The NBA is tapping the power of its partnership with Microsoft to deliver advanced analytics that offer insights into shots, passes, defense, double teams and more. NBA CourtOptix Powered by Microsoft Azure utilizes the tech giant’s artificial intelligence and machine learning to track and analyze action on the court and turn it into insightful video about how well players perform in various situations and how that data stacks up against league averages. Microsoft partnered with the league last year to become its official AI and cloud partner. They quickly went to work during the shortened 2020 season and used Microsoft… Read More
Jeff Bezos is among the investors taking part in an $80 million funding round in Overtime, a sports media brand with plans to launch a new basketball league for elite high school players. The Amazon CEO’s investment company Bezos Expeditions took part alongside notable co-investors such as hip-hop star Drake, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, and a host of current and former NBA stars. Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Overtime calls itself “a publisher and an influencer” and has become a social media juggernaut in five years, with programming across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and more attracting 14 billion views a year. The… Read More
High-tech football helmet maker Vicis is a runaway leader in a new ranking of the key piece of equipment by the National Football League and the NFL Players Association. Vicis helmets took the top three spots in the annual Helmet Laboratory Testing Performance Results in which helmets are assessed by independent experts, measuring the ability of the equipment to reduce the severity of impacts to the head. The study, in its sixth year, featured more than 25 different helmets approved for use in the upcoming NFL season, and aims to help players make more informed decisions about which gear they… Read More
Redmond, Wash.-based Tagboard has entered into a new four-year deal with Major League Baseball to help the league create interactive content and experiences utilizing the startup’s cloud-based production platform. Following a year in which COVID-19 transformed the way people view sports and teams try to engage with fans, MLB’s aim is to bolster fan engagement across in-stadium, livestream, and digital properties. Tagboard has worked with MLB for years as well as the NFL, CNN, FOX and others. The company’s new Tagboard Interactive graphics system gives producers access to real-time social media content and the ability to craft interactive media, such… Read More
Amazon is going deep in its relationship with the National Football League, signing on for a new 11-year deal that will make Prime Video the exclusive home of “Thursday Night Football.” The move was announced Thursday as part of the NFL’s long-term broadcast agreements, running from the 2023 to 2033 seasons. The new deal, alongside agreements with Fox, NBC, CBS and ESPN, is the NFL’s first all-digital pact with a media partner and reports put a hefty price tag on Amazon’s commitment. Sportico reported that Amazon effectively doubled the $660 million Fox was paying for “TNF” and will pay $1.3… Read More
