A weekly look at some of the advances being made in the global world of sports technology over the past seven days.
Anyscor secures Enterprise Ireland backing for AI-powered grassroots scoring
A significant milestone landed last week in an Irish context and was reported on by Sport for Business.
Anyscor — the Irish sports-tech startup streamlining real-time scoring and fan updates for amateur clubs — officially joined Enterprise Ireland’s High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) programme, receiving a significant PSSF investment.
The funds are being channelled into accelerating the development of its AI-driven platform and expanding deployment across more sports and regions — a big step for community-level engagement.
FIFA tests referee body cams and AI-enhanced offside detection at Club World Cup
FIFA will debut two groundbreaking technologies during early matches of the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States: live referee body cameras and an AI-driven semi-automated offside detection system.
The body cams provided real-time footage from the officials’ perspective, aiming to improve transparency and deepen fan understanding of on-field decisions.
Meanwhile, the offside system leverages ball sensors and a sophisticated network of limb-tracking cameras to instantly flag potential infractions.
Although VAR officials still make the final call, the tool significantly reduces the time required for decision-making.
This pilot signals FIFA’s readiness to scale up both technologies for the 2026 World Cup, as it seeks to enhance fairness while making officiating more viewer-friendly.
NHL accelerates Hawk‑Eye rollout for puck and player tracking
The NHL announced a major expansion of its puck and player tracking system, integrating Sony’s Hawk‑Eye technology to provide precision data down to the millimetre.
Initially used in tennis and cricket for line calls, Hawk-Eye now helps officials and broadcasters track the exact location and speed of the puck and players in real-time.
This not only supports more accurate officiating, especially in goal-line and offside calls, but also provides commentators and fans with richer insights through augmented replays and data overlays.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman emphasised that the technology will “take the guesswork out of controversial moments” and increase trust in game outcomes.
He must have been over to Croke Park to see it in action.
Detroit Tigers enhance training with smart cage and pitch replication tech
The Detroit Tigers baseball team showcased a cutting-edge training system last week, featuring a “smart cage” integrated with multiple tracking sensors and the Trajekt Arc pitching machine.
The Arc simulates the pitching styles and release points of actual MLB opponents using high-speed video and real-time mechanics replication.
By combining this with bat tracking and swing analytics inside the smart cage, players can tailor their training with pinpoint accuracy. The system is part of a broader move across Major League Baseball to embed data science and biomechanics directly into athlete development, giving hitters a more competitive edge while minimising injury risk.
Could the same be applied to Cricket?
SwingVision’s Electric Line Calling debuts in collegiate tennis
At a time when Wimbledon is looming on the horizon, the days of disputed line calls even at a local level may be about to end.
In a significant step for grassroots and collegiate tennis, SwingVision demonstrated its Electric Line Calling (ELC) system during a University of Florida tennis exhibition.
The AI-powered system uses a single camera to detect and call line faults with millisecond precision—eliminating the need for human line judges and ensuring consistent rulings across matches.
Already used in hundreds of NCAA matches, SwingVision’s system lowers costs while increasing fairness, especially at lower-tier events that lack the budget for Hawk‑Eye.
The company’s broader vision is to democratise officiating technology so players at all levels can benefit from professional-grade accuracy.
Polish startup ReSpo.Vision raises €4.2M to revolutionize match analytics
ReSpo.Vision, a Warsaw-based sports tech startup, announced a €4.2 million funding round to further develop its AI-driven computer vision platform.
The software extracts 3D positional data from regular broadcast footage—no sensors required—offering teams real-time tactical insights.
Coaches can visualize player movement patterns, space usage, and formation shifts within seconds of a play unfolding.
The technology is already being piloted in European football clubs and aims to replace expensive GPS tracking systems with scalable, camera-only setups.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
Women in Sport, Sports Media and Sport for Social will all be in the spotlight over the rest of this week. Sport for Business is in planning for a strong second half of events to bring our community of sporting and business leaders together.
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