The STA Group Access Innovation Newsletter - March 31
The STA Group
Shaping the future of sports by bringing together the brightest minds in science, engineering, design, and technology.
News – FIBA Premieres Interactive LED Glass Floor for U19 Women’s World Cup
An innovative glass floor court will be used for the first time in an official International Basketball Federation ( FIBA ) competition this July during the U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup. The LumiFlex court is a full video floor allowing for interactive applications as well as an enhanced show staging with additional options for advertising. The flooring can also feature the ability to add player tracking, making it possible to display live stats and athletic achievements on the surface. See the floor in action in the video below ??
News – Elon Musk and Experts Say AI Development Should be Paused Immediately
Elon Musk and a group of artificial intelligence experts are calling for a pause in the training of powerful AI systems due to the potential risks to society and humanity. The letter, issued by the non-profit Future of Life Institute and signed by more than 1,000 people, warned of potential risks to society and civilisation by human-competitive AI systems in the form of economic and political disruptions. It called for a six-month halt to the "dangerous race" to develop systems more powerful than OpenAI's newly launched GPT-4.
News – MLB Unveils New Replay Technology Approach Ahead of New Season
Improved replay technology and a refreshed marketing strategy designed to focus on players were among the notable changes unveiled at Major League Baseball (MLB) 's Innovation and Fan Engagement Showcase this week, ahead of Opening Day. Following the MLB’s deal with Zoom , a new ‘replay room’ feature allowing on-field umpires to watch the replay operations centre evaluating contested calls. A limited number of telecasts will be receiving access to the Zoom videos being seen by umpires on Apple TV+ and MLB Network Showcase broadcasts.
News – San Francisco Giants Launch First Wi-Fi 6E Enabled Venue in Professional Sports
In other MLB-related news, the San Francisco Giants have announced that this season its Oracle Park stadium will become the first outdoor professional sporting venue to host WiFi 6E connectivity. To support the roll-out, the Giants have installed around 900 WiFi devices around the ground. The move is targeted at improving overall fan experience by enabling high-quality internet access for second-screening, stat checking, in-seat food orders and more.
News – TMRW Sports Signs up Next League as Digital Partner
TMRW Sports , the tech-focused golf venture founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, has announced a deal with digital growth consultancy and technology services company Next League to work on TMRW Sports’ tech-infused team competition, TGL. As part of a multi-year agreement, Next League will deliver the official website, mobile app and other digital experiences for TGL, which comprises a series of one-day stadium events from 2024 featuring some of the world’s leading golfers from the PGA Tour.
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Feature – The NBA is Using Virtual Reality to Attract Younger Fans
This article from InsideHook reports on a recent trial of the National Basketball Association (NBA) ’s new immersive app at Syracuse University where students unanimously loved how close Virtual Reality was able to take them to the action. The students watched the New York Knicks play the Boston Celtics wearing Quest 2 VR headsets from Meta which provide a 180-degree viewing experience powered by the virtual reality sports hub app Xtadium and built by YBVR. Earlier this year, the NBA and Meta?announced?a multi-year extension of its partnership that ensures 52 live NBA games will be presented in Meta Horizon Worlds’, five of them in 180-degree monoscopic, 2880-resolution VR.
Feature – Digitally Connected Kits Could Serve as Direct Connection to Verified Fans
During the recent El Classico fixture against arch-rivals Real Madrid C.F. , FC Barcelona wore a special-edition kit featuring the brand of musician Rosalia as part of its $296 million sponsorship agreement with Spotify . This feature from JohnWallStreet assesses the digital connection opportunity that limited-edition jerseys provide and how they can enable clubs to build deeper relationships and gather valuable first-party fan data.
Feature – The Future Smartphone: More Folds, Less Phone, a Whole Lot of AI
This feature from WIRED begs the question: what is the future of the smartphone? Data from the 2022 holiday season showed smartphone shipments declined more than 18 percent from the same period the year before. In general, last year had the lowest annual shipment total since 2013. WIRED asks more than half a dozen technologists, builders, designers, analysts, and futurists their thoughts on what’s next for the smartphone.
???Introducing the Tech Chairs Podcast!???
ICYMI The STA Group has launched a new podcast presented by broadcaster,?John Inverdale?and our CEO,? Rebecca Hopkins .?The weekly series sees John and Rebecca receive insider insights from tech experts, sports entrepreneurs, elite coaches, industry leaders and champion athletes, including?Sir Sir Ben Ainslie ,? Paul Hawkins OBE?and? Chris Boardman MBE. From the evolution of trainers to how DNA impacts your injuries, Tech Chairs is a must listen for sports fans, sports executives and the ‘sports tech curious’.
The STA Group is a multifaceted sports technology business, operating at the heart of sport globally. Sign up for the full edition of the bi-weekly Access Innovation newsletter here:?sportstechgroup.org?and send us your news at:?[email protected].