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Welcome back to the Sports Road, ladies and gentlemen! We are this close to an absolutely massive weekend in sport, and in our expert opinion, there is no better place to better prepare yourselves for it than here with us… 😅 Enjoy!
Here's what we got for ya today:
The NHL’s New AI
YouTube is Changing the Game!
NBA Fans, This one's for you…
UFC: It’s Time.
Most Valuable Sports Teams:
Let's get into it!
NHL: The Future of AI
Guys, we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. DATA IS MORE POWERFUL AND IMPORTANT THAN EVER!
And yes, while that statement may sound pretty broad, just hear us out. With sport continuing to evolve at more rapid paces than we’ve ever seen, the talent existing at the elite level is just so so good.
Being the case, recently teams have been looking for discreet ways to one up their competition and overcome the sheer quality of their opponents.
How do they usually find those? Through Data.
Having the ability to track metrics that are simply impossible to spot using the naked eye, teams are essentially using new technology to find out the most minute statistics to get the upper hand.
But it’s not that simple. With new computers surfing through thousands – and maybe even more – numbers, it can get pretty hard to store. Now that’s where AI comes in… Just look at the NHL!
Extending their deal with AI specialists, Pramana Labs, the world’s biggest Hockey league is looking to improve the quality of play tenfold…
This is what we know so far:
With the deal extending across a number of years, Pramana Labs will now provide analysis across a number of spectrums and work VERY closely with the NHL’s official puck and player tracking system, NHL Edge.
In using a unique form of natural language technology, Pramana is able to break down both structured or unstructured sets of data and help teams access data that otherwise could be lost.
“Pramana has exceeded our expectations and we look forward to the future growth opportunities we will pursue together… We are confident that the League, our partners, and our fans will benefit quite significantly from the expansion of our partnership. The incredible capabilities of Pramana’s technology fused with AI will allow us to enhance other areas of our business and overall operations.”
David Lehanski, NHL Executive Vice President, Business Development & Innovation
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Sports Content: Times are Changing!
If we asked you to describe sports fans in one word, what would you say?
Stubborn? Loud? Reactionary? Here at the Sports Road – while we most definitely agree with everything we just mentioned – we’d say, dedicated.
Why? Well, not speaking off personal experience 😅, in more ways than one, our favourite sports have some weird sort of control on our day-to-day lives.
And, to be honest, it’s hard to actually get away from! With social media holding a massive presence in nearly everything we do, fans are constantly surrounded by the newest news and content from their favourite sports.
Being the case, YouTube – yes, that YouTube – is looking to capitalise BIG TIME. How, you ask? Using AI, of course!
Let’s not beat around the bush, when it comes to the consumption of sports media, there probably isn’t anywhere quite like Youtube.
I mean, from high-level analysis, to funny parodies, and just some of the most – how should we put this – interesting fan opinions, the app has it all. Yes, you know exactly who we’re talking about…
Announcing this week the creation of ‘Spotlight Moments’, the app will be leveraging AI technology to detect the most popular sport-based videos and automatically target them for advertising.
Specifically allowing advertisers to serve ads across an automatically created playlist consistently updated with the newest, most trending videos, brands will be able to single-out specific events and have their content reach relevant and interested audiences.
“YouTube connects the world during cultural moments and global events. Every day, billions of viewers turn to the platform to engage with content before, during and after major moments. They watch behind-the-scenes footage, highlight reels, fan analysis and more. That’s why this year, we’re continuing to innovate on moment-based ad opportunities.”
Austin Wignall, Managing Director, YouTube Brand Advertising
The Next Step…
As sport continues to evolve with technology, so too does everything surrounding it. If you haven’t heard by now, that extends to your favourite pastime, Fantasy Football.
With SoRare changing the face of the scene, the game expertly combines elements of the real world with the fun associated with Fantasy Football.
Integrating Blockchain technology into their system, players – in classic fashion – have the task of building the best team possible.
However, with players coming in the form of NFTs, the company continues to push the boundaries over what is commonly practised.
Extending their product to the NBA, SoRare have brought their newest innovation to the world of Basketball.
Giving a further uniqueness to their product, SoRare cards will be brought to life!
Having added 3D and Augmented Reality (AR) cards into the frame a few months ago, this week the company announced their implementation in the newest NBA season.
In pairing that with the game’s new card scarcity system, players will be further incentivised to interact with the games content and get one over their friends and other users.
Being official partners of the NBA, the deal will also see SoRare incorporate further unique details to each player’s card such as country of birth, first editions, and jersey mints.
Allowing new players to gain a better understanding of the played sport, it looks like this partnership could be here to stay for a VERY long time!
We Need to Talk About: UFC 294
Thankfully, we are just a few days away from one of the biggest UFC cards in recent memory…
Why do we say that? Well, for a while, it looked like this card might have not happened…
With injuries to Paulo Costa and Charles Oliveira happening just under two weeks before the card started, the UFC were scrambling to put on a worthy Co-main and Main Event…
But when we say they pulled it out the bag, we are NOT exaggerating… In a card which – no matter the results – will see legacies made and destroyed, there’s no denying that this is absolutely a MUST watch!
With Khamzat Chimaev looking to cement his place as one of the world’s best and most dangerous Middleweight’s, he will have a PROBLEM facing him on Saturday night in Kamaru Usman…
While the former champ may have lost his last two against Leon Edwards, we’re not sure there’s a more fierce competitor than Usman – one of the best EVER 170 pounders – with a chip on his shoulder.
I mean, it’s simple. Win and get a shot at 185 gold, or lose and drift off back into the frame. With both men promising high-level exchanges both while standing and grappling, you do NOT want to miss this one…
The Main Event? It needs no introduction.
When losing Charles Oliveira to injury, most MMA fans feared that Saturday’s card may drift into obscurity.
Why? Well, they didn’t factor how much of a beast 145 champ, Alexander Volkanovski, is… Coming into the biggest rematches of his life on only two weeks' notice, Volk is heading into enemy territory to pull off one of the sport’s biggest upsets.
"Let's go finish this guy. No pressure on me, baby. No pressure at all. All the pressures on him. I'm coming off the couch. You better do something about it."
Alexander Volkanovski
Let’s be honest, though. It will not be easy. Facing a man with the potential to be one of the sport’s most dominant champions ever, Islam Makhachev will have no interest in giving Volk a chance again.
With Khabib in his corner for this one, this fight could change the course of MMA history…
Quick Bites
Football: Not What Anyone Wants to See
F1: Be Excited…
Meme of the day
— Out Of Context Football (@nocontextfooty)
Oct 18, 2023
Quote of the day
“There's days where I come in and I'm down because of the situation and he picks me up. I’d do the same for him. We support each other”
Aaron Ramsdale on relationship with David Raya
Picture of the day
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