Growing up in Hawaii and working in pineapple fields, Zach Scott probably didn’t think he’d spend the first 15 years of his professional career playing soccer. But with perseverance, determination, a little luck, and a lot of hard work, Scott has defied stereotypes during his remarkable career with the Seattle Sounders FC. The 36-year-old will play his final professional soccer match Sunday afternoon at CenturyLink Field. Known as “Mr. Sounder,” Scott spent his entire career — 15 seasons and 349 games — with the Sounders organization, starting in 2002 when the team was part of the United Soccer League, to when the club entered… Read More
Virtual reality in sports took another step forward on Thursday as the NBA announced that it will air one game per week this season in VR. The league inked a multi-year deal with NextVR, the Laguna Beach, Calif.-based company that raised $80 million in August and lets fans experience games from totally new, immersive perspectives. Starting with an Oct. 27 game at Sacramento’s new high-tech arena, the NBA will work with NextVR and broadcaster Turner Sports to provide NBA League Pass subscribers with games in virtual reality that will feature dedicated announcers and special graphics built specifically for VR. During game breaks, when normal TV viewers watch… Read More
Seattle Sounders FC fans will watch their team do battle in jerseys that have a little extra fighting spirit designed into them on Sunday. In celebration of the release of “Gears of War 4” on XBox One and Microsoft Windows, the team will be wearing Pacific blue jerseys with the XBox and “Gears” logos. Sounders players definitely got their game faces on for a photo shoot to show off the jerseys. Defender Román Torres looks especially intimidating with his tattoo sleeves and menacing scowl as he and teammates posed with models dressed in battle armor from the video game. Hopefully the Sounders… Read More
ShotTracker just brought on two of basketball’s biggest names as investors. The Kansas City-based startup today announced a $5 million seed round that included participation from Johnson, the NBA Hall of Famer, and Stern, the former NBA commissioner who retired in 2014 after 20 years as the league’s leader. ShotTracker makes wearable technology for basketball players. Its first product was built for individual players and includes a wrist sensor and a net sensor. Much of the company’s focus is on a new market: teams. For teams, ShotTracker places sensors on a player’s shoe; in a special Spalding basketball; and in the rafters… Read More
Social media has changed the way brands interact with customers and this trend is perhaps most prevalent in the sports world. Three digital marketing leaders from the Seattle Seahawks, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Vikings spoke on stage at the Seattle Interactive Conference on Tuesday, discussing how their teams use social media tools to increase fan engagement and ultimately help their companies make more money. “I feel like sports has always seemed to take bigger risks,” said panel moderator Josh Decker, CEO of social media display company Tagboard. “They are always doing the cool stuff before it becomes mainstream.” There are plenty… Read More
