SportsTech Roundup: AI, Blockchain, and Olympic Innovation

From AI-powered player scans to blockchain gaming: This week's tech-driven sports revolution.

Another action-packed week in the world of sportstech has just wrapped up, and the pace of innovation shows no signs of slowing down. From AI-powered advancements to blockchain integrations and Olympic preparations, the industry continues to push boundaries in exciting new directions. Lace up your digital cleats as we dive into this week's highlight reel:

1. Electronic Arts used AI to scan photos of 11,000 college football players to digital life in 3 months 

2. TapNation to launch Athletics Rush game on Tezos blockchain ahead of Paris Olympics

3. Manchester City has launched a themed map in Fortnite Creative known as The Ladder

4. Samsung's ShotControl, the AI-powered sports analytics tool to aid the Dutch national men’s basketball team

   

   Image source: Chiliz

5. BSC Young Boys migrated their NFT ecosystem to the sports blockchain platform Chiliz

6. Centennial Yards Company today announced its long-term partnership with Cosm to create an immersive entertainment venue for live sports

7. SkillCorner, which leverages AI for data tracking signed the Magic as its first basketball client

8. Swedish sports nutrition startup Maurten raised €20M, led by VC firm IRIS Ventures

9. BSC Young Boys latest football club to partner with WSC Sports for AI-powered content strategy   

10. First robotic bartenders served cocktails at the 2024 MLB All-Star Game

11. LootMogul, an AI-powered sports marketing and technology platform, announced an increase of its core offerings

12. eToro launched AI-generated ad campaign for Paris Olympics

13. eSkootr Championship bring virtual production to live event broadcasting

14. Sportradar integrates live sports and betting data into social media video ads

15. 

    Image source: Genius Sports

16. English Football League (EFL) partnered with Genius Sports to create Fantasy EFL, a fantasy football game made up of all 72 member clubs

17. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick launches AI start-up with Seven Seven Six as a majority investor

18. CoinEx sponsored the 2024 Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) All-Star Game, marking the first time the Web3 industry has sponsored this sports event

    

    Image source: One Football

19. Udinese Calcio announced APU Apustaja meme coin as a sleeve sponsor for 2024-25 season

20. The IOC and Panini announced a licensing agreement to create collectible stickers and cards for the Paris and Winter Games

21. Panathinaikos BC AKTOR, in collaboration with Globalsat, is set to install the ASB GlassFloor, the Full-LED video sports surface

22. NBC Sports coverage of the Tour de France adds augmented reality (AR)

23. DFL confirm to testing new technology with a chip in the football during DFL Super Cup

24. B2B gaming content provider Inspired launched betting solution Re-Play Esports in collaboration with Betano

25. Esports organisation NAVI partnered with Visa to create new youth-focused esports academy project

26. Alpine Esports has rebranded to Alpine Sim Racing and announced a partnership with esports organisation G2 Esports

27. TRAIT, a Berlin-based training app raised around €1 million in seed funding from HTGF

28. Granada-based sports and fitness management platform FitnessKPI secured €1 million in a funding round led by Angels Capital

29. LEAD Sports and health tech partners launched LEAD ONE,  a new direct, pre-seed investment vehicle

30. Japanese Olympic athletes set to wear infrared uniforms to deter camera creeps

31. City of Paris takes legal action against helicopter taxis during the Olympic Games

32. Relo Metrics launched an industry-leading in-venue analysis solution for sports properties

33. 

    Image source: A2RL

34. The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), announced the next phase with the formation of the Drone Champions League (DCL)

35. CGTN launched newly built virtual broadcast studio to present an immersive experience in Paris using SOTA AR/VR technology

36. Olympic athletes spotted wearing earpieces

37. CNN's Kristie Lu Stout tests out new AI motion-tracking technology, already being used by the NBA to scout for new basketball talent

38. Alibaba’s cloud-based AI cameras power dynamic, multi-angle replays and 3D models at 2024 Paris Olympics

    

    Image source: One Football

39. AC Milan have partnered with Kraft Analytics Group to improve fan engagement

40. Alibaba premiered "To the Greatness of HER" Short Film using AI to celebrate female olympic athletes achievements

As we close out another exhilarating week in sportstech, it's clear that the intersection of athletics and cutting-edge technology is more vibrant than ever. From EA's groundbreaking AI player scans to innovative Olympic preparations and the continued rise of blockchain in sports, the future of athletic competition and fan engagement is being reshaped before our eyes.

Stay ahead of the game by sharing this newsletter with fellow sports and tech enthusiasts. Together, we can build a community that's always one step ahead in the fast-paced world of sportstech. Until next time, keep your eye on the ball and your mind on the future!