Flipped classroom (FC) is a "blended" instructional approach that requires students to complete pre-lecture individual learning tasks in preparation for participating in related in-lecture peer learning activities. One of the critical problems of FC has been students' lack of motivation to complete the assigned online pre-lecture tasks prior to attending the corresponding face-to-face lectures. Spherical video-based immersive virtual reality (SV-IVR), which can be produced without costly computing equipment and sophisticated technical expertise, is a technological tool with considerable potential for enhancing teaching and learning. This mixed-methods study was grounded in the instructional motivation theory of ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction). A total of 188 education students (i.e., pre-service teachers) who were generally knowledgeable about the pedagogical concept of FC evaluated the ARCS motivational affordances of SV-IVR in support of the pre-lecture stage of FC. These students were from teaching majors of (i) language education, (ii) social and humanities education, and (iii) mathematics and science education. The results indicated the participants across the 3 majors positively perceived SV-IVR as having desirable benefits on "A," "R," and "S," but not "C." This research provides new insights into adopting SV-IVR in FC, in particular, shedding light on leveraging this technological tool in pre-service teacher education.