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Welcome back to The Sports Road, everyone! The world is changing. With technology beginning to take over key aspects of our day-to-day lives, sport is not exempt from some heavy changes… Be the first to know about everything sport and tech here with us. Enjoy!
Here's what we got for ya today:
Jake Paul is Fighting WHO?!?!
The Next Step…
Can This Tech Spark a Comeback?
The Champions League…
Most Valuable Sports Teams:
Let's get into it!
We Need to Talk About: Jake Paul…
Alright, alright. If you read The Sports Road regularly, you would know that we usually end with this section.
But, every so often a story so outrageous comes out that makes us think: WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS!
This story is most definitely one of those…
So. Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. Yep… Let us say that one more time. Jake Paul – former Youtube and Disney star – fighting against one of, if not, the hardest-hitting Boxers to ever live…
Since the announcement was made late last week, fans have had a mixed response to say the least… 😅😅
Why? Well, while that all may sound pretty exciting and out there, when considering the reality of the situation, things begin to look a bit different…
Nearly approaching 60 years old, Mike Tyson has only fought once in the last 19 years in a 2020 bout which saw him face off in an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. which – while exciting – showed both competitors’ age.
Taking that into consideration, fans – as you can expect – were not too pleased with the prospect of Tyson facing a 27-year-old Jake Paul who – despite what you may think about him – has shown himself to possess punching power that could most definitely put people out.
i’ve just found the original photo of Mike Tyson from the Jake Paul poster, it was taken 19 years ago and they photoshopped a recent tattoo on it to make it look like a recent picture
we are dealing with levels of shamelessness that we have never seen before 😭
— OOC MMA (@oocmma)
Mar 7, 2024
Interestingly, however, the bout – in addition to its impacts to the influencer Boxing scene – could also represent a gargantuan shift in the world of sports broadcasting.
That’s right. Officially being streamed live on Netflix, the bout will be available (for no additional costs) to all subscribers!
Being one of the firm’s first entries into the world of live sports streaming, Netflix – who are largely considered the biggest streaming service in the world – could shake up the entire sports industry if they were to continue down this route…
WATCH. THIS. SPACE.
You know, if watching a 60 year old fight against a guy in his mid-twenties isn’t really your thing 😅
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College Football: The Next Step
It may not be College Football season, but that does NOT stop things from going on behind-the-scenes. And trust us, these ideas could contribute to some pretty big changes…
A couple weeks ago, we spoke to you about the approval of two new key technological applications into the NCAA.
Giving players and coaches more ownership over what is happening in the played game, the organisation – which dominates the American College Football scene – is not stopping there…
Having a pre-existing deal with experts in sports data, Genius Sports, the NCAA is set to be heavily impacted by the Genius’ newest partnership.
Signing on with DVSport – a software company specialising in digital video acquisition and analysis – it looks like further benefits are set to appear for coaches and players in the NCAA…
With Genius being the exclusive distributor of NCAA data, the deal would allow DVSport’s technology to be used by those associated with the organisation and, in turn, aid teams in analysis before, during, and after games.
Having a portfolio extending to over 25,000 collegiate games, DVSport replay solutions will leverage data received by Genius to streamline workflows, identify key plays, and automatically pair these moments with advanced, multi-angle videos.
“Enhancing in-game and post-game video with the official data provided by Genius Sports will benefit all stakeholders immensely… From in-game DVSport Replay to Rewind bench video solutions for the players and coaches, to the officials’ breakdown of the game after it is over, DVSport’s partnership with Genius Sports is a great step forward across all sports.”
Brian Lowe, President and CEO of DVSport
San Antonio Spurs: Doing it Right
It’s Spurs Week, ladies and gentlemen!
What does that mean? Well, it’s an entire week dedicated to – as you can probably assume – the San Antonio Spurs!
And hey, if we’re being totally honest, a week filled with fun activities reminding people about why they fell in love with the team in the first place is probably what Spurs fans need…
Finding themselves rock-bottom of the Western Conference, morale boosters could do wonders in helping the side pick up form…
It doesn’t end there, though. In an effort to increase fan engagement during the week, the team has employed the help of (drumroll please 🥁🥁🥁) technology!
Specifically looking at innovative experiences through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR), the Spurs announced two new big partnerships.
Signing on with Gan.ai and Fresh Consulting, this is what we know about the deals so far:
Gan.ai: Heavily personalising the experience of going to a Spurs game, every ticket holder will be receiving a customised video.
Leveraging Generative AI, these videos will include individualised messages addressing ticket holders by name and attempt to create deep ties.
Stating that “the personalised welcome videos will make Austin fans feel like true MVPs and foster deeper loyalty and enthusiasm,” Gan.ai founder and CEO Suvrat Bhooshan believes that the connections made could foster a closer relationship between players and fans.
Fresh Consulting: Allowing fans the ability to test themselves against real-life players, Fresh Consulting’s AR technology will see fans partake in an interactive activity.
Combining these technologies with a variety of concerts and other experiences, fans will be more connected to the team than ever before.
Here’s to more of that!
The Champions League: Times are Changing
Wow… What a week!
That’s right. This week saw the return of the Champions League and fans were absolutely treated…
With the knockout rounds of the tournament being in full flow, this week’s games had everything we’ve come to expect from the tournament – Drama, excitement, underdog stories, and more.
BUT, as tends to be the case: all good things must come to an end at some point… And, of course, the Champions League is not exempt from that.
So, what’s changing? Well, the tournament is undergoing a BIG change in formatting next season.
Increasing participation to 36 teams (compared to the 32 in previous years), under the new format, group stages will be replaced by a league phase in which teams will play eight matches against different opponents.
Being far more complex in its application, UEFA will be turning to technology to draw matches under this new system.
Replacing the traditional, televised manual draw – you know, the one which has you watching (what feels like) hours of montage footage – the organisation will look towards leveraging the capabilities of a computer.
While the ins-and-outs behind the technological system is still yet to be released, UEFA has announced that the first team from pot one will still be drawn by hand with the rest being shown live on TV, yet automatically.
Quick Bites
England: Drama…
Luke Littler: A Sensation
Cycling: What a Story!
Meme of the Week
I’m relying on him to win me money and he’s playing in a sand pit like a child
— reece (@_______reece)
Mar 14, 2024
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Quote of the Week
"You’re Getting Knocked Out"
Sean O’Malley to Chito Vera
Picture of the Week
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