How NASCAR Revolutionised Fan Experience with Meta’s VR Tech
NASCAR (The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), implemented virtual reality (VR) and immersive viewing technologies for the 2025 Daytona 500 race – through partnerships with Meta and Cosm, a company specialising in experiential media.
The motorsport organisation aimed to transform how fans experience the race by offering VR broadcasts through Meta's Quest VR headsets and the Xtadium application, which allows users to view content in three-dimensional virtual environments.
Meta Quest and Xtadium application bring VR to NASCAR viewers
The integration of Meta Quest VR headsets, produced by Meta Platforms enabled viewers to experience the race from multiple perspectives, including from inside the racing vehicles.
This marked the first implementation of live VR broadcasting for the Daytona 500 event.
“This is a game-changer,” says Brian Herbst, NASCAR's Executive Vice President and Chief Media & Revenue Officer.
“We want fans to feel the race in a way that wasn't possible before. Virtual reality, immersive viewing – these are the technologies that will define the next era of sports entertainment.”
The Xtadium application served as the platform through which fans can access the VR broadcast, offering viewpoints that traditional television coverage cannot provide – allowing viewers to select viewing angles and positions throughout the racetrack.
NASCAR's adoption of these technologies is part of its broader strategy to attract younger demographics who expect interactive experiences from sports entertainment.
Cosm's dome technology creates immersive viewing environments
Alongside the VR implementation, Cosm used 84-foot domes equipped with high-definition screens and surround sound systems to create an environment that approximates the experience of attending the race in person.
Cosm creates dome-shaped viewing environments with 360-degree screens to simulate being present at live events – and operates venues in Los Angeles and Dallas where these immersive viewing experiences take place.
“We're creating an experience where you don't just watch the race – you live it,” says Jeb Terry, Chief Executive Officer of Cosm.
“The Daytona 500 will be unlike anything fans have ever seen before.”
The partnership with Cosm extends NASCAR's reach beyond traditional broadcast channels and into specialised viewing venues designed for immersive experiences.
Fox Sports enhances broadcast technology for race coverage
Fox Sports, implemented new broadcast technologies for its coverage of the Daytona 500, incorporating Cosm's wide-angle cameras for the first time in NASCAR history.
These cameras provided views of the Daytona International Speedway, the venue where the race takes place – and the broadcaster plans to use these technologies for potential future NASCAR events if successful.
Additionally, Fox Sports deployed a heavy-lift drone equipped with a full-frame camera lens to capture aerial footage not possible with conventional camera setups.
The network integrated NASCAR optical data into its SportsMEDIA Technology (SMT) graphics system, a platform that generates real-time data visualisations – which provided viewers with statistical analysis throughout the broadcast.
Fox Sports planned to reduce its NASCAR Cup Series coverage from 16 races to 12 in 2025, making technological enhancements to its remaining broadcasts a priority for the network.
Furthermore, the broadcaster implemented double-box advertisements, a format that displays advertisements alongside continuing race footage, ensuring viewers did not miss race action during commercial breaks.
Fox Sports broadcasted the event in 1080p resolution, the high-definition standard that provides 1,920 by 1,080 pixel resolution images.
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