GoKawiilCourtside Lakers seats are notoriously tough tickets, with individual prices soaring well over $10,000. Yet if you were one of the few people who decided to sink $3,499 on an Apple Vision Pro, you can feel like you're sitting in a sideline seat at Crypto.com Arena this Friday night at 7:30 p.m. PT.
Apple and Spectrum are teaming up to stream select Lakers basketball games live for owners of Apple's expensive VR headset during the upcoming NBA season, and Jan. 9 is the debut. Friday's game between the LA Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks marks the first time a major US sports league has committed to regular live broadcasts in Apple's immersive format, and it could prove a meaningful moment for the long-term relevance of the futuristic device.
Watching basketball from a courtside perspective, with cameras positioned at floor level and under each hoop, promises an entirely different sense of presence compared to a traditional broadcast. Learn how the games will work on the VR device and which other NBA games will be streamed especially for Apple Vision Pro this season.
How does livestreaming NBA games with the Apple Vision Pro work?
Custom Blackmagic cameras used to shoot 3D immersive video will capture the NBA action courtside. Apple
Charter Communications and Apple announced their partnership back on Oct. 10, 2025, saying that Spectrum SportsNet would power the live immersive streams for Lakers fans through a new SportsNet app. Apple and Spectrum say these games will stream at up to 150Mbps, with a replay window of three days after each live broadcast.
Fans will need a subscription to Spectrum broadband or Spectrum SportsNet to watch the special Lakers games on the Spectrum app, although the Apple App Store says, "Users with a free NBA ID will also have access to live games, full-game replays and highlights via the NBA app."
Spectrum's new app will also host the live feed for viewers within the Lakers' regional market, while the NBA app will distribute replays and highlights internationally. Supported countries include the US, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
Each stream will rely on custom Blackmagic Ursa Cine Immersive rigs, which capture 3D video calibrated for the Vision Pro's optics, and make use of seven different viewing perspectives:
The scorer's table
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