Celebrating An Incredible Year of SportsTech
As the year winds down and the holiday season kicks into high gear, we’re taking a moment to reflect on an incredible 2024. It’s been a year filled with innovation, collaboration, and memorable milestones from our portfolio companies and partners. Before we shift gears into the new year, we invite you to join us in celebrating the standout moments that made this year extraordinary.
To kick things off, let’s dive into a story that revved up the impact of one of our alumni by driving a meaningful connection with NASCAR and its community.?
FanSaves Fuels Connection at the Chicago Street Race
The inaugural edition of the Chicago Street Race was the first Cup Series race to take place on a street circuit. The 2.14-mile track makes use of city streets like Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive and features breathtaking sights of Grant Park, the shores of Lake Michigan, and the city’s iconic skyline.?
When NASCAR announced the race in 2021, the idea was merely a computer rendering. This unprecedented move would require a transformation of city streets into a thrilling racetrack for drivers and the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the sport’s legions of devoted fans.?
One of the biggest challenges became: How could NASCAR connect race fans, both local and distant, with the businesses and community surrounding this landmark event?
The answer was discovered through FanSaves (SportsTech Class of 2023), a digital platform that connects fans with local deals and discounts from the sponsors of their favorite sports teams. Read our case study to learn more about the impact and results of FanSaves collaboration with NASCAR.
Meet the Partner: Spotlight Series
NASCAR's Wyatt Hicks
NASCAR is at the forefront of blending tradition with innovation to create an unparalleled fan experience. Wyatt Hicks, VP of Digital Media at NASCAR, is responsible for many of these initiatives and oversees the platforms, products, and strategies that connect fans to the sport. We recently chatted with Wyatt for our Meet the Partners series.?
In our in-depth conversation, Wyatt discusses the challenges and triumphs of his 12-year journey with NASCAR, including:?
??Spotlight on our Partners ??
PGA TOUR was nominated for The Sports Business Awards: Tech for Best Technology Collaboration. The nomination is with Bolt6, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Animation Research Ltd, and Kaze Aerial Production, for the new drone AR technology implemented in PGA TOUR broadcasts in 2024.
NBC Sports Next -owned Sports Engine has partnered with AI camera solution Pixellot to offer free, automated streaming to youth and amateur sports venues in North America.
?? Alums Making Headlines ??
As we wrap up the year, we continue to be proud of our startup alums who aim to reshape the sports tech landscape. Here are some of the most memorable headlines from our startups.?
Aquimo Inks First Broadcast Deal?
Mobile game developer Aquimo announced its first major broadcast partner -- and first in Canada -- via an agreement with Sportsnet to integrate a phone-based hockey game into Saturday night “Hockey Night in Canada” telecasts through December. At-home viewers can aim and tilt their phones to shoot pucks past a goalkeeper, with prizes including a 2025 Hyundai Kona and a year’s supply of Tim Hortons coffee.??
Dizplai Acquires Gaming Platform
In July, Dizplai announced an acquisition of PickGuru, a customer-centric and free-to-play gaming platform. The acquisition brought together two innovators in the fan engagement space, creating the new division, Dizplai Gaming. This division will expand Dizplai’s end-to-end offering and drive even greater experiences for fans across both first and second screens.?
nVenue Provides Odds to Sportradar
It was a great year for nVenue . In August, Kelly Pracht was named to Sports Business Journal’s 2024 class of SBJ Game Changers, recognizing female sports business executives. She's the only technologist and one of only two women from the sports betting industry to be included. nVenue also announced in October that they would deliver its specialized live betting markets to operators and platforms in the U.S. and internationally via Sportradar's Unified Odds Feed - delivering one of the most robust sets of live and micro betting options for U.S. sports.
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Plantiga Nominated by SBJ
Plantiga was nominated by Sports Business Journal for their 2025 Tech Awards in the Best in Athlete Performance Technology category.
?? Hot Reads: December Edition ??
Mr. Beast Steps Into Sports Content
Mr.Beast , a popular internet personality (Tom Brady, Bryson Dechambeau, Noah Lyles, Ronaldo, and Bryce Harper) competes against high school athletes, content creators, and average fans with cash on the line. The disruptive video is garnering headlines across traditional and sports media, and within 24 hours of its debut, the 22-minute spectacle drew more than 48 million views worldwide.?
Former NFL QB Rewriting College Management Playbook?
Andrew Luck has joined Stanford as Football General Manager, in a first for the school and college sports. He will be managing both football and business aspects of the program, which could have intriguing ripple effects across collegiate and professional sports.
Bryson’s Hole-in-One At Home?
Bryson DeChambeau hit a hole-in-one in an unusual location – over his house. His big shot came after a 16-day attempt, and while it garnered millions of views, the intrigue here is that the format is a perfect execution of a social-first content approach from a tier-1 pro athlete that can be modeled to attract sponsors. The overall idea and execution were many years in the making.
?? Trends in Sports Tech News ??
Let’s dive into the latest deals and trends shaping the future of sports this month:?
Our Top Sports Moments
At the heart of SportsTech is our passion for live sports. We asked a few on our team to wrangle up some of their favorite sports moments from this year:??
Taylor, Lead Copywriter: As an undergrad alum of a Horizon League college, I am a huge fan of underdog stories. Jared Gohlke (a former Division II player) and the Oakland Grizzlies filled that narrative perfectly, upsetting the heavily favored Kentucky Wildcats in the first round. Gohlke became such a viral star of the tourney that TurboTax filmed a commercial in his hotel room between games.?
Bradi, Head of Marketing: Simone Bile’s comeback in Paris was nothing short of extraordinary. At 27 years old—an age often considered past the prime for gymnasts—she defied expectations, claiming three gold medals and one silver. As a former gymnast and collegiate cheerleader myself, I hold immense respect for Simone Biles and the dedication it takes to keep pushing. Her ability to overcome challenges and cement her status as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) is a powerful testament to her resilience, extraordinary talent, and lasting impact on the world of gymnastics. #GOLDENGIRLS?
Natalie, Marketing Manager: The University of South Carolina Gamecocks delivered one of the most exciting moments in college football this year, upsetting Clemson 17- 14 in a nail-biting rivalry game. As a USC alum and college football fanatic, this game was a frenzy of excitement as I watched my team take the Palmetto Bowl victory which ultimately should’ve been enough to get into the college football playoffs. When quarterback LaNorris Sellars, rushed for a touchdown with 1:08 seconds left, I was out of my seat and fighting the stress of the game through the excitement of a possible victory. Once we clinched the win, coach Shane Beamer, danced proudly with the Palmetto trophy high above his head. This unforgettable game takes the cake for my 2024 sports moment. GO GAMECOCKS!
?? SportsTech 2024: Highlight Reel ??
Get ready to relive an incredible year! From working with groundbreaking startups to traveling the globe for events and conferences, 2024 was packed with unforgettable moments. Watch our highlight reel to see some of the moments that made this year so special for SportsTech.
From all of us at SportsTech, we hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday season. We look forward to seeing you again in the New Year with all the stories shaping the sports tech universe.?
Happy Holidays!
Sports | Media | Tech | Telecom…enabling next gen experiences for everyone.
2 个月Congratulations to the entire team and thank you for the continued partnership!
--Camera operator Writing original sitcoms and screenplays.
2 个月Congratulations Sports Tech???? Thank you Comcast NBC Universal. International headquarters in my hometown Philadelphia. Looking forward to creating great sports entertainment content with the company SOON --PHILLY LOVE ????????