The Possibilities Are Endless

March 15, 2023

Need a pick me up from those midweek blues? Here’s another AI special from The Sports Road - the best Sport and Tech Newsletter out there!

Here's what we got for ya today:

  • AI Broadcasting?

  • AI is Changing Scouting Forever

  • ATP x Sportradar

  • This is Mental

Most valuable public market sports teams

Now, onto the good stuff...

Lower League Fans, Get Excited…

If you’re a fan of a team in the lower leagues of Sport, get excited. This one’s for you.

Look, as people, we love a big story. In a Sporting context, this means that news is usually dominated by the more well known teams.

Annoyingly – as a result – sometimes fans of lower league sides can’t even do simple things we associate with being a fan. For example, even just tuning in to watch their favourite teams.

Well, guess who has a solution? AI, of course.

We’ve touched upon its impact on Sport before, but this could change the game forever.

Earlier this week, Tier 2 amateur Hockey side St. Louis Sting announced a new partnership with German TV production company SPORTTOTAL. Specifically, in using STAIDIUM – an AI developed by the company – the team will be able to stream ALL their home games; a privilege unavailable to fans watching from the comfort of their own homes before 🤯

So, this is how it works:

  • The platform offers an end-to-end content capture and distribution solution, created in partnership with T-Mobile.

  • The SPORTTOTAL camera system includes three lenses, a microphone, and a built-in 5G hotspot, and is powered by AI.

  • AI is used to track the ball and players, while also being used for graphics, analytics, streaming, and other functions.

  • The platform plans to deliver highlight clips, real-time statistics, and analytics, and will include player profiles for individual performance tracking.

Additionally, the technology also offers huge benefits for the team and owners:

“It not only allows fans to follow our teams and watch our games but also allows us to sell advertising and sponsorship for our broadcast on a per-team basis, as well as enables video replay and analytics to better develop our players.”

St. Louis Sting Hockey Club General Manager, Dennis Coon

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Finding The Next Best Thing

Scouting can be a make or break in Sport.

Find a gem and, truly, you are set. From on-field success to future economic prosperity, the gain from finding just one special player can be remarkable.

A series of busts, though, and you can be in big trouble...

AI is here to make sure that isn’t the case.

With the kickoff of the inaugural of Cricket’s Women’s Premier League this week, the Royal Challengers Bangalore are tipped as having one of the best teams on paper.

How, you ask?

Well, earlier this week director Mike Hesson allowed fans an insight into how they get their scouting done. If you haven’t guessed by now, it’s using AI.

“We think our scouting needs to go a little bit deeper than sending regular scouts to tournaments. There’s a lot of untapped talent and potential throughout the whole country. So, we have an artificial intelligence system, where we look at some key metrics. From a bowling perspective, it will be around pace. From a batting perspective, it will be around different positions that they get into. Once we identify talent there, we can bring them into camps or we can go and watch them at specific tournaments.”

By using a system which involves players sending in videos of themselves against certain criteria, it’s said that the AI has been used to identify fast bowlers who can produce throws up to 130 km/h.

This isn’t only appearing here though, Football teams with notoriously good academies like AC Milan and Benfica have already invested in AI software - Eyeball. By tracking individual players and creating very in-depth statistics, clubs can now scout the world far easier using AI.

Hey, who knows. Maybe you’re next 😉

A Big Partnership

Tennis, hey. Not been much to talk about recently. Until now…

Here at The Sports Road, we love a good partnership, and this one is big. ATP x Sportradar

Replacing IMG Arena, Sportradar are the new data and betting streaming rights sponsor of the ATP. Beating off five other competitors, it’s fair to assume that the data company went all out for this one.

With Tennis being one of the most bet on Sports in the world, it becomes clear why Sportradar were so eager to further expand their grip on the Sport betting scene.

Here’s how their AI works:

  • Trading: Sportradar's AI generates customised betting odds, more precise prices, and exclusive betting markets that amplify sportsbook margins and improve customer experience.

  • Risk Management: By processing an advanced level of betting ticket data, Sportradar's AI allows operators to evaluate the risk associated with specific player accounts, bets, or sports events, thereby reducing the financial exposure of sportsbook operators.

  • Marketing: Sportradar's AI automates player categorisation, which lets operators personalise the sports betting experience for their customers.

“Our expertise in developing advanced technologies, including computer vision and AI which create advanced analytics and data visualisation, will drive new, compelling ways for fans to engage with tennis, while also safeguarding and upholding its integrity.”

Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive of Sportradar

Already working with huge clients such as UEFA, MLB and NBA, this partnership could work to usher the ATP into the public eye.

We sure hope so!

Is This Real Life?

This may not be AI related, but this is crazy.

VR and the Metaverse are about to change forever. More importantly, the line between real and ‘fake’ is becoming MUCH thinner.

The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), have announced the creation of (drumroll please 🥁🥁🥁) their new shirt! Yep, a shirt…

Ok, ok. This is where it gets interesting…

Called iMetaWear, it’s claimed that the shirt enhances the experience of those in VR.

How? Well, the shirt is fitted with ten haptic points and four sets of electrodes. This means that experiences in VR can now have corresponding sensory feedback from the body 🤯🤯

With image recognition technology working to recognise motion and, in turn, create electrical charge in the shirt, sensations seen in game can be felt in real life.

To put it in simpler terms, imagine someone playing a Boxing game in VR. Well, the opponent's punches could actually be felt in real life… Crazy!

Additionally, developers have claimed that the product could immensely help in physical therapy.

“iMetaWear is a cutting-edge smart clothing technology that revolutionises the virtual sports experience, offering users an unparalleled level of immersion… We look forward to exploring its potential applications in fields such as rehabilitation and physical therapy.”

Roger Cheng, ITRI Vice President

Quick bites

Meme of the day

Quote of the day

“Sports creates a bond between contemporaries that lasts a lifetime. It also gives your life structure, discipline and a genuine, sincere, pure fulfilment that few other areas of endeavour provide.”

Bob Cousy

Photo of the day

Not much else to say really... FIGHT WEEK, BABY!

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Chat to ya on Friday!