SportsTech Weekly: Content Innovation and Strategic Investment Fuel Industry Growth
Week 19 highlights expanding media platforms, significant funding rounds, and technological integration across the sports ecosystem
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.
As always, if you didn’t missed last week’s developments, you can find the recap of week 18's sports tech highlights.
Moving on to week 19, the sports technology sector continues to showcase impressive momentum across multiple fronts. Content innovation is taking centre stage with PlayersTV unveiling six original shows from star athletes and NBC Sports pioneering AI voice technology for NBA broadcasts.
The investment landscape remains robust with Unrivaled Sports securing a substantial $120 million, while MyVenue received majority backing to accelerate its global expansion. Strategic partnerships continue to reshape the industry, from the England & Wales Cricket Board renewing with TGI Sport to EA SPORTS FC MOBILE's groundbreaking collaboration with MLS and Apple TV.
Technology integration is extending deeper into specialised domains, as exemplified by ECOSEP's partnership with Tata Elxsi to transform sports medicine.
This week's developments further underscore how technology is not only enhancing traditional sports experiences but actively creating entirely new engagement models and business opportunities throughout the ecosystem.
Without further ado;
PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATIONS 🤝🏼
Image source: SPL
The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has agreed a new partnership with technology firm Globant’s arm Sportian, leveraging its competition management solution
SportsEngine Play, the streaming service for youth sports, announced a multi-year extension with Pixellot, offering free streaming to youth sports facilities
EA SPORTS FC™ MOBILE, in a new collaboration with the MLS and Apple TV, is broadcasting 2 live games on FC Mobile’s in-game video platform, FCM TV
Sports analysis platform SportAI has partnered with Save My Play, an AI-powered sports camera platform, integrating its technology into Save My Play’s system
The England & Wales Cricket Board has announced a multi-year renewal with TGI Sport, as the official provider of LED signage production and management services
Sports tech startup, Rookie Me have announced a partnership with NZ Rugby, conducting a talent search via four regional testing combines for the Black Ferns
European College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP) and Tata Elxsi announced a partnership to transform sports medicine with Tata Elxsi’s AI solutions
Image source: Rocket Padel
Rocket Padel has announced a new global partnership with Padel Mates, becoming its new operating platform across all its clubs
Why This Matters: EA SPORTS FC MOBILE's collaboration with MLS and Apple TV to broadcast live games directly within their mobile gaming platform represents a watershed moment in the convergence of gaming and live sports media. This integration creates an entirely new consumption channel that reaches younger demographics where they already are, effectively turning a gaming environment into a media distribution platform. By removing the friction between gaming and watching, this approach could fundamentally reshape audience acquisition strategies for sports properties worldwide, potentially establishing in-game environments as essential components of future media rights packages. This development signals a future where the lines between playing, watching, and interacting with sports continue to blur across digital platforms.
FUNDING & INVESTMENTS 💰
Image source: The Ticketing Business
MyVenue, a venue point-of-sale technology company, received a majority investment from Greater Sum Ventures, aimed at R&D and accelerating global growth
Staked AI, a sports audio automating podcast firm, announced that former Sportradar U.S. President Andrew Bimson has invested and joined the startup’s advisory board
Unrivaled Sports, a youth sports holding company has raised $120 million, led by DICKS Sporting Goods, to expand its presence in venues, leagues and competitions
Why This Matters: Unrivaled Sports' $120 million investment round, signals a shift in the youth sports landscape. This substantial capital injection into the infrastructure of youth sports reflects growing recognition of this segment's commercial potential beyond traditional retail models. With DICK'S strategic involvement, we're likely seeing the beginning of a more integrated ecosystem where retail, venue operations, league management, and competition organisation become increasingly interconnected through technology platforms. This approach could transform how youth sports are organised, commercialised, and experienced, potentially creating more professional pathways while simultaneously addressing access inequalities through more efficient resource allocation.
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS 🪜
Augmented-reality provider Eventshop announced the acquisition of AR firm Interactive Images, allowing fans to upload their content into Eventshop products for AR housing
Why This Matters: Eventshop's acquisition represents an evolution in user-generated content (UGC) within sports experiences. By enabling fans to upload and integrate their own content into augmented reality environments, this technology creates a powerful new dimension of co-creation between sports properties and their audiences. This capability could transform how fans document and share their experiences, effectively turning every attendee into a potential content creator within official digital environments. The acquisition signals a future where the boundaries between official and user-generated content become increasingly fluid, potentially creating entirely new monetisation opportunities through personalised AR experiences and digital memorabilia.
PRODUCT LAUNCHES & TECH INNOVATIONS 🔬
PlayersTV, in partnership with Genius Sports, hosted the 2025 NewFront on May 8, in New York City, using the event to reveal six new original shows from star athletes
Road Runner, the sports and athletics goods company, selected Aptos ONE, a mobile-first POS platform, to be used across their 50+ stores across the US
Starting in the 2025-26 season, NBC Sports will use an AI-generated version of the late Jim Fagan’s voice for select NBA title sequences, show opens and game promos
Why This Matters: NBC Sports' implementation of AI-generated voice technology to recreate the late Jim Fagan's iconic delivery for NBA broadcasts raises profound questions about the future of sports media production and the preservation of legacy. Beyond the immediate nostalgic appeal, this innovation establishes a precedent for how historical broadcasting elements can be respectfully maintained using artificial intelligence. This approach potentially creates an entirely new category of "digital legacy assets" that sports organisations could develop and monetise, while simultaneously opening complex ethical questions about consent, appropriateness, and authenticity in sports broadcasting. The development signals an emerging frontier where technology allows iconic elements of sports history to remain present in contemporary presentations.
INNOVATION HUBS & ACCELERATORS 🏗️
AO StartUps, the sports and entertainment tech programme by Tennis Australia and the Australian Open have opened applications for its 2025 mid-year intake
The Gold Coast Sportstech Open Innovation Challenge, in partnership with ASTN and Southport Sharks has been launched and is set to kickoff on the 22nd of May
Why This Matters: Tennis Australia's continued investment in the AO StartUps programme demonstrates how major tournaments are increasingly positioning themselves as year-round innovation platforms rather than time-limited sporting events. By actively cultivating a technology ecosystem around the Australian Open, Tennis Australia is creating a sustainable innovation pipeline that extends far beyond the tournament's two-week window. This approach represents a sophisticated evolution in how sports properties conceptualise their value – not just as content generators but as ongoing catalysts for technological advancement. The programme's model could provide a template for how other major sporting events can create enduring economic and innovation impact in their respective regions while simultaneously enhancing their core product.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
As this past week concludes, we're witnessing a sports technology landscape increasingly characterised by deeper integration between traditionally separate domains – gaming and live broadcasts, physical retail and digital experiences, professional sports methodology and youth development. The substantial investments flowing into companies like Unrivaled Sports and MyVenue suggest growing market confidence in technology's ability to unlock new value from previously fragmented segments of the sports ecosystem.
Particularly notable is the emerging trend toward technology-enabled personalisation and co-creation, exemplified by Eventshop's acquisition enabling user-generated AR content. This development indicates the industry is moving beyond delivering standardised experiences toward creating platforms where fans can actively participate in shaping their own sports consumption.
Looking forward, we anticipate continued evolution in how technology bridges historical sports elements with contemporary experiences, as demonstrated by NBC Sports' innovative approach to preserving iconic broadcasting voices through AI. Organisations that successfully navigate the balance between innovation and tradition, while creating opportunities for deeper fan participation, will likely emerge as leaders in this increasingly dynamic landscape. Stay tuned for next week's roundup as we continue tracking the transformative developments reshaping the global sports technology landscape.
Track the Trends. Spot the plays. Shape the game.
Thanks for reading,
Dean
P.S. If you found this newsletter valuable, please share it with others who might benefit from these insights. The sports tech industry grows stronger when we learn together.