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Another week, another edition of The Sports Road, ladies and gentlemen! It’s finally December time and you know what that means – the holidays are nearly here… So with that, what better place is there to begin celebrations early than here with us 😅 Enjoy!
Here's what we got for ya today:
Football is Changing FOREVER!
Boxing’s Future Stars
Swish…
AI, AI, AI…
Most Valuable Sports Teams:
Let's get into it!
We Need to Talk About: Refereeing
Like we always say… I mean, when do we not!?
Alright, alright. We know what you all are thinking; and yes, this section usually goes at the end. But this is GAME CHANGING!
Look, when it comes to refereeing in Football, other than the odd VAR change here and there, we’ve become accustomed to a certain set of procedures. I mean, why would we change them? The game is functioning fine, right?
Well. Not according to those in charge…
That’s right. This week the International Football Association Board (IFAB) announced the potential implementation of sin-bin’s at the elite level.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, sin-bins are most commonly seen in Rugby. Essentially being a ten minute long temporary dismissal, IFAB have cited dissent and cynical fouls to warrant it.
Having been trialled at amateur levels for a few years now, it seems the concept is now gearing up for its appearance in the professional leagues.
This what the IFAB secretary, Lukas Brud had to say:
“Over the next weeks and months, we are going to identify which levels are best to test. I'm hoping in the next few months, we will have clarity about which competitions will want to trial this as well. It's up to them, competition organisers, to decide whether they want to participate in those trials or not. I think it is important to understand that something big like this, and a big decision like that, has to be considered thoroughly when creating protocols and setting up the system to trial it.”
Lukas Brud, IFAB Secretary
Planning for its use in both the Men’s and Women’s game, the announcement – as you would expect – has been met with some controversy.
With many arguing that its use would only slow the game down, others state it to be a great idea – eliminating a variety of grey areas in refereeing and adding a new element to the game we all love.
What do you think?
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The Future of Boxing?
A couple of months ago, we spoke about a new platform that has the potential to change the face of Boxing…
Co-founded by Oleksandr Usyk – Yes, the Heavyweight Champion – and charged by Blockchain technology, Ready to Fight has one clear goal: Provide boxers with easier access to training and help build their careers.
Acting in many ways as a social platform, the service offers tools to help boxers find sparring partners, opponents, agents, and contracts.
This week, Usyk and his partners have made an absolutely massive breakthrough…
That’s right. Signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the World Boxing Council (WBC) – one of the biggest organisations in the sport – Ready to Fight could leave a big legacy…
With the partnership specifically focusing on talent search, development, education, and promotion, in pairing the two’s ability, the door is open for a whole new age of young, up and coming athletes.
“Today, there is an app for everything. You can rent an apartment anywhere in the world based on your own criteria: location, size, quantity of beds, reviews and ratings. You can book a table at a restaurant, arrange a date, hire employees, and see a new movie. We no longer even notice how much we can do in a few clicks on our smartphone. Why should the art of boxing be an exception?”
Sergey Lapin, Usyk's Sport Director and Ready to Fight CEO
Uniquely, the platform allows boxers to track and share their progress while earning cryptocurrency with every forward step in their career.
Being one of the first systems of its kind, while the platform places an extended focus on what happens in the ring, it makes sure not to forget about fighters’ lives outside of it…
With Usyk looking to further cement his partnership with the WBC this February by unifying their Heavyweight belt and beating Tyson Fury, the sky's the limit for both himself and his social platform!
The NBA Like Never Before!
Ah, we couldn’t go too long without bringing it up. Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same…
I think you know where this one is going… Yep, we’re talking about Roblox again!
Taking over the sports world, over the last couple months the online platform have partnered up with – get this – the NHL, NFL, FIFA, US Open, and now (can we get a drumroll please 🥁🥁🥁) NBA!
Acting as a taster for teams to engage with the digital world, Roblox offers a unique opportunity for organisations to expand their viewership, engage younger fans, and create unforgettable experiences; something that the NBA have seemingly identified as important…
Joining forces with Saber Interactive, the firm will develop the game with the hope of building the next generation of NBA fans. This is what we know so far:
Participating in online 2v2 matches, NBA Playgrounds will allow users the ability to play against players from all over the world. Allowing a digital landscape for NBA fans globally to interact, the platform is sure to increase engagement with the league.
Inspired by events and places in real life, the venues and skins will be dictated by NBA teams across the USA.
Giving younger audiences the opportunity to immerse themselves into the world of Basketball, the deal will feature a plethora of NBA minigames.
Being available across nearly every gaming platform you can think of, this deal could represent a big shift in the way NBA fans interact with the league…
“Customise your characters with officially licensed NBA jerseys from your favourite teams and earn card packs that grant experience points, item boosts, outfits, and even new avatars.”
Saber Interactive
AI, AI, AI…
It’s all been going right for Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) recently…
If you don’t know who they are, KSE is one of the world’s biggest sports and entertainment holding companies.
Holding control over LOADS of teams across a number of sports, the firm has seen some serious success over the last couple years.
I mean, just listen to this… 2 Super Bowls, 2 Stanley Cups, an NBA Championship, multiple FA Cups, an MLS cup and more.
Despite that though, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing… Leaning into – how should we put this – a variety of different controversies with fans, the Kroenke’s seem to be putting past issues behind them.
In fact, from the outside looking in, you could actually argue that a flip has finally switched. Seeing the contribution of fans as integral to the on-field performance of their teams, those under the KSE banner have seen some pretty significant off-field development.
Just listen to their newest announcement!
Partnering up with Evolv Technology – a leader in AI security – the Kroenke’s are planning on introducing new security measures at Ball Arena – home of the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and Colorado Mammoth’s.
Enhancing visitor experience through the safe (and fast) implementation of Evolv’s Express technology, fans will be able to pass through a machine with their phones, keys, wallets and other belongings all still in their pockets.
Being able to screen 4,000 people an hour with an average of 95% of fans being able to walk through at a normal speed, the whole experience is bound to become far more comfortable.
We definitely won’t miss those long lines…
“We’ve had nothing but positive results from our relationship with Evolv, both here in Denver and in Los Angeles… As soon as the NBA and NHL approved the technology, we couldn’t wait to bring it in because Evolv further enhances what we care about most – the safety of our patrons and employees.”
Austin McKenna, Executive Director of Safety and Security for KSE
Quick Bites
Manchester United: Bad to Worse…
F1: The Truth…
The Olympics: A Problem?
Meme of the day
Sergio Ramos asked the referee to go to the VAR in order to cancel the second yellow card that he received. The referee went to see the shot on the screen. When he returned, he cancelled the yellow card and gave him a direct red card. 😂
— FootballFunnys (@FootballFunnnys)
Nov 27, 2023
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Quote of the day
"Is it me or the car?"
Lewis Hamilton
Picture of the day
Instagram post by @atleticodemadrid
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