When you go to buy tickets for a big event or show, the seat map is often at best crude, or at worst non-existent. If only we could check out the view from any available seat to help us choose the one that suits us best. Well, now you can.
Ticket site Rukkus just announced an update to its mobile app that lets you see the view from any seat at all major NBA and NHL arenas across the country. Legendary live music venues such as the Hollywood Bowl are also included, with more on the way.
As the name of the new feature suggests, Seat360 lets you look around in every direction as if you were actually there in the seat. Any pillars or posts obscuring the view? Move to another row. Want to be near an exit? Take a look behind you.
The app, which is available for iOS and Android users, even works with Google Cardboard, giving you a panoramic experience that means there’s really no excuse for not bagging the best seats in the house (budget permitting, of course).
“This immersive, virtual reality functionality is the single biggest innovation in the ticket buying space since the first seat map was introduced,” Rukkus CEO Manick Bhan said in a release. “Standard seat view photos or renderings are a step in the right direction, but still leave much to the imagination. An interactive panorama tells the whole story and Seat360 utilizes virtual reality in a practical way, giving customers the opportunity to experience their seat before they buy.”
It’s an awesome idea that could save a lot of disappointment when forking out for potentially pricey tickets. All we need now is an update that puts ticket buyers in their seats so we can confirm that the person in front won’t be obscuring our view. Now that would be something.