TAYLOR’S TAKE ON THE WEEK IN SPORTS TECH: I’ve just returned from a week at CES, where sports tech was once again a topic of focus at the world’s largest technology show in Las Vegas. I ran into everyone from the world’s fastest man — yes, I need to work on my Usain Bolt pose — to David Stern, the former longtime NBA commissioner. And for the third year in a row, I got to catch up with Inside the NBA analysts and former NBA stars like Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith — fun times. In addition to former and current… Read More
It has been nearly four years since Steve Ballmer left his job as Microsoft CEO, and he’s noticeably more relaxed these days. “One of the nice things about having four or five unrelated things you work on (is that) people always assume you’re working in one of the other areas even when you’re out screwing around, playing golf,” he joked on stage Wednesday at the Rotary Club of Seattle. RELATED: If Steve Ballmer could show President Trump and Congressional leaders one slide, this would be it But he’s no less energetic or enthusiastic about the projects he’s pursuing, as anyone… Read More
Major League Soccer is following in the footsteps of the NBA with its own esports league. MLS announced Friday the creation of “eMLS,” a new competitive gaming league organized in partnership with EA Sports. MLS teams — 19 of 23 at the outset — will be represented by one FIFA 18 gamer who will compete against others for a chance to represent the league in the FIFA 18 Global Series Playoffs and ultimately the FIFA eWorld Cup 2018. The eMLS Cup, taking place this April at PAX East in Boston, will help determine the winner. The teams will use their… Read More
LAS VEGAS — There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the early success of Las Vegas’ first NHL franchise — for startups, for new sports franchises, and for Seattle. I took a break from the CES mayhem this week and met up with George McPhee, general manager of the Vegas Golden Knights, at the team’s practice facility 30 minutes east of The Strip in Summerlin. The NHL expansion team is defying expectations in its first year as part of the world’s best hockey league, both on the ice and in the front office. The Knights sit atop… Read More
LAS VEGAS — First, it was Deion Sanders and Satya Nadella. Now, it’s Tony Romo and Brian Krzanich. During Intel’s big keynote at CES in Las Vegas on Monday, the company brought out Romo, the former Dallas Cowboys star quarterback, on stage to tout its “True View” technology — previously known as “freeD” — that lets fans experience the perspective of professional athletes during games. A funny moment came just before Romo appeared on stage, when Kraznich, Intel’s CEO, accidentally referred to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady as “Tony Romo” while showing a clip of Brady. He apologized to… Read More
