.”

The live VR experience was viewed on Samsung Gear VR headsets from around the globe through the “PGA TOUR VR Live” app, available on the Oculus store. The “PGA TOUR VR Live” app also launched on Daydream by Google, available on the Google Play Store, at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, giving fans an additional way to experience the 16^th hole at TPC Scottsdale.

In addition to Daydream, fans also viewed 360 content through TOUR’s mobile app. The app was compatible with a Google Cardboard. For fans who did not have a headset, the 360 video experience was available on Twitter, Periscope and, for the first time ever, the PGA TOUR app on iOS during all four days of the event.

“…Because the tournament is zero waste, we wanted to ensure the VR viewers distributed at the 16^th hole could be recycled. That’s why we chose cardboard viewers instead of something less environmentally friendly,” says Fox.

As the virtual reality provider of the PGA TOUR, Intel produced the live VR experience with Intel True VR technology, providing access to areas on the course that cannot be experienced, even by fans onsite.

“Intel True VR technology turns sports into amazing immersive experiences, and Intel is always working with our partners to deliver new ways for fans to get closer to the action,” said David Aufhauser, managing director of Intel Sports Group, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to work with the PGA TOUR to continue delivering compelling experiences with Intel True VR technology at the Waste Management Phoenix Open by leveraging our technology—from the cameras to the data processing to our application platform—to create interactive ways for fans to participate.”

Intel True VR uses panoramic, stereoscopic camera pods to create a more natural and realistic view from any direction for a more immersive VR environment. Up to eight cameras were placed around the 16^th hole, in addition to a dedicated sideline reporter bringing a unique aspect to the experience.

“The crowds onsite at the tournament were very excited. We collaborated with Oakley to create custom printed Bubba Watson cardboard VR viewing headsets that were distributed in the general admission section of the 16^th hole stadium,” said Fox. “We received some wonderful praise from fans viewing at home as well. Fans really like that we have graduated from a three-camera production to an eight-camera production. It shows how much we’ve grown since our first attempt at THE PLAYERS last year.”

THE PLAYERS Championship in 2017 marked the first time Twitter distributed a live 360 VR experience during a major sports event. Following THE PLAYERS, the PGA TOUR and Intel announced an exclusive relationship to produce and globally distribute live virtual reality and live 360 video at six PGA TOUR events in 2017 and 2018. The TOUR Championship and Presidents Cup in 2017 also featured live VR coverage.