AI IS CHANGING FOOTBALL FOREVER

Happy Monday! Welcome back to The Sports Road, everyone. This weekend was absolutely huge in the sports world. I mean with a number of HUGE events taking place, the need for innovation is greater than ever. With that, this is how technology is changing sport forever… Enjoy!

Here's what we got for ya today:

• LaLiga is BACK!

• The MLB is Changing…

• Tennis is Going to The Next Level

• The Suga Show, Baby!

Most Valuable Sports Teams:

Let's get into it!

LaLiga x Microsoft x AI?

FOOTBALL IS BACK!

Seeing multiple leagues and teams beginning to change their approach in order to accommodate a changing world, it’s looking like this season may just be one for the ages…

From big tech deals, transfers and more, one of the main contributors to this has actually been LaLiga – Spain's top flight division.

We know – surprising given the recent success of the Premier League 😅

With headlines being dominated by Jude Bellingham’s electrifying performances and their newly implemented behind-the-scenes access, not many have been talking about their most recent partnership – a deal which could actually turn out to be the league’s biggest and most important of the summer…

That’s right: Microsoft x LaLiga! Let us explain:

Kicking off a couple of years back in a partnership between the league and digital tech specialists, Globant, the two came forth to improve fan engagement by delivering a whole new set of ways to interact with the sport.

In leveraging Web3.0, Metaverse and gaming technologies, that was done. This, though, is the next level.

Combining forces to work with Microsoft this week, it looks like AI is about to be thrown into the mix!

Promising to actually expand LaLiga Tech’s work to other sports such as Basketball, Rugby, and Tennis, the project will see AI used as a means to improve data consumption, generate personalised experiences, and make the watching experience more immersive than ever!

Specifically, by using multiple different applications of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, the companies will look to create NRT Multi Language Subtitles, Automatic Sports Content Translations, Mediacoach Metrics, and Highly personalised content tailored to Fans and Clubs.

Could this be the start of LaLiga’s rise back to the top?

TODAY'S EDITION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SPORTGPT

The MLB: The Future is NOW

So, the future of the MLB. You would think this story would only be going one way, right?

Well, if you thought we’d be talking about Julio Rodríguez, one of the sport's brightest talents, you’d be wrong.

Despite that though, come on… We do have to give credit where it’s due. Scoring a fourth straight four-hit game, Rodriguez has become only the second man ever to do so AND has just set an MLB record with 17 hits in four games. MENTAL 🤯🤯🤯

Alright, alright. Sidetracked, we know. What we’re really here to talk about today is facial recognition tech.

Let’s be honest, there’s just nothing worse than having to wait ages and ages in line. I mean, while we get that – in most cases – it’s unavoidable, wouldn’t it be nice if we could just walk in…

MLB fans, it looks like that privilege may actually be coming to you VERY soon. That’s right. In using the MLB’s new ‘Go-Ahead Entry’ initiative, live events may never be the same…

So, how does it work?

• By registering for the program by using the MLB Ballpark app, fans will be given the option to partake in a facial scanning process.

• For fans who choose to scan, entry into stadiums will be granted by scanners automatically recognising their faces and verifying the information with the tickets associated with the account.

• The technology will first be used at the Citizens Bank Park TODAY!

But it may not be all sunshine and rainbows… Just look at what happened to Arsenal last weekend.

Having introduced a new technology promising to improve fans’ experiences getting into the stadium, let’s just say it did NOT work…

Delaying kick off and trapping nearly 40,000 people outside of the stadium, we can hope the same doesn’t happen later on today 😅

Tennis: Times Are Changing

When talking about the most innovative sports in recent times, you simply cannot leave out Tennis.

We know, surprising! But just listen to this…

In the last few months alone the sport has used AI to better improve athlete safety, enhance viewer broadcasting experiences, announced that by 2025 all line judge calls will be replaced by technology, and used their platform to limit players’ carbon emissions…

Pretty impressive. What now, you ask?

Well, before we go into it, let us talk to you about one of the biggest trends that existed just a few months ago in the sports-tech world – tech incubators.

Being used by organisations such as the NBA, LaLiga, and MLS, the projects are designed to help find the next big thing.

Focusing on having access to some of the world's most exciting startups, results have been exactly as you’d expect… Successful.

So, naturally, you would expect most sports to follow suit. And, that’s EXACTLY what the Australian Open has done.

Picking seven startups, the organisation has seemingly placed a significance on the roles of AI, wearable, and tracking technology.

Promising to vastly improve the quality of the sport, it is definitely time to be excited…

We Need to Talk About: The Suga Show…

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Suga Show. Where. Do. We. Even. Start!?!?

WHAT A PERFORMANCE! 🤯 Coming into the fight as a major underdog, despite being – in every sense of the meaning – a larger than life character, we feel like we’re speaking for most people when we say that NO ONE expected Sean O’Malley to beat Aljamain Sterling…

By the way – that would be without knowing about the injury that didn’t let him grapple for the six weeks leading up to the fight.

I mean, having fought and beaten Petr Yan, TJ Dillashaw, Cory Sandhagen, and Henry Cejudo there was (and still is) a very good argument to put Aljo as the Bantamweight GOAT!

And all it took was one right hand!

With all that though, in the aftermath of the fight, we can only think about one thing… The Future. 

From what we’ve seen, the UFC have a STAR on their hands; and they know it…

“O’Malley isn’t going to be a star… He is a star!” - Dana White

To put the magnitude of this moment into perspective, nearly immediately after the fight, the UFC posted the entire second round on socials with no Geo restrictions. That quite literally, NEVER happens.

Trending globally, Suga Sean has already piqued the interests of some of the world’s biggest athletes, celebrities, news sites, and more.

The UFC are strapping a rocket to Sean O’Malley’s back and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it…

Well, except Marlon Vera 😅 December cannot come soon enough!

Quick Bites

• UFC: The Aftermath…

• Rugby: CHAOS

• The Women’s World Cup: WORLD CHAMPIONS

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Chat to ya on Wednesday! ☮️