10,000 Google Cardboard headsets handed out to fans during the Patriots’ practice

By Albert Khoury Updated December 7, 2015

Visa and Bank of America present: New England Patriots 360° Video Experience

Google is teaming up with the New England Patriots to give fans a virtual spot on the playing field. Bank of America and Visa announced that they’re giving away 10,000 Google Cardboard virtual reality headsets at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, ahead of the Patriots-Eagles game. Fans are taken, virtually, from the training facility to the gridiron, where they get a look at what goes on during training day, giving them a chance to “Travel Inside the Game.” The headsets were first made available during the Patriots’ FanZone pregame activities.

This experience is built on the Strivr VR training platform, reports TechCrunch. This tech from Strivr Labs in Silicon Valley has been a popular training tools for numerous NFL teams, including the Patriots, Cowboys, Jets, Vikings, and 49ers. Earlier this year, the Wizards, along with the Caps and Mystics, became respectively the first NBA, NHL, and WNBA teams to sign partnerships with Strivr. The VR startup is working on bringing the technology to additional teams and sports.

While this is not true virtual reality, it’s about as close as most sports fans will ever get to the field. While viewing the video above, use your mouse to move the view around. And if you have access to a Cardboard headset, strap it on and enjoy!

You don’t have to be a fan of the Patriots or even a football fan to enjoy this experience. However, if you’ve always wanted to get close to Tom Brady, here’s likely your best chance.

The Cardboard headsets handed out at Gillette field are limited editions. Visa promoted their BankAmericard Travel Rewards Visa credit cards as they handed them out. This giveaway is also going a long way toward bringing the VR experience to everyone beyond the hardcore gamers and techies who have been following these innovations from the beginning.

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