Josh Barnett -- managing director for editorial, SBJ
“In a digital world in which everything -- and we mean, everything -- can be weighed or measured with great precision, a first down in the NFL is somehow still determined by a chain and eyeballing the spot. Seems like there has to be a better way to do this -- or should have been by now. Identify the problem and find the solution is at the heart of how we use technology. When Gary Brantley, the NFL’s chief information officer, visited with SBJ during this year's Tech Week in New York City, he spoke about the tests of optical-tracking technology for line-to-gain rulings being ‘extremely successful.’ Since the panel, the NFL has said it will implement the tracking by the preseason, with a conditional plan to fully roll out this season. ‘What we’re looking at today will put us at the forefront of it all,’ Brantley told attendees. ‘We’ll literally move from the background to what I believe is a leader in that space.' And not to sound like a commercial for SBJ, but being at the ‘forefront of it all’ is what we strive for with our Tech coverage, so game recognizes game.”
Jenn Azara -- managing editor, SBJ Tech
“I loved the story where Joe Lemire enlisted ChatGPT 4 to complete a March Madness bracket. Generative AI has taken the sports industry by storm this past year with so many potential use cases ... as well as concerns. Not only is this a fun ‘edutainment’ piece, it also underscores some key concepts about the technology, like that for AI to be useful, you have to train the models. ChatGPT couldn’t just spit out a competitive bracket without a human first teaching the tech about the tournament and past performances. An important reminder as sports continues to double down on AI.”
Joe Lemire -- senior writer, SBJ Tech
“A persistent refrain during this period of accelerating growth in women’s sports is that investment has been lacking, and that has certainly been true in performance development and injury prevention as well. Insole sensor company Plantiga is now doing something about that, equipping researchers and coaches alike the with the data-driven tools to help practitioners understand the differences between men and women athletes and hopefully unlock insights for more catered training programs. This is now reaching the very best athletes in elite women’s basketball, a growing footwear brand and more. Plantiga’s concerted focus on women’s sports has the potential to help while also, as CEO Quin Sandler candidly admitted, being a smart business investment to reach an underserved market.”
Rob Schaefer -- staff writer, SBJ Tech
“The WNBA’s landmark optical-tracking data deal with Genius Sports touched several of our coverage pillars, and our newsletter guru, Ethan Joyce, covered it in kind. Disparate data capacity -- the W is the first U.S. women’s professional sports league to gain access to 3D ball/player data -- is an underdiscussed aspect of leveling the playing field between men’s and women’s sports as it pertains to athlete performance, media presentation, fan engagement and more. This story puts that tension into clear perspective. Particularly intriguing was the inclusion of a Parity study that showed most fans desire richer analytics for women’s sports. With such a wave of momentum surrounding this faction of the sports industry, there has never been a better time for rights holders to lean in.”
My pick
“OK, I’ll admit: I'm a sucker for a multi-byline story. To me, it shows a newsroom producing the best version of a story that it can. So when Joe, Rob and I banded together to report on the Apple Vision Pro, I was proud of the look we provided readers on the device’s potential future in the pro sports industry. The Apple Vision Pro arrived with a lot of fanfare, but chatter around it seems to have hushed for right now. That said, the Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest and other VR headset players are going to eventually create an amazing virtual experience for sports fans. You don't have to look far to see some clear visions (pun not intended but appreciated) of inspiration, and both happen to be coming from golf. Golf+, winner of the Best in Extended Reality category from SBA: Tech earlier this year, has built a large online following and is becoming a bridge between the PGA Tour and new fans with the Meta Quest headset. The Tour has also worked to create a unique user experience with its Apple Vision Pro app, PGA Tour Vision, with the help of Quintar, one of SBJ’s 10 Most Innovative Sports Tech Companies of 2022. There’s no better time to be a sports fan if you ask me, and it’s only getting better.”
An honorable mention:
“The Blazers’ test run with accessibility tech company OneCourt -- providing an inclusive experience for fans with blindness or low vision -- is an important lesson to all teams. I’m a firm believer that tech is not only going to take us forward in the fan experience, but it will allow us to catch up with those who have been left behind. Making a little extra effort to be inclusive will create some long-lasting connections.
