The NBA's Newest Tech

December 08, 2023

Welcome back to The Sports Road, everyone! You know what? It’s been too long since our last AI special… With that, you do NOT want to miss this one. Enjoy!

Here's what we got for ya today:

  • The NBA’s Newest Tech!

  • The Euros: What to Expect…

  • A Step in the Right Direction

  • Rugby is Changing

Most Valuable Sports Teams:

Let's get into it!

The Future is Now: NBA

Over the last couple months, a new technology has been quietly making its way to the absolute top of the sports world…

That’s right. nVenue – a new AI firm who are experts in predictive analysis and micro-betting – have already been used by the MLB, AppleTV, and NASCAR.

So with that, you may be asking what the company really does. Well, using their uniquely developed technology, nVenue combines Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Machine Learning (ML) to generate probabilities for a number of game changing moments.

Being able to analyse data happening in real-time, the firm has the ability to offer fans more nuanced knowledge on what they are watching and provide bookmakers with integral information.

This week they received some BIG news… Gaining investment from (can we get a drumroll please 🥁🥁🥁) the NBA, it looks like some new doors are going to be opened.

Looking to gamify elements of their software, the NBA’s involvement will also help the firm find new revenue opportunities and betting partners. 

Having taken part in the NBA’s Launchpad program earlier this year, the companies are both familiar with one another. 

As such, incorporating elements of the NBA’s game into their system won’t be too difficult. In fact, nVenue is already rolling out new content and offering fans opportunities to engage with the league. 

“Micro-betting presents an opportunity to drive incremental fan engagement within the live game… As a fast-paced sport with constant action, the NBA requires a unique approach to providing opportunities that are both contextual and personalised to how our fans are consuming the game… We are excited to roll up our sleeves with a company like nVenue, with its innovative tech and a great team, to explore this opportunity.”

Kaufman-Ross, the NBA Head of Gaming and New Business Ventures

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Is This Football’s Best AI?

A couple of months back, we told you all about FIFA’s newest tech; one that we thought had the potential to be the next big thing. 

Well, it looks like we may have been right…

For those who haven’t caught on yet, we’re talking about PlayerMaker – the first ever FIFA-approved lower limb tracking device in Football.

Strapping onto players’ boots, the system is able to uniquely monitor a number of attributes that relate to both technical and physical performance. Be it time on the ball, technical balance, kicking power, speed, distance, or velocity, the technology covers A LOT…

Being the case, the system is obviously of real use to the world’s biggest teams. Signing a deal with Manchester City earlier this year, PlayerMaker has already worked with over 200 clubs!

And now it looks like their influence is about to increase by a whole lot… 

Why is that, you ask? Well, this Summer the Euros are BACK 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩and, if we’ve learned anything recently, it’s that data trumps all…

From its use in recruitment, to training, and in-match performance, data tracking and analysis is becoming essential to success.

For that very reason, this week the Hungarian Football Federation has turned to PlayerMaker. 

Being drawn into a group including hosts Germany, Switzerland, and Scotland, Hungary – who are looking to do some big things this year – will be hoping to surprise this year.

Who knows, maybe PlayerMaker is the company to help them do that…

A Step in the Right Direction

It’s not often that we get to talk about Horse Racing here on The Sports Road, but when we do, you know it’s worth it.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. While we all OBVIOUSLY love sport, nothing stands as more important than the health and safety of the athletes and – in this case – animals that go out there and play for us. 

Unfortunately though – especially when it comes to a sport like Horse Racing – sometimes, it can be difficult to assess the Horses’ condition.

Being the case, the sport has found itself in a bit of a standstill recently. And, to be honest, it makes sense! I mean, how would it be possible to assess the condition of a Horse when it literally cannot communicate with you!?

Well, it looks like Palantir Technologies may have just cracked the code…

Being a leader in AI innovation, Palantir has created a data-enabled tool which will help those involved in the sport identify horses at risk BEFORE races.

Specifically generating daily reports for each racetrack everyday, horses – who have been flagged as presenting potential risks – will be excluded. 

Being done in partnership with the Horse Racing and Safety Authority (HISA), this technology should be dually implemented, improving the safety of Horses across the sport. 

“HISA continues to work with leading partners like Palantir to utilise data and technology in its mission to reduce equine injuries and fatalities… Our hope is that this revolutionary technology is used to more efficiently and accurately identify horses at risk of injury as part of the screening process for determining if they're fit to race. This powerful, AI-enabled tool will streamline and automate a process that had previously taken significant time away from veterinarians' hands-on care of horses. We're excited to be working with the experts at Palantir on this and future initiatives.”

Lisa Lazarus, HISA CEO

We Need to Talk About: Rugby

On the topic of injury, it looks like Rugby may also be in the process of some big innovation…

Bringing the conversation back to more personal levels, if you’ve played sports, you would know that injuries suck. Whether it be something small or something more severe, the prospect of not being allowed to play is NOT a nice feeling.

And when talking about what goes on at the professional level, you can just imagine how bad that feeling must be…

That’s why for sports like Rugby – where it was found that around 20% of players sustain at least one concussion a season – injury prevention technology is so important.

So, bringing yet another ‘Smart’ technology to sport, enter: The Smart Mouthguard!

Developed by Prevent Biometrics, this is what we know so far:

  • Each mouthguard is fitted with microsensors which work to measure the force and acceleration of a collision on a player's head. With damage being found to be accumulative, the technology also notes the amount of times players collide. 

  • Feeding back to the medical staff on the touchline, experts can then make decisions based on the data on what to do.

  • Making its elite level debut, this technology is slated to be introduced into the next Six Nations after research conducted at Ulster University. 

“We have been getting bucket loads of data from the men and women's rugby Premiership over in England. From that we can investigate and try to understand what is that link between head impact severity and the injury risk."

Dr Gregory Tierney, Lecturer in Biomechanics at Ulster University

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