Every year, the role of technology in the world of sports increases. These innovations affect everything from how we watch games to how athletes’ injuries are treated. Not only this but as AI technology advances, people in sports are making more and more use of it. With that said, let’s look at how AI and other new technologies are changing sports for the better.
Avoiding Mistakes
If you watch soccer, you’re probably familiar with the drama over the Premier League’s use of video assistant referee (VAR) technology. While it may not yet be perfect, the system was introduced to reduce the number of mistakes made by referees and make the game more fair for everyone.
Every season, the league is making improvements to the system with the end goal being to bring the number of referee mistakes to zero. The advantages this tech has over human referees are reduced pressure for a certain decision and more accurate measurements in close situations.
More sports are now turning to technology to help referees make the right calls while others, like tennis, have been doing so for years.
AI technology could eventually play a part as there’s tons of potential to integrate the technology into the decision-making system. For example, it could be used to process and analyze video footage in real-time, helping referees make instant decisions. While we’re not quite there yet, it’ll be interesting to see whether AI will be used to improve officiating in the future.
The Emergence of Crypto Sportsbooks
If you’ve been paying attention, you know how big crypto is at the moment – it’s not only AI that’s in the spotlight these days. While people mainly use crypto for trading and investing, it has also found its way into the world of sports betting. Crypto betting sites are rapidly gaining popularity due to the extra convenience and additional perks they offer to players.
First of all, using cryptocurrencies when betting online means you can transfer money onto your account and withdraw winnings almost instantly. These transactions are processed on the blockchain, removing any third parties and intermediaries from the play. Without banks and other financial institutions, the delays sports bettors used to face are no longer an issue.
Not only this but cryptocurrency transactions also involve lower fees, allowing players to increase their betting budgets. Moreover, since the fees are lower for bookmakers as well, they can offer better bonuses and promotions to players.
Lastly, cryptocurrency transactions offer more security to players and remove the risk of data leaks and identity theft, as players don’t have to input any sensitive info when registering.
Recovery and Prevention of Player Injuries
One of the best things about modern technology is that it can help athletes prevent injuries and treat them better.
With concussions being a large issue in the NFL, the league is turning to AI, which already has a vast use in healthcare, to help reduce them. Experts have developed an AI-powered visual system that tracks hits on players’ heads during each game. They also run a significant number of tests on players’ helmets, removing the ones that perform poorly.
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On top of this, wearable devices are now being used in almost every sport. Athletes rely on them to track training volume and intensity, helping them identify signs of overtraining before it can damage their bodies. Wearables can also point to certain flows in their techniques, resulting in reduced injury risk and better performance. In addition, they’re commonly used in monitoring recovery processes, ensuring players are ready for their next game or training session.
Athletes also often rely on compression recovery units that help increase their blood flow and circulation. Some of the biggest names in the NBA, such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant, are known for using them on a regular basis.
Improved Fan Engagement
Modern technology isn’t only changing the performance aspect in sports, it’s also transforming how fans experience it. New tech, especially AI, can analyze fan behavior and deliver personalized content tailored to their interests.
Perhaps the best example of this is Formula 1’s partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). It boosts the viewer’s experience by providing an insider view into decisions drivers and their teams make mid-race. For this to be possible, 120 sensors on cars provide data to Amazon’s machine learning algorithms which then forward the info to fans in the shape of predictions and vehicle performance.
NBA is also utilizing AI technology to power its NBA app. It’s used to analyze and categorize every play in every game, creating highlight packages for each player. Content created this way offers fans the ability to focus on their favorite players and teams.
Additionally, data analysts in all sports often rely on AI when reading games and analyzing player performance. The same data can also be used to create more engagement for fans who generally like to know as much as possible about their teams.
Augmenting the Reality
Another tech that is a true embodiment of modern-day technology is augmented reality (AR). AR has been around for some time now but its role in the world of sports continues to grow.
It’s another technology that has bags of potential when it comes to giving fans what they want. In fact, the data shows that sports broadcasts that use this tech have 15% higher viewer engagement. But AR has gone a long way since it was first introduced in sports broadcasting.
Today, fans in the stadium can actually use this tech to get all the supporting visual content viewers on TV get. All they have to do is turn on the camera on their phone and point it at the pitch.
However, it’s not only traditional sports that benefit from the use of AR. eSports have exploded in the past decade and are known for incorporating this tech in some of the biggest events in the industry. Organizers use it to bring to life characters from games being played, show player stats, and create a more engaging atmosphere for attendees in other ways.
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AR is also often used in extreme sports broadcasts to make these sports more accessible to the audience.
