Sports Technology in 2020: The Key Trends to Watch This Year

Sports Trends – What Can We Expect from 2020

This article originally was written by Rebecca Hopkins, CEO, The STA Group in City AM. 

Drama is the currency of sport but if 2019 gave us any universal truths, it is that sports brands’ below-the-radar work is the stuff making the real hard yards.

Over the past year, forward-thinking organizations have been focussed on creating highly tailored engagement, often embracing a social message, and better leveraging of newer media platforms. Two organizations which stood out in this regard were AS Roma, which used the transfer window to promote awareness of missing children or World Rugby’s work on TikTok during the Rugby World Cup.

So, what will shape brands in sports’ behaviour in engaging fans next year? Here are the ones I’m backing…

  • Don’t Badge, Make Bank:  last year saw marketers focus on creating tangible commercial returns from their investments. Whether driving subscriptions, selling tickets or lowering costs to increase profits, brands are looking to maximize revenues, not simply flag-wave when creating relationships with fans.
  • ‘If you’re not paying for the product, you are the product’: this was never truer than in 2019 and sits interestingly alongside brand marketers’ quest to generate returns, but how will the exchange of data for rewards continue? Two clear factors influence sports fans’ data sharing, namely do they trust the brand harvesting the information and is the reward worth it – a moving target if ever there was one? Increasingly this means highly personalized, relevant and engaging content delivered in the manner of fans choosing. Woe betide the 2020 marketer who cannot differentiate Snapchat and Spotify!
  • Which R?  VR (virtual reality) has (wrongly) been hyped for imminent and widespread adoption for years; it will undoubtedly score at some point but AR (augmented reality) is far more embraceable. AR comes in two forms, marker and markerless, which roughly means digital images are either related to a product or posted in the sky. Some AR executions have been dramatic (if you missed Estudiantes de La Plata’s Augmented Reality prowling lion, check it out here) but its core attribute is the potential for gamification, a growing force in sports. For example, at live games, rather than firing merchandise into the crowd, fans can catch prizes virtually via their phones. Expect more of this in 2020.
  • 5G or Not 5G?  People get very excited about the speeds and capabilities of 5G but with fewer than 20 UK cities currently enabled, it’s still far from a major factor in fan engagement. As the saying goes, quick downloads don’t compensate for boring content so backing 5G in 2020 is an each-way bet at best.
  • Social Politics:  Any brand operating in sport which hasn’t yet reviewed its environmental, diversity and equality behaviour is already behind the curve; as sports battle to win over ever-younger fans, these will be key. Most has been done with sustainability: Tokyo Olympians will be wearing medals from recycled phones, the Aviva Stadium has 100% renewable energy and eco-cups keep nine million plastic beakers from landfill annually, but with live sports fixtures generating c.41 tonnes  of CO2 pa, fans will look to sports to improve both its behaviour as well as theirs.

See the full article from Rebecca in City AM here.

The Past and Future of Sports Fan Engagement

There have been some key trends in fan engagement in the sports world in the past year, and exciting developments are predicted for this year.

This article originally was written by Rebecca Hopkins, CEO, The STA Group in Campaign.  

The flurry of reviews and trend forecasting that happens in December is often accompanied by statistics that support the authors’ views. The beauty of these is that they sound impressive but, if you are making claims for a decade ahead, no-one is really going to call you out.

Consequently, in fan engagement, especially technology, there have been some absolute howlers. Virtual reality is very much not fundamental to fan engagement (as was predicted in 2014); the wearables market is only worth $24bn, rather than the $53bn predicted in 2010; and despite assurances in 2010 that paper ticketing would be extinct, there’s a large pile of them on my desk.

While the stunts often get the attention, in truth the past year has seen invisible innovations make the real hard yards. Certainly, we’ve seen some fun work in 2019’s major tournaments, but most activation was “quieter”, with emphasis on more tailored engagement, such as better leveraging of newer social media platforms. Two brands that stood out were World Rugby on TikTok during the Rugby World Cup and AS Roma’s leveraging of transfer-window interest to promote awareness of missing children.

It speaks volumes that Estudiantes de La Plata’s augmented-reality prowling lion enjoyed the headlines it did; it was an undeniably impressive piece of work, but battle arena game League of Legends actually beat the Argentine football club to the punch in 2017 with a remarkable live rendering of Elder Dragon at the League of Legends finals.

So, what were the key trends from 2019 and how will that shape brands’ behaviour in engaging fans next year? From what we’ve seen, here are our stats-free predictions…

More than badging

A major trend was the need to create tangible commercial returns from marketing investment. Whether by driving subscriptions, selling more tickets or lowering production costs to increase profits, brands are looking to maximise revenues, not simply flag-wave when creating relationships with fans.

Data: yours, mine or ours?

The adage “if you’re not paying for the product, you are the product” was never truer than in 2019. This sits interestingly alongside marketers’ quest to generate returns, but how will the exchange of data for rewards continue? Two clear factors influence sports fans’ data-sharing: do they trust the brand harvesting the information and is the reward worth it? Increasingly, this means highly personalised, relevant and engaging content delivered in the manner of fans’ choosing. So, in 2020, marketers better be able to differentiate their Snapchat from their Spotify.

AR or VR?

The hype surrounding VR in sport has been deafening for several years, but it really hasn’t justified the talk time. AR, currently the far more embraceable tech, is winning the race largely because it is so nimble. There are two types of AR, marker and markerless, which in layman terms are essentially images related to a product or ones posted in the sky.

AR is dramatic (as Estudiantes’ lion proved) and lends itself much more to gamification, which has been a growing force in sports for several years. For example, at live games, rather than cannons firing merchandise into the crowd, fans can catch prizes virtually using their phones. Expect much more of this in 2020.

5G or not 5G?

This is another extensively discussed topic as the associated speeds and capabilities are so impressive. That said, with fewer than 20 UK cities currently 5G-enabled, it is still a way off being a major factor in fan engagement – and as the saying goes, quick downloads don’t compensate for boring content.

Sustainability

Any brand operating in sport that isn’t yet thinking about its environmental behaviour is already behind the curve. As sports battle to win over ever-younger fans, sustainability will be key – as well as being the right way to behave. Tokyo Olympians can look forward to recycled gold medals; Ireland’s Aviva Stadium boasts 100% renewable energy; and eco-cups keep nine million plastic beakers from landfill annually.

But with fans generating on average 41 tonnes of CO2 per live fixture, they will look to sport to improve its own behaviour as well as theirs. This trend has been a slow but steady burn, but the good news is that it is speeding up fast – in no small part powered by fan expectations.

The past 12 months presented another wonderful sports calendar and 2020 should be even better. The Olympics and Euros are highlights, alongside the perennial favourites of the Six Nations, Formula One, Wimbledon and Ascot. But the year ahead isn’t simply about great on-field action – we look set to see some significant yet subtle changes off it too.

See the full article from Rebecca in Campaign here.

The STA Group Announces New Partnership with The English Institute of Sport

Brands Joining Forces on Sports Technology Insights Programme

Today (December 3rd) The STA Group and the English Institute of Sport (EIS) have signed a partnership which will see both organizations combine their unique knowledge, experience and networks in sports innovation to create a new jointly branded insights’ programme.

The EIS works to improve sporting performance through science, medicine, technology and engineering, supporting Britain’s sports and athletes throughout the Olympic and Paralympic cycles. Founded in 2002, the EIS has been at the cutting edge of sports innovations for nearly twenty years.

Rebecca Hopkins, CEO of The STA Group, explained: ‘We are delighted to be partnering with the EIS, both because of the international respect they command as well as their unrivalled position and network within sports governance. Fundamental to this relationship is the fact that both our brands share great knowledge of and passionate commitment to excellence in sports technology. We plan to use this to inform and inspire the global sports industry, as well as to celebrate the stand-out work being done by visionaries within it.’

Nigel Walker, National Director at the English Institute of Sport, added: ‘The English Institute of Sport (EIS) shares several values with The STA Group, including a proven track-record of designing, implementing and evaluating performance-impacting innovations that enable athletes, coaches and managers to excel. The partnership with the Sports Technology Awards gives the EIS a unique, global-platform to share our research and showcase our work.’

More information about the EIS can be found at www.eis2win.co.uk

 

If you are interested in receiving more frequent news from The STA Group, please join our network by and ensure that you

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From Red Carpet to Rooftop

New Partnership Sees The Sports Technology Awards Relocate to The Londoner

 

The World’s First Super Boutique Hotel to Host Ceremony from 2020

Today (20.11.2019) The STA Group, organizers of The Sports Technology Awards, revealed a new partnership which sees the annual awards ceremony relocate to the world’s first super boutique hotel, The Londoner, from 2020.

The Londoner, opening in Leicester Square in June 2020, is the latest project by Edwardian Hotels London, the privately owned hotel group behind a collection of five and four star hotels across London and Manchester. The group’s properties include The May Fair Hotel and multi-million-pound newly refurbished The Edwardian Manchester, as well as award-winning restaurant and bar brands, including May Fair Kitchen, Bloomsbury Street Kitchen, Peter Street Kitchen, Leicester Square Kitchen, Monmouth Kitchen and May Fair Bar.

Boutique in feeling yet staggering in scale and showcasing the work of world-renowned designers Yabu Pushelberg and remarkable architecture by Woods Bagot – The Londoner is iconic in location as well as form. The expansive ballroom will host the Awards dinner and the after-party will take place in the contemporary Japanese lounge bar with rooftop terrace and fire pit. The hotel features across 16 storeys: 350 guest rooms and suites and a tower penthouse with panoramic views; two private screening rooms; a mix of six concept eateries, bars and a tavern, including alfresco dining on the ground floor; plus a variety of meeting spaces and a results-driven gym and spa.

Rebecca Hopkins, CEO of The STA Group, explained: ‘The Awards are now the leading celebration of sports technology globally so it is critical that the ceremony is hosted in a venue which reflects this status – and The Londoner is the perfect choice. The location, Leicester Square, is iconic in terms of international gala events and the hotel, which offers an unrivalled mix of elegance, excellence and state-of-the-art facilities, means that our new home is helping us deliver one of the coolest events in the worldwide sports business calendar.’

Charles Oak, Hotel Director of The Londoner, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with The STA Group as their approach to embracing innovation and quality matches our own. Guests attending the Sports Technology Awards can look forward to an evening of exquisite food, drink and entertainment that we would like to think will be incomparable to anything they have experienced at other events. The after-party, which will be held on our rooftop terrace, presents the chance to continue the celebrations with a totally unique view of the London skyline.’

Oak added: ‘From the moment people arrive on the red carpet to when they say goodnight to our rooftop vista, the 2020 ceremony promises to be a truly wonderful event for sports industry leaders and we are proud to be fundamental to that.’

The Londoner, opening in June 2020, is a member of the prestigious Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend Collection. The Sports Technology Awards ceremony, which will be the hotel’s inaugural gala event, is set to take place on June 24th 2020.

More information about The Londoner is at https://thelondoner.com/.

 

If you are interested in receiving more frequent news from The STA Group, please join our network by completing the following.

  • Follow The STA Group on LinkedIn – to access a wide range of daily insights into the sports technology sphere
  • Join The STA Group WhatsApp Community – we share exclusive information from The STA Group network, and aim to send messages every fortnight and on key dates throughout the year

The Stats of Sports Tech

Let’s Get Quizzical!

It’s always interesting to read past predictions and see how close the forecaster came to be the sport’s sector Nostradamus.

Thanks to the knowledge gained from six years’ worth of entries and the expert guidance of industry-leading judges, the Sports Technology Awards is uniquely placed to take a view on how past predictions have hit the mark. Pit your knowledge against the forecasters and see if you should be in the business of predictions…

  1. VR will be a fundamental part of fan engagement within the next 5-10 years – What year was this predicted?
  2. The wearables industry is expected to be worth over $53 billion by 2019 – What is the actual figure?
  3. Esports will mimic and need guidance from traditional sports – What was the esports viewer figures for 2018?
  4. In 2019 sports betting in the USA will be legal – How many states have legalized sports betting so far?
  5. Paper ticketing will soon be extinct – What year was this predicted?

 

So How Did You Do?

Members of the STA Group’s WhatsApp community were recently treated to a fun quiz, which tested their sports tech stats knowledge. We chose five areas of sports innovation, along with some historical predictions, to see how far the gaps were between the forecast and the reality…

VR (virtual reality) will be a fundamental part of fan engagement within the next 5-10 years – What year was this predicted?

Answer: 2014

There is greater connection being created for fans between the physical and digital worlds; currently this is primarily an AR (augmented reality) not a VR phenomenon, with activities such as virtual prize cannons (where phones catch virtual merchandise) and treasure hunts using both AR and sponsored QR code scanning. As rights holders strive to engage younger fans, expect to see much more of this.

The wearables industry is expected to be worth over $53 billion by 2019 – What is the actual figure?

Answer: $25 billion

This prediction was made in 2010 but as of September 2019, the wearables industry was valued at ‘only’ $25 billion. Whilst the prediction may have missed the mark, wearables have become a vital component of sports, for both the elite athlete and the mass market.

The Sports Technology Awards has seen two of its previous winners go on to make a significant impact on both these markets. Winners in 2017 – StatsSports, have enjoyed success at the highest level of sport, in 2018 the company signed a £1bn deal with the US Soccer Federation, which resulted in the world’s largest player data monitoring program. The winners of the coveted ‘Most Innovative Wearable’ STA in 2018 was FitBit, which initially made a big splash in the market and since have shown continued financial growth, and strong market share. We look forward to seeing the impact that the 2019 winners – Solos Smart Wearables Technology, have on the industry!

Esports will mimic and need guidance from traditional sports – What was the esports viewer figures for 2018?

Answer: There were an estimated 380 million esports viewers in 2018

The first time we saw this statement was in 2015 but we are finding that esports have actually taught traditional sports a fair amount, especially regarding engaging a younger audience. The battle for young fans will be vital for the continued growth of any sports brand so the ones embracing esports – in an authentic way – are mining a rich, exciting and increasingly relevant target market.

In 2019 sports betting in the USA will be legal – How many states have legalized sports betting so far?

Answer: As of September 2019, there were 12 states that have full-scale legalised sports betting.

In January 2019 The STA Group hosted a Sports Technology Insights panel on the future of sports betting in the US. The event was a deep dive into the realities and opportunities that sports betting in the US market presents.

STA Group CEO, Rebecca Hopkins moderated a panel of experts from Charles Russell Speechlys, NBA and Sportradar who advise that:

  • Sports betting isn’t legal in the US – the federal legislation has changed that means it simply is no longer illegal
  • We need to stop thinking of the US as a single betting market; 50 states will consider and possibly introduce legislation, so in fact, it is more practical to think of each one as an individual territory.
  • We are looking at a ‘blank page’, it is likely the US market will develop slowly and in a very different way from the rest of the world
  • New technology will be part of the new order too; athlete analysis, GPS tracking and geo-tech are all part of today’s fan experience and have implications for how US fans could bet.

Paper ticketing will soon be extinct – What year was this predicted?

Answer: 2018

Completely replacing traditional paper ticketing requires a robust solution with scalability, security and fan experience, being a few hurdles, however, there is a range of sports tech emerging which present effective solutions.

Just one example is sensors; these have been integral to data collection in the past, especially for athletes but their use is set to increase greatly. Applications already in place include in-stadium crowd satisfaction and atmosphere tracking, as well as being embedded in club products – for example, why print a ticket if it can be manufactured into fan merchandise?

 

So how did you do? If you did well why not give yourselves (and us) a social media shout out – tag us in and we’ll like / share / retweet you.

Ensure that you follow The STA Group on LinkedIn or WhatsApp for more insightful content

The STA Group gains a lot of its insights from the hundreds of brands submitting entries into our awards. Currently, The Sports Technology Awards is open for entries and we take pride in responding and adapting to key industry forces, then reflecting these in our categories. Check out what’s in store for 2020 and learn more about each category  here.

Sports Technology Awards Launches Category Dedicated to Women’s Sports Performance

Sports Technology Awards Launches Category Dedicated to Women’s Sports Performance

‘Best Technology for Women’s Sports Performance’ Launched for 2020

The past year has seen professional women’s sports take a huge leap forward in achieving parity with the men, especially in football and rugby. Whilst this is an exciting and positive step, it does prompt greater demands and expectations on even more women as they strive to join the growing professional elite.

Biology and biochemistry renders females more vulnerable to injury and longer periods of rehab, therefore it has never been more important to explore and promote technologies which have been specifically designed to help women athletes. Because of this the Sports Technology Awards have introduced the category of ‘Best Technology for Women’s Sports Performance’ into the 2020 process (now open for entries).

Rebecca Hopkins, CEO of The STA Group, which owns the Sports Technology Awards explained: ‘We have long been passionate advocates of all forms of equality within every aspect of our work, especially gender. Earlier this year we started hearing from the female athletes in our network that they were using – and valuing – technologies such as period trackers and innovative materials to improve breast support so we were exploring the viablility of a dedicated category for women’s tech then.’

She continued: ‘However the decisive moment for us was when Women in Football challenged us with a #Whatif pledge. Initially designed to change the landscape for women in football, we loved the idea and immediately saw an opportunity to match their challenge with our ideas – and hence this category was launched.’

Ebru Köksal, Chair of Women in Football and one of the 2020 Sports Technology Awards judges, added ‘The type of pledge that the Sports Technology Awards has given us via the #Whatif campaign is exactly the level of commitment we were hoping to achieve. This is a really important area of all sports, not just football; women athletes are relatively vulnerable to injury when compared to their male counterparts so anything which lessens risk and supports players and coaches is most welcome.’

The Sports Technology Awards are open for entries under 4th December 2019; full details about the awards can be found at www.sportstechgroup.org or by calling the Awards office on +44 (0) 20 3198 2770.

Has Rugby Led the Sports Technology Change?

Has Rugby Led the Sports Technology Change?

Since the last century, a common theme amongst major sports tournaments has been pre-event telegraphing of how tech-forward they will be. Ambitions of staging the most social / fan-focussed / broadcast savvy / ‘stadium fabulous’ competition have been widely made, with these ambitions being realized to varying degrees.

The Rugby World Cup has kicked off with organizers having made no such extravagant statements. Two things make this especially surprising

  1. The host country. Japan has an astounding tech heritage and will be hosting an Olympics next year. Whilst there are rumours bubbling up about some exciting activation (micro-cameras on the jerseys to replay tackles, for example), using the Rugby World Cup as a test for 2020 is an opportunity too good to pass up
  2. Rugby’s tech stance: both the sport and its stakeholders have, traditionally, been incredibly open to technology in all its forms – as our timeline shows.

 

Rugby’s history of tech starts as far back as 1906, with innovations continuing to the present…

1906:    Scrum cap debuts

1924:    Studded boots go on sale

1938:    First match broadcast

2001:    TMO introduced

2003:    All Blacks adopt skin-tight rugby jerseys

2011:    England install GPS tracking devices in match shirts

2012:    RefCam used in live broadcast

2013:    Saracens’ opt for artificial pitch

2015:    O2 creates Oculus Rift 360° England fan experience

Microchipped adhesive ear patches measure head impact

2016:    Aviva Stadium goes 100% renewable

2018:    Hawk-Eye’s ‘Spotter system’ reduces undiagnosed concussions

2019:    Goalpost light technology trialed at Principality Stadium

Gumshields transmit head impact data to medics

‘Load Passport’ introduced

2020 Sports Technology Awards Launch

Entries Are Open!

This week saw the launch of the 2020 Sports Technology Awards so if you created something award-worthy in 2019, here’s your chance to showcase it. You have until November to submit entries but in the meantime, why not check out the new categories for this year? We pride ourselves on being at the forefront of thinking in the sector and we hope the new categories we launched for 2020 reflect that:

  1. Best Sustainable Innovation in Sports
  2. Best Technology for Women’s Sports Performance
  3. Education Institute of the Year
  4. Best Technology for Extreme Sports
  5. Most Innovative Sports Brand

By entering the ‘Oscars of Sports Technology’ you’ll ensure your work’s in contention for one of the most coveted trophies in the business of sport. Success at the Awards is an international mark of excellence for your brand, not least of all shortlistees are determined by some of the sectors leading visionaries and stars.

As well as the chance to be scrutinized by many of the best minds in sport, brands that enter also enjoy the right to feature a product video on the STA Group Tech Hub – FREE OF CHARGE. Not only does this enable you to promote your work to the global industry, but it also gives your digital collateral a valuable SEO boost.

Our commercial team is always happy to answer your questions and can be contacted on +44(0) 20 3150 2080 or email sales@sportstechgroup.org

Girl Power! Women’s Summer of Sport Kicks Off at the 2019 Yahoo Sports Technology Awards

Sports Industry taking Women as Seriously as Fans

Stars of British women’s sporting elite, including Olympic golden girls Shona McCallin and Shirley Robertson, England Netball Captain and Commonwealth Gold medal winner Ama Agbeze, and sportswomen turned reality TV stars, Heather Fisher and Laura Crane, turned out in force at the Yahoo Sports Technology Awards on Thursday evening at the Roundhouse, London.

The winners were revealed by an all-female cast which also included Aimee Fuller, Goldie Sayers, Kelly Sotherton, Steph Twell, Lizzie Cass and Donna Fraser, in a ceremony dubbed ‘the Oscars of Sports Technology’.

Ama Agbeze, England Netball Captain and Commonwealth gold medal winner, said: ‘I’m delighted to be here. The tech influencing sport today is amazing, innovative and inspirational, and pushes us further to excellence. Clearly the Sports Technology Awards attracts world-leading innovators so it’s a privilege to be presenting them with their trophies. It’s wonderful that it’s an all-female line up presenting on stage tonight – I’m certainly in great company and it makes me feel excited that we are, at last, starting to enjoy the same kudos as our male counterparts.’

Former Olympic, World and Commonwealth sprinter, Vice President  and Equality Diversity & Engagement Lead of UK Athletics, Donna Fraser, added: ‘Whilst I’m so pleased to see the sports business community embrace women’s sport – and hats off to the Sports Technology Awards making this commitment – we, as women in sport, need to take up these opportunities and promote what we do too. The women here tonight are stellar examples of this and I am proud to be here with them.’

The Sports Technology Awards is owned by the STA Group and Rebecca Hopkins, its CEO said: ‘Sport and technology are seen as very male-dominated but there are a lot of unsung, brilliant women out there. With a wonderful summer of elite sport ahead, which features both genders, we need also to recognize the year-round examples of women in the sector who deserve to be higher profile. I hope that by taking this stand tonight, we have done something to raise the debate and profiles of hard-working women in all aspects of sport and I am so grateful to all the athletes here tonight who turned up to support us.’

The winners, by category are:

  • Agency of the Year: Fanview Media
  • Best App: Fishbrain
  • Best Digital Technology: IBM Watson and ESPN Fantasy Insights
  • Best Sports Broadcast (Single or Series): Discovery and Eurosport
  • Best Sports Equipment, Apparel or Wearable Technology: Solos Smart Wearable Technology
  • Best Technology for Athlete Welfare: HP 1T and Charles Owen Helmet ICS
  • Best Technology for Elite Performance: SBG Sports Software for RaceWatch Race Strategy
  • Best Technology for Fan Engagement: Formula 1 and Goodform for F1 Fan Voice
  • Best Technology for Participation: Cricket Australia Coach App
  • Best Technology for Sports Betting: Trustly Group for Trustly Pay N Play®
  • Best Technology for Sports Commerce: mycujoo
  • Innovation of the Year: BT Sport and EE deliver 5G
  • Most Innovative Sports Partnership: Intel and LaLiga
  • Rights Holder / Governing Body / Team / Sponsor of the Year: The Ocean Race for Southern Ocean RAW

More information about the Awards can be found at www.sportstechgroup.org/awards/ysta/

US Olympic Committee Sport Technology Director to Deliver Awards Keynote Address

Silicon Valley Giants Are a Serious Force in Sport Technology for US Olympians

Dr Phil Cheetham, the US Olympic Committee’s Director of Sport Technology and Innovation, will deliver the keynote address at the 2019 Yahoo Sports Technology Awards ceremony. The speech, titled ‘Silicon Valley Giants are a Serious Force in Sports Technology’, will share how the USOC has partnered with executives from leading tech brands to create an investment fund, and how this approach could be the future force shaping the sector.

Cheetham is an Olympian and leading innovator in biomechanics. His role at USOC is to develop technology to help optimize Olympic athletes’ performance and recovery and help allocate funds donated by the USOC’s Technology and Innovation Advisory Board.

As well as being the leading global celebration of tech-led innovations in sport, the Yahoo Sports Technology Awards, part of the Sports Technology Awards Group, is also a valued forum for insights and networking, and the ceremony opening address is a key part of this.

Rebecca Hopkins, CEO of the Sports Technology Awards Group explained: ‘Technology can reasonably claim to be the biggest factor changing sports over the past 10 years, now tech-giant investment looks set to be the next major influence on industry development and market disruption. Silicon Valley engagement is something of a Holy Grail for many sports executives so understanding how to harness the technical and financial power of technology’s biggest brands is fascinating. Sports leaders and visionaries will be excellently served by the insights Phil has to share.’

Cheetham added: ‘I’m a long-standing, passionate advocate of technology’s role in helping athletes, so it is exciting to take this to the next level. The executives at the top of Silicon Valley have unrivalled tech knowledge and this, combined with access to their level of funding, will be immensely beneficial for both business and sport.  I am looking forward to sharing these insights with my peers at the Awards.’

Cheetham’s address opens the Yahoo Sports Technology Awards ceremony taking place on May 2nd at 6.30pm at the Roundhouse, London. Tickets are available at https://www.universe.com/events/2019-yahoo-sports-technology-awards-tickets-SKP6JD or +44 (0)20 3150 2080.

To see the full shortlist click here