In Virtual Reality News
June 4, 2025 – For the first time in league history, the NHL Stanley Cup Final is being broadcast live in virtual reality (VR). US-based viewers will be able to experience the 2025 championship series between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers from inside their Meta Quest headsets.
The broadcast, which is being shown exclusively on Xtadium and presented by TNT Sports, will be accessible at no extra cost to Quest users. The immersive experience will allow viewers to watch from rinkside and other in-arena perspectives, with features including real-time stats, multiple camera angles, and integration with TNT Sports’ broadcast production.
Currently only available in the US, Xtadium is a VR and mixed reality sports platform that blends immersive viewing with a social spectator experience. The company stated that this NHL VR broadcast marks a milestone in virtual sports coverage.
“This is more than a broadcast—it’s a new era for hockey fans,” said the Executive Producer for Xtadium. “We’re proud to partner with TNT Sports to bring fans closer to the game than ever before.”
The NHL Stanley Cup Final is a rematch of last year’s closely contested series, where the Panthers emerged victorious in Game 7. The current matchup follows a strong regular-season showing from Florida, setting expectations for another competitive final.
The full schedule for the 2025 Stanley Cup Final is as follows (all games start at 8:00 p.m. ET):
- Game 1 – Wed, June 4: Panthers at Oilers
- Game 2 – Fri, June 6: Panthers at Oilers
- Game 3 – Mon, June 9: Oilers at Panthers
- Game 4 – Thu, June 12: Oilers at Panthers
- Game 5 – Sat, June 14: Panthers at Oilers (if necessary)
- Game 6 – Tue, June 17: Oilers at Panthers (if necessary)
- Game 7 – Fri, June 20: Panthers at Oilers (if necessary)
The series will also be available on traditional platforms including TNT, truTV, and Max.
How to watch the 2025 Stanley Cup Final in VR
This marks the NHL’s first live VR broadcast of the Stanley Cup Final. To watch in VR, viewers will need to be located in the US in order to download the Xtadium app for free from the Horizon Store on their Meta Quest device.
Image credit: Meta
About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.