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Welcome back to The Sports Road, ladies and gentlemen. Yet again, it is FINALLY the weekend, and – as ever – we’re here to help catch you up on everything new in the sports-tech world… You definitely do NOT want to miss this one... Enjoy!
Here's what we got for ya today:
WHAT SPORT?!
AI is Back!
Boxing: Times Are Changing
UFC Time, Baby!
Most Valuable Sports Teams:
Let's get into it!
THIS is How to Maximise Performance
Look if the start of this Football season has shown you anything, let it be the importance of recovery and ensuring your body is at the most minimal risk of injury possible.
I mean, just listen to this. Since the start of this season – which for most leagues was only last weekend – Kevin De Bruyne, Christopher Nkunku, Thibaut Courtois, Jurrien Timber, and MORE, have all been ruled out with long term injuries.
Extending the issue away from Football alone, there’s a question that seems to become more and more relevant: as the quality, intensity, and number of games played continues to increase, how can professional leagues ensure athletes safety?
With studies suggesting active recovery to be essential in taking the load off elite-level athletes, this sports league may have figured out the exact solution.
So who is it, you ask? The PPA, or more commonly known as the Pro Pickleball Association… Surprising, we know 😅
For those who don’t know much about Pickleball, think about it as the ideal combination of Tennis, Badminton, and Ping Pong.
Being played at a rapid pace, the fast and dynamic nature of the sport demands agility, muscular endurance, and some serious fitness…
Moreover, with the sport usually being played in tournament style conditions, the quick turnaround required from one game to another can really take a toll on someone.
Well, striking a deal with specialists in recovery, Hyperice, it looks like that burden may just become slightly easier with the help of technology!
In the deal that will see Hyperice become the PPA’s official recovery technology partner, all athletes will have total access to the company’s many products and could be allowed to maximise their potential unlike ever before…
“Joining forces with Hyperice was a natural fit… Pickleball is an incredibly fun, but oftentimes demanding sport. Knowing that Hyperice is always there to help will definitely be a source of comfort for any player on-site who needs a boost during or after a long, hard day on the courts.”
Connor Pardoe, Founder and CEO of the PPA Tour
TODAY'S EDITION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SPORTGPT
Sport is changing forever and you do NOT want to miss out…
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AI, AI, and More AI…
It’s no secret that TMRW Sports are here to redefine the way that we interact with sport forever.
If you forgot about what the company is all about, let us remind you. Founded in large part by Golf LEGENDS Tiger Woods and Rory Mcllroy, the sports-tech firm is dedicated to harnessing technology in order to build a better and more immersive future for sport.
With their flagship product being TGL Golf, a virtual Golf tournament set to begin in early 2024, big things are already in motion…
Displaying the true power that technology holds in replicating real life scenarios, the firm has managed to enlist some of the world's most elite Golfers to compete.
Expecting to attract some pretty clear numbers, it would only make sense for the league’s content to be of the highest quality possible.
Enter, Tempus Ex Machina. For those that have been keeping up with The Sports Road, you would know a bit about them.
Specialising in AI and broadcasting tech, in the last year alone Tempus Ex have worked with the NFL, Chelsea, Pac-12, and more giants in the sports industry.
This week, they combined forces with TMRW Sports to engage fans better than ever before. Here’s what we know so far:
Using advanced AI to automatically analyse entire game sequences, Tempus Ex will be able to create highlight packages for TGL.
Being distributed to fans globally, the technology will allow TGL to achieve their goal of creating more digestible content.
“AI models can only be as effective as the data inputs you have feeding into them… Because Tempus Ex’s FusionFeed technology is designed to synchronise every piece of data produced at a sporting event, they are uniquely positioned to ingest the vast amount of data and video that we will capture at TGL matches, optimising our ability to create new experiences for fans.”
Andrew Macaulay, Chief Technology Officer for TMRW Sports
Boxing is Changing Forever!
So, Boxing. Here we go again.
Some of you may think that here at The Sports Road we aren’t the biggest fans of the sport. Well, you would be COMPLETELY wrong!
In fact, the opposite is right. All we want is to see the sport return to its former glory – and this AI may be exactly how…
Before we get into it though, we have a question for you guys. What – in your opinion – is currently holding the sport behind.
While the answer may not be clear, there are some definite options… Perhaps none more so than judging…
Don’t get us wrong. We get it. Controversial decisions exist and that’s ok – within reason, of course 😅
But sometimes it just feels wrong. Weirdly wrong.
With the nature of human scoring allowing potential bias, bribery, and just innocent mistakes, technology could be changing Boxing decisions forever…
How? With Jabbr – the world’s first Computer Vision AI designed for combat sports.
Using high-level technology, millions of data points throughout a fight are analysed and eventually funnelled into 50 metrics for each boxer. As a result, not only do we get to see what is being landed and where, but the quality of punches and their significance to the fight.
Raising €685,000 in investment this week, don’t be surprised if this isn’t the last you hear of the company…
“AI will define a generation of new tech companies, and the winners will be those with original datasets who can translate their accuracy into a product people want to use. Jabbr is well on its way to doing exactly that for combat sports. We’re excited to join forces with PSV in the investment of Jabbr because we have a long tradition of investing together, and that means the founders benefit from two very large pools of experience at the same time.”
David Today Ventzel, Partner and Fund Manager at Accelerace
We Need to Talk About: UFC 292
2. More. Sleeps.
That’s right. The UFC is back and this one is HUGE… Two title fights, big returns, and the highest of stakes…
Where do we even start!? Touching down in Boston for the first time in years, the ramifications for the UFC’s future could actually be HUGE.
Firstly, the prelims will kick off with none other than the Finale of The Ultimate Fighter’s 31st season. With two veteran fighters battling it out at both Lightweight and Bantamweight, this could be an opportunity for two of the four men to reinstate themselves as serious problems in the UFC and rekindle their careers.
In addition to that, the card will feature Ian Machado Gary, one of Ireland’s brightest prospects and potentially heir to the throne of you know who… Fighting on short notice against Neil Magny, it definitely won’t be easy for “The Future”.
With there being opportunities to crown not only a new champion, but also contenders, this card could be seriously game changing in the bantamweight division.
Seeing Marlon Vera return to action following a loss to Cory Sandhagen a few months ago, the Ecuadorian faces a difficult task against Pedro Munhoz.
The interesting thing? Well, Vera actually has a win over O’Malley – the man facing Aljamain Sterling for the title.
If – in the unlikely case (according to the odds) – both fighters pull off a win, it could set up one of the fights of the year…
On the other side though, the current champ – whose status is currently a bit shaky in the eyes of many fans 😅– could finally cement himself as one of the greats. Just listen to what Jon Anik said about him!
“He could lose by head kick 30 seconds in and he’s still the greatest UFC bantamweight champion of all time for me!”
Jon Anik, UFC Commentator
Elsewhere on the card, Zhang Weili will defend her Strawweight title against Amanda Lemos. In an exciting fight where both women have the power to take the other's head off, this is definitely one you should NOT sleep on.
Also, can we just take a second to consider how the UFC could have Sean O’Malley, Sean Strickland, and Colby Convington all as world champions by the end of the year 😂😂😂
Quick Bites
F1: The Future
Rugby: DRAMA!!!
The Women’s World Cup: The Stage is Set!
Meme of the day
Dana when Aljo gets the body triangle 6 seconds into the fight
— 🌴ᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛᴏꜰᴡᴀʀ🌴 (@TheArtOfWar6)
Aug 16, 2023
Quote of the day
“I don’t really care what people say. It doesn’t really affect me. I kind of like being the underdog, being doubted. Going into this fight, I don’t have much pressure. He’s the bantamweight GOAT,”
Sean O’Malley
Picture of the day
Here we go again, boss! 🙌🏻💙
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland)
Aug 17, 2023
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Chat to ya on Monday! ☮️
