SAP and the NFL, Cisco Systems, Inc. and the 2016 Olympic/ Paralympic Games, US Open and IBM.
It is without question that business- to-business tech partnerships are not only reshaping the way sports, entertainment and ancillary events are produced, but how they are consumed. From amplifying fan engagement and experience to the manipulation of software’s to justify dynamic pricing for events, the world is on an exciting journey of the integration of innovative technology in virtually every aspect of sport and entertainment consumption. While sports teams and entertainers incorporate these tech companies to improve business operations, open up new revenue generating sponsorship categories, and such, it is interesting to see professional athletes jumping on this band wagon as well.
In August 2015, NASDAQ was one of many announcing the partnership between GlassesOff Inc., a visual neuroscience technology company and LA Clippers point guard, Chris Paul. Collectively, the two plan to develop a mobile application for athletes, specifically for basketball players, who want to improve on-court performance. For many athletes across the board, vision and coordination is the foundation to intense training regimens and in-game concentration. Currently, that “traditional” GlassesOff application is comprised of two components: Game-like Challenges and Ongoing care.
The Game-like challenges include intense visual simulations that require you to evaluate data and stereos in time sensitive situations. The Ongoing care is a maintenance element which aims to ensure the skills you’ve acquired stay sharp. In correlation to the partnership, it is easy to imagine the two components encompassing swift decision making practices relative to those made on the basketball court. Whether it be calling an offensive play, choosing to take that three pointer, or finding a passing opportunity, Chris Paul and GlassesOff will test your basketball decision making skills and assist in accelerating your visual speed.
A final thought that NASDAQ brought attention to was how valued Chris Paul is a partner and asset to GlassesOff, Inc. Upon the press release of the partnership, the stock price of GlassesOff, Inc (GLSO), gradually increased from a low of $1.66 on August 3rd to a high of $3.07 for the company in the middle of September. While the organization has dropped off, closing at $2.07 today (10/15/2015), it is interesting to see how impactful Paul’s presence is.
Pushing through an aggressive technology revolution, now more than ever, it is becoming more imperative for companies to have strategic athletes like Chris Paul, supporting, investing and ultimately believing in the success of a company in order to generate a loyal following and long term customer retention. In the future, it will be interesting to see how companies, specifically technology organizations, value teams and athletes relative to the maximization of exposure and revenue generating capabilities.