Algorand Drone Racing League to Become First Sport to Stream in Metaverse

Drone Racing League hopes to champion the next phase of digital sports via the inauguration of the DRL Metaverse Marathon.

New York-based Drone Racing League is aiming to pioneer the next phase of digital sports via the commencement of its DRL Metaverse Marathon. The event will make Drone Racing League the first entity to debut an entire season in the metaverse. 

According to a press release today, the DRL Metaverse Marathon, created by AI company Meetkai, will air 13 levels of eSports and real-life drone racing in the DRL simulation video game’s MegaCity map. 

The event does not require fans to own any special equipment before watching the action-packed drone racing. Interested users can access the link of the sporting event from their mobile and PC devices to join in as avatars. Upon joining the event, fans can watch the DRL via a more immersive view and access their favorite parts of the skyscraper-themed world, the announcement read. 

The initiative will allow fans to meet MinChan Kim, the new DRL Algorand Champion Pilot, and other top DRL pilots, including Hollywood drone filmmaker Vanover. 

Commenting on the development, Anne Marie Gianutsos, DRL’s chief marketing officer, said: 

“You’ve seen leagues scratch the surface with games and events in the metaverse, but as the most accessible and inclusive sport, the Drone Racing League will become the first property to stream an entire season in the metaverse, giving our fans more access than ever and new meaning to DRL as a real-life video game.”

DRL Algorand World Championship to Air This Week

It bears mentioning that the Metaverse Marathon will follow the upcoming DRL Algorand World Championship finals. Per an announcement, the DRL Algorand World Championship Race Finals will air on NBC and other DRL’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, NBC, etc. 

The finals of the Championship Race will be held on April 8, 2023, at exactly 3 PM (EST), Drone Racing League noted. 

Launched in 2015, Drone Racing League is a professional drone racing property that allows fans to watch the best drone pilots in the world on NBC and other social media outlets. In 2021, Drone Racing League inked a five-year partnership deal with Algorand to the tune of $100 million. 

For context, the DRL event is a first-person-viewing-racing league allowing drone pilots to race devices through neon-lit courses. The company develops the drones used for the race. Each device can travel up to 90 mph.