The Moments Changing Sports in Real Time
This month, we are celebrating the transformative power of sports.?
As fans, we invest in sports to see athletes and teams power through moments of adversity in a bid to emerge better than before.?Rarely do we get a courtside seat to a star athlete who is quite literally changing her sport before our eyes. As the top overall draft pick, Caitlin Clark is pulling a crossover move from the NCAA to the WNBA.?
What makes this truly transformative is that we can see the impact Caitlin has had on the NBA and sports fans in general through trending news stories, increased viewership, and operational changes in a league that is preparing for something big. It’s been fun to watch, and there’s a lot we can continue to learn and apply to other disciplines.?
One of our portfolio companies, Zoomph, who tracks brand partnerships across social media, streaming and broadcast, noted that Salesforce generated more than 11 million impressions from broadcast exposure of their jersey partnership with the Indiana Fever.
While the "Caitlin Clark Effect" continues to unfold, let’s explore some of the other big moments, stories, and events shaping the world of sports and tech in real time.?
SportsTech Highlights: NAB 2024 & World Congress of Sports?
Our SportsTech team journeyed to NAB 2024 in Las Vegas, where they were immersed in the latest advancements in broadcast technology. Among the highlights was NBCUniversal's demonstration of its NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) product, which delivers interactive, personalized broadcast experiences on NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations’ over-the-air channels. The product launched on six stations in four markets: New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Miami, and will soon be available in more markets across the nation.
Shawn Makhijani , SVP of Business Development and Strategy & NBC Spot On, NBCUniversal Advertising & Partnerships, described NextGen TV as a "considerable milestone for broadcast television." It delivers personalized, hyper-localized content with the potential for advanced engagement, advertising, and measurement opportunities, he said. NextGen TV will reshape the landscape of broadcast media, Makhijani said. "TV has changed,” he said, “and it's getting better.”
The next stop was the CAA World Congress of Sports in Los Angeles, where Michael Rubin, founder and executive chair of Fanatics , took the stage to reveal a historic moment in sports merchandise. He announced that Caitlin Clark, the newly drafted point guard for the Indiana Fever , had become Fanatics' top-selling draft pick ever during the recent WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) draft. Clark's No. 22 Fever jersey nearly sold out immediately after being listed.?
Also addressing the Congress was WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert , who described the draft as "the dawn of a new day" for the league. At its peak, the draft had 3.1 million TV viewers, she said. This follows the highest-watched WNBA final in a decade, she added. Building on the momentum, the “W” will likely add four new teams in the next few years, she said. Previously, she has cited Philadelphia, Nashville, Denver, South Florida, and Toronto as likely candidates for expansion.?
Clark's Dominance Revolutionizes WNBA Landscape?
It's official: Caitlin Clark has become a force to be reckoned with in the WNBA. Here's a breakdown of the impact she's having on the league:
Caitlin Clark's emergence onto the WNBA scene is not only reshaping the landscape of the league but also elevating its visibility and popularity to new heights. Next up, she’ll play her first game in the WNBA when the season tips off May 14.?
(Stats from NPR, April 22, 2024)
?SportsTech Companies Making Waves
Fobi Gallops Into New Arena?
Fobi AI specializes in AI-driven digital transformation. They just galloped into a multi-year agreement with Thunderbird Show Park , the continent’s top equestrian event facility. They’ll deliver digital credentials, upgraded ticketing platforms, and seamless online purchases.?
Bonus: Tune in to hear Fobi discuss the future of sports analytics and enhancing in-stadium experiences. Listen to the full podcast.
Empowering Women's Athletics: Plantiga Leads the Way
With a steadfast commitment to revolutinizing biomechanical data for female athletes, Plantiga utilizes embedded sensors to meticulously monitor stride length, asymmetries, and ground force.
Read the SBJ article about Plantiga's groundbreaking technology that has propelled the remarkable journey of UConn’s star athlete, Paige Bueckers.
领英推荐
Cheers to nVenue!
Join us in congratulating our alum, nVenue Co-Founder and CEO Kelly Pracht on her win at the Cynopsis Sports Media Awards.
Her innovative work with on-screen probabilities and other predictive content has been viewed by millions of sports fans since its launch, showcasing her expertise in machine learning and AI.
?? Partner News
WWE went big on AR at WrestleMania 40
AR effects have become a staple in WWE Network TV productions over recent years, surpassing the organization's brief foray into VR. A novel feature at WrestleMania 40 was beacon AR technology, which linked AR effects directly to performers, allowing them to interact with these visuals during their entrances. The AR perspective shifts between SteadyCam and Skycam, incorporating animations like page turns and highlighted text that move in sync with the camera's position. Some WWE stars actively participate in designing their AR effects, while others simply approve or reject the designs proposed by the graphics team.
Premier League Innovations: Engaging Fans and Enhancing Gameplay
In a move to deepen fan engagement, The Premier League has unveiled initiatives set to revolutionize the sport both on and off the field.
Partnering with Rezzil , the league is offering fans an immersive experience unlike any other. Through this collaboration, supporters will have the unique opportunity to step into the cleats of their favorite Premier League stars, reliving iconic moments in a virtual environment. From scoring winning goals to executing game-changing plays, fans will experience the thrill of the game firsthand.?
But the innovations continue. Looking ahead to the next season, the Premier League is set to implement semi-automated offside technology, marking a significant advancement in gameplay analysis. This cutting-edge system, powered by AI player tracking, aims to deliver faster and more consistent offside calls, ensuring fairness and accuracy on the field. By leveraging high-tech cameras to track player movements and record crucial data points, the offside technology promises to revolutionize how match officials make crucial decisions.?
From immersive fan experiences to game-changing advancements in gameplay technology, the Premier League continues to push the boundaries of what's possible, reaffirming its status as the pinnacle of football excellence.
Recently, Jenna Kurath , VP of Startup Partnerships at Comcast , gave the play-by-play of her journey in sports while talking about all the things that make our SportsTech Program unique.?
Tune in on the SportsTech AllStars Podcast on Spotify , YouTube , and 苹果 Podcasts to watch the full episode:
??: Listen?
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?? Photo of the Month
It’s tradition for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Chevron Champ to do a full-on,– CANNONBALL into the pond adjacent to the 18th green. Without hesitation, Nelly Korda took a leap off to celebrate her victory – and record-tying fifth win in a row.?
And speaking of taking a plunge, what a perfect opportunity to plug that applications for the class of 2025 are open! Make like Bubba Watson and skip on over here to submit your application—or share it with someone you know who’s changing the game of sports!?
???Apply Now! ??
We hope you enjoyed this installment of Beyond The Game and look forward to reading and reviewing all your applications. We’ll be back in May, but stay tuned for our next special issue, in which we interview two more of our Class of 2024 companies, Zoomph and Mobii Systems !?
– SportsTech Team?