SportsTech Weekly: AI Takes Centre Stage in Sports Innovation
Week 8 of 2025 brings AI-powered analytics, major funding rounds, and strategic partnerships reshaping the sports landscape
Hello sports tech enthusiasts 👋🏼 Welcome to Regen Sports, your twice-weekly deep dive into the intersection of sports and technology. Every Monday, catch up on the week's most important developments in sports innovation, and every Thursday, explore in-depth analysis of trends, companies, and technological breakthroughs reshaping the future of sports.
Before we get into it, if you didn’t manage to get last week’s developments, be sure to find the recap here. Onto this week’s developments and the sports tech landscape continues to move at an unprecedented pace. From the FA Cup's adoption of semi-automated offside technology (finally) to innovative AI solutions transforming athlete evaluation and fan experiences, we're witnessing a shift in how sports are played, analysed, and consumed. This week's developments underscore the growing influence of artificial intelligence across all aspects of sports, while significant investments and strategic partnerships signal strong confidence in the sector's future.
Let’s unpack this past week;
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & ANALYTICS 📊
Athletic Intelligence Quotient have launched AIQ+, an AI tool for talent evaluation and performance analysis, combines player AIQ scores with an LLM to analyse data
MOGL, a tech platform designed for NIL influencer marketing has launched an AI tool to match brands and athletes, additionally helping brands get better data
FairPlay Sports Media has integrated AI prediction platform Quarter4 to launch FairPlay AI, an innovative hub for predictive analytics and data-driven fan experiences
Image source: Sports Business Journal
NBA player Tristan Thompson was recently named Chief Content Officer and Lead Advisor of TracyAI, a basketball-focused AI agent he founded last year
ElevenLabs announced it’s partnering with Star Sports, the sports division of Jiostar, to deliver real-time AI-powered translations of cricket content
Loughborough University has announced the launch of Game-Intuit, the institution’s first Spinout dedicated to applying AI in sports analytics
Why This Matters: The launch of AIQ+ represents a significant evolution in talent evaluation, combining traditional metrics with advanced AI capabilities. This fusion of human expertise and machine learning could revolutionise how teams scout, develop, and manage athletic talent, potentially reducing recruitment risks and optimising player development pathways.
PARTNERSHIPS & SPONSORSHIPS 🤝🏼
Image source: SPL
The Saudi Pro League (SPL) and Samsung have agreed a new short-term partnership, with the tech giant becoming a sponsor until the end of the 2024/25 season
SCCG Management announced a partnership with Probility AI, a AI technology company specialising in injury and performance prediction for sports athletes and organisations
Oracle Red Bull Racing has announced a multi-year partnership renewal with manufacturing technology company, Hexagon
Paramount has announced a multi-year agreement with EverPass Media, to distribute its coverage of matches from the UEFA Champions League
Qiddiya Investment Company, Mercedes‑AMG and their respective F1 Team have announced a collaborative partnership to open a world-class experience centre
Why This Matters: The Saudi Pro League's partnership with Samsung highlights the growing technological investment in Middle Eastern sports. This collaboration could accelerate the region's digital transformation in sports and set new standards for fan engagement through innovative tech solutions.
FUNDING & INVESTMENTS 💰
Rocket Youth, the youth enrichment platform, announced it had raised over $100 million in backing, led by Maverick Carter and Daniel Sillman
OCHY, an AI-powered movement analysis platform, secured $1.7M in pre-seed funding, led by Redstone's Social Impact Fund
TitletownTech, the VC firm backed by the Packers and Microsoft, announced it will host a “TitletownTech Startup Draft” where the winner will be awarded a $1M investment
Playbypoint, the racquet sports management software company, announced it successfully raised $5.5 million in its latest funding round, led by Blueprint Equity
Why This Matters: Rocket Youth's impressive $100M+ funding round, backed by influential sports figures, demonstrates strong investor confidence in youth sports technology. This investment could significantly impact how young athletes develop and engage with sports, potentially creating more accessible pathways to athletic success.
PRODUCT LAUNCHES & INNOVATIONS 🔬
The FA Cup is set to introduce new semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) for the first time in the fifth round of the competition
Sage, the HR and payroll tech company announced the launch of “Tackling Insights”, a programme aimed at bridging the STEM inequality in Sunderland and South Tyneside
Sydney-based Golf.ai has announced the launch of three new AI experiences - Ai Caddie™, Ai Scorecard™, and What’s in My Bag™
SureVision, an advertising agency, have launched its new LED, crossbar technology, used last weekend at the Māori v Indigenous game at Commbank Stadium
Why This Matters: The FA Cup's adoption of semi-automated offside technology marks a crucial step toward more accurate officiating in football. This implementation could set a new standard for technological integration in traditional sports competitions, potentially reducing controversial decisions and enhancing the game's fairness.
INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS 🏗️
Image source: ASTN
The ASTN, in collaboration with the National Rugby League and Advance Queensland announced the eight startups selected for the 2025 NRL Magic Round Tech Sprint programme (this was first mentioned back in week 1’s roundup)
Australian-based EngageRM, a data-driven CRM solution company, has been selected for LaunchVic’s 30x30 programme, an initiative that supports Victoria’s startups
SURJ Sports Investment, the Saudi’s sports investment company, has agreed to acquire a minority stake in DAZN, the global streaming service in sports entertainment
The NFL announced the finalists for the seventh annual Big Data Bowl, the league’s sports analytics competition that encourages applicants to use Next Gen Stats
Why This Matters: SURJ Sports Investment's acquisition of a DAZN stake signals the growing influence of Middle Eastern investment in global sports media. This move could reshape the streaming landscape and accelerate the digital transformation of sports content delivery.
As week 8 draws to a close, we're witnessing a convergence of AI, traditional sports, and innovative technology. The industry's rapid evolution, and maturation in some parts, is creating new opportunities for athletes, fans, and stakeholders alike. While substantial investments and strategic partnerships continue to drive innovation forward.
The growing emphasis on AI-powered solutions, particularly in analytics and fan engagement, suggests we're entering an era where technology not only enhances sports but transforms how we experience them. As we look ahead, it's clear that the fusion of sports and technology will continue to create exciting possibilities that we're only beginning to imagine. Stay tuned for next week's roundup as we continue to track these groundbreaking developments in the world of sports technology.
Track the Trends. Spot the plays. Shape the game.
Thanks for reading,
Dean
AI is really transforming sports at a crazy pace. Do you think tech like this will ever replace human decision-making completely, or will there always be a balance?