How Technology Became Team MVP Across Professional Sports

In 1982, sabermetrics was created to help more thoroughly evaluate baseball players’ impact on the result of a game. The strategy of gathering data and using it to determine who is best suited to play is not a new one. How teams are going about gathering information and methods by which they are obtaining player stats though, is continuously evolving.

David Geddes, President and CEO of The International Sports Technology Association (ISTA), a global organization whose mission is to promote the adoption and furthering of education of sports technology, says new innovations are continuing to refine how teams operate at an every level.

“Video has re-emerged as a great tool where sophisticated algorithms help trainers and coaches do their jobs more efficiently,” he said.

Geddes went on to mention several companies in the emerging sports technology field that the industry should take note of, such as Swiss video analytic solution provider DartFish.

DartFish provides a 3D rendering solution that can customize video reels with illustrations and data from third party applications. This system uses graphics in a sport like football to illustrate exactly which direction a kick is going or to point out what positions could have been taken to improve the outcome of a play.

Geddes also mentioned Santa Monica, Calif. startup REELY, saying it, “had recently signed a deal with a collegiate conference to edit game video on their platform to provide coaches highlight reels.”

REELY uses an artificial intelligence (AI) system that automates the video editing and highlight-cutting process for all sports, even esports. The startup is partnered with Gamerzarena, a website that hosts contests which gamers can enter for the chance to win cash prizes or sponsored gifts.

As for software currently available to identify a team’s and player’s strengths and weaknesses, Geddes said there is still room to grow.

“There are very few software packages that do matchups well enough to use in real games but there are statistical engines within athlete data platforms that provide ‘casual’ recommendations,” he noted. “The use of sophisticated ‘Monte Carlo’ simulations to make predictions is common in high levels within motorsport, however, most athlete endeavors do not have good enough data to do this, yet.”

With all the technological advances being developed and demand from coaches and teams increasing, professional leagues need to not only focus on the players competing on the field, but also the fans cheering them on and the businesses sponsoring them.

“The discipline of artificial intelligence applied to sport is maturing as in other industries. One area that has emerged, which doesn’t get much notice, is in crunching data about sports events to better understand the value of ads and sponsorship,” he said. “This is being used to help data and analytics teams understand how brands are perceived and viewed. Let’s not forget that modern sport is funded via corporate sponsorship, so understanding the return on investments is critical for brands who often spend millions on one event.”

Organizations like the NHL, NFL and the NCAA are attaining services and products from companies who concentrate solely on the examination and tracking of data from each team within their league. One of the companies supplying their services to those leagues is XOS Digital, Inc.

In 2012, XOS Digital acquired StratBridge’s analytic evaluating system, StratEdge. The latter was an analytic system used to evaluate sports teams by using calculated player stats, along with integration of video data and scouting reports. The information gathered was then used by coaches and front office personnel to better evaluate players and free agents.

XOS Digital has been a provider of technology enhancement in the realm of sports since 1994. The company provides their clients with a variety of top technology solutions from coaching, officiating, recruiting and scouting solutions, to providing tools to gain insight and data collection on their players during the game and practice.

On April 27, 2017, XOS Digital’s parent company, Australia-based Catapult Group International, (who acquired XOS Digital in July 2013) signed a league-wide agreement with the NHL. The company provides video made for tablets that can be accessed on a team’s bench during play. This way players and coaches can better analyze their actions in real time.

The agreement began with the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs where XOS Digital services and products would be used by the 23 teams in the league.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

English Proficiency: Opening Doors to International Health Careers
English Proficiency: Opening Doors to International Health Careers
February 13, 2025

In this special episode of Care Anywhere: The Global Health Workforce Podcast, host Lea Sims, Chief Marketing Officer and Host at CGFNS International, dives deep into the critical role of English language proficiency in global healthcare workforce mobility. Joined by guest Spiros Papageorgiou, Principal Measurement Scientist at ETS, the discussion unpacks how language proficiency benchmarks…

Read More
employer-built healthcare
Employer-Built Healthcare Plans: Controlling Costs and Transforming Care
February 12, 2025

The rising cost of healthcare continues to strain employers and employees alike. With premiums climbing at a rate outpacing inflation, many organizations are burdened with high costs and subpar outcomes. Employer-built healthcare models are emerging as a potential solution, enabling organizations to take control of their healthcare systems. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation,…

Read More
payment processing
Maestro PMS All-In-One Solution Provider Unveils 2025 Tech Roadmap Featuring API Interface Expansion, Embedded Payment Processing Enhancements and More
February 12, 2025

Industry leading property-management system continues to innovate its solutions by overhauling its user experience, expanding access to embedded payment processing, enhancing its sales and catering module, developing integration to Booking.com and more MARKHAM, ONTARIO, February 11, 2025 — Following a banner year for hotel technology investments,  Maestro PMS, the leader in All-In-One cloud hosted, private…

Read More
Brain Trust Member Spotlight: Sterling Mineral Imports
February 11, 2025

From Passion to Business – The Story of Parker Sterling At the heart of Sterling Mineral Imports is a deep passion for the outdoors, a love for discovery, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Founded in 2021-2022 by Parker Sterling, the company was built on a lifetime of fascination with minerals, crystals, and fossils. “I have…

Read More