SportsTech Week 41: AI Dominates, Blockchain Expands, and Investments Soar
From AI-powered officiating at Wimbledon to blockchain innovations in sports betting, this week's roundup showcases the industry's pursuit of cutting-edge solutions.
Welcome back, sports tech enthusiasts! Another exhilarating week in the world of sports innovation has raced by, leaving us with groundbreaking developments to explore. The SportsTech landscape continues to evolve at speed, with AI and blockchain technologies taking centre stage across multiple domains.
This week, we've witnessed AI making significant strides in everything from officiating at Wimbledon to personalised coaching on fitness apps. The blockchain revolution in sports is gaining momentum, with new platforms and partnerships emerging to enhance fan engagement and create new revenue streams. Meanwhile, investment in the sector remains robust, with millions pouring into startups promising to revolutionise everything from youth sports management to NIL opportunities for athletes.
So, lace up your digital cleats as we sprint through this week's most impactful stories:
Youth sports management solution TeamLinkt introduced a genAI assistant platform, Emi, to help streamline operational efficiencies
London Sport, a charity that encourages healthier living through sport and physical activity has partnered with Satisfi Labs, an AI-powered conversational platform
Image source: Chiliz
Chiliz, the blockchain for sports and entertainment, announced the integration of The Graph, a decentralised protocol for indexing and querying blockchain data
The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) announced that they will replace all line judges with its new AI platform at next year’s Wimbledon ChampionshipsÂ
Paysafe announced a strategic partnership with Gaming Innovation Group to become the GiG-endorsed payments platform
Diego Jota’s eSports venture Luna eSports has partnered with FC Porto to collab together across popular eSports titles, including EAFC, DOTA 2, and Rocket League
The Vegas Golden Knights and AI firm Theta Labs have collaborated on a new AI chatbot, set to roll out during the 2024-25 NHL season
The Seattle Seahawks announced their multi-year extension and expansion with Amazon Web Services, to remain the team’s Official Cloud Provider
Image source: Cisco
The NFL has expanded its relationship with Cisco, leveraging the enterprise’s cybersecurity solutions for the NFL’s international games in 2024 and 2025
Avive Solutions, Inc. announced its selection as a Preferred Provider in the NFL's Smart Heart Sports Coalition "AEDs for Youth" programmeÂ
Konami Digital Entertainment and FIFA announced a strategic partnership to co-host the prestigious FIFAe World Cup on eFootball
The EFL announced the launch of its inaugural innovation programme, the EFL Innovation Lab, in partnership with corporate innovation specialist L Marks
Patrice Evra and tech entrepreneur Tommy Fish have launched a networking app for footballers dubbed Player, set to open to the public in 2025
Athlete Career Transition (ACT) Group Ltd, a global support system for athletes transitioning from sports to business, has officially launched in the US
Toca Football, Inc., a soccer experience company, raised approximately $100m in a series F funding to accelerate its global growth by investing in new technologies
Roy, a sportstech company reshaping the NIL landscape, announced the completion of a $2 million seed funding round
BreezeLabs, the audio breathing detection device for improving training, closed a pre-seed funding round
Image source: Fanatics
Fanatics Live acquired the assets of Voggt, a European live-commerce platform specialising in live shopping for collectibles
Fitness tracking app Strava released a new AI coach that helps users reach their workout goals, albeit to mixed reviews
Tottenham Hotspur have announced Salesforce as the club’s new customer relationship manager (CRM) partner, providing personalised experiences for fans
Greenlite Ventures announced the acquisition of Grin Gaming, accelerating AI-driven solutions for sports bettingÂ
Bengaluru-based sportstech startup Sports For Life has raised seed funding, aiming to invest in and support the sports ecosystem in India
Karate Combat, crypto's first professional striking league, is set to launch UP, a layer 2 blockchain software licensing platform built on Hedera in 2025
Athena Pathway, AI advances developed by Bain & Company, set to optimise British competitors’ racing performance in inaugural Women's America's Cup
Springbok Analytics received FDA 510(k) clearance for MuscleView, an AI-powered technology that analyses muscle health via magnetic resonance (MR) images
NHL Breakaway returns with Series 2 for the 2024/25 NHL regular season, introducing new features and more interactive collecting experiences for fans
As we wrap up another thrilling week in the world of sports technology, it's clear that the industry's momentum is not slowing down. The sheer diversity of innovations we've seen – from AI-powered officiating at Wimbledon to blockchain-based fan engagement initiatives – underscores the vast potential for technology to transform every facet of the sports ecosystem.
As we look ahead, it's evident that AI and blockchain will continue to be driving forces in sports innovation, reshaping everything from officiating and athlete performance to fan engagement and sports betting. The challenge for industry players will be to harness these technologies in ways that enhance the core values of sports – fair play, competition, and community – while opening up new avenues for engagement and revenue.
Stay tuned for our next edition, where we'll continue to track these exciting developments and uncover the next game-changing innovations in the world of sports technology. Don't forget to share this newsletter with your network of sports enthusiasts. Your insights and feedback fuel our passion for staying at the cutting edge of this dynamic industry. Until next time!