Sports Technology is a sector where some of the smartest thinking in human performance and digital engagement is taking place. It is the equivalent of the Space Race of the 1960s in terms of what it can deliver for the wider world, and Ireland is in a central position with companies like Whoop, Stats Perform, StatSports and Orreco having strong presences on the island.
Each week we bring the Sport for Business network a look at some of the biggest advances and trends that are continually reshaping the ways in which sport is leading the way in technology.
Today we highlight a US Trend on food at stadia, Pixellot’s advance into player performance and Twitter’s staggering World Cup Numbers.
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FANS LOOK FOR DIGITAL EXPERIENCE
A new survey from California has revealed that 53 percent of fans would prefer to order food and drink in stadia over an app rather than wait in line and that 33 percent would be willing to pay a premium to do so.
This is a trend from over there which is most likely coming here sooner rather than later.
Uber Eats is already in place at Yankee Stadium and Dodger Stadium in New York and Los Angeles and others are rushing to join the party.
Just Eat this week extended their partnership with Leinster rugby and that may be one of the first points at which we see the switch to digital ordering here.
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PIXELLOT AUTOMATING PLAYER DATA ANALYSIS
Pixellot, the leading provider of AI-automated sports production, has teamed up with Playermaker, an award-winning sports technology company that specialises in wearable devices for tracking and analysing players’ technical and physical performance.
Pixellot’s system, which incorporates automated video and analytics to capture and analyse every moment of the match, will now provide teams with faster and more in-depth analytics.
Pixellot cameras are in place at most League of Ireland grounds as a result of the explosion in streaming provision required through Covid and lockdowns.
By incorporating Playermaker’s technology, Pixellot’s platform will now allow teams to track and analyse every aspect of a player’s performance, from passing and kicking to speed and distance travelled, all on one video platform. This level of detail helps coaches identify areas for improvement and fine-tune training and game programs to maximise performance.
“We are excited to join forces with Playermaker to bring a new cutting-edge technology solution to the world of football,” said Pixellot CEO Alon Werber. “The combination of our video and analytics platform and Playermaker’s unique data will provide teams with a comprehensive understanding of player performance, helping them make more informed decisions and win. The tagged, synchronised video and statistics are a real time saver and game changer for coaches.”
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TWITTER RECORDS 147 BILLION IMPRESSIONS AROUND WORLD CUP
The numbers are staggering and quite honestly difficult to even comprehend.
Twitter reported after the FIFA World Cup that it had recorded almost twenty times more impressions during the tournament than there are people in the world.
It may be shallow in terms of engagement but my god that level of reach is beyond the wildest dreams of brand managers looking to make a mark.
Of course the bigger the number the harder it is to get noticed but the Twitter report did identify Adidas, Budweiser and Hyundai as the brands to do just that.
Here are the top five moments that generated the biggest peaks of Twitter conversation, measured in Tweets per minute (TPM), during the entire tournament:
- Argentina vs France, Final. End of the penalty kicks, Argentina wins the World Cup.
- Argentina vs France, Final. Mbappé equalizes with a stunning strike!
- Croatia vs Brazil, Quarterfinals. Brazil misses last penalty kick. Croatia moves to the semifinals.
- Argentina vs France, Final. Di Maria scores for Argentina. 2-0.
- Croatia vs Brazil, Quarterfinals. Neymar scores. Brazil takes the lead in the 106th minute.
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