Tuesday, Apr. 2, 2019 – A roundup of some of the key sports technology stories you need to know, including SportTechie’s own content and stories from around the web.
- Betting Broadcast Will Debut in Philadelphia for 76ers v. Hawks on Wednesday: NBC Sports Philadelphia will debut an alternate betting-focused broadcast of Wednesday night’s 76ers game against the Atlanta Hawks. The telecast will air on overflow channel NBC Sports Philadelphia+ and will feature betting-related commentary, live betting lines on screen, and a glossary of gambling terminology. NBC Sports’ Washington, D.C. affiliate introduced a similar betting-themed broadcast for Wizards and Capitals games this past January.
- NBA 2K Season Two Tips Off With Knicks v. Nets Rivalry Tonight: The second season of the NBA 2K League begins tonight when Knicks Gaming faces the Nets Gaming Crew at 8 p.m. ET. All games will again be played at the NBA 2K League studio in Long Island City in Queens, NYC, and will be live streamed through the league’s Twitch channel. Before tonight’s opening game, defending champion Knicks Gaming will receive its championship rings from 2018. The ceremony will be broadcasted on Twitch as part of The Tipoff powered by AT&T.
- Supponor Will Integrate AR Ads to Davis Cup Tennis Coverage: Broadcasts of the upcoming Davis Cup will feature augmented reality advertisements, according to the Associated Press. Sponsors’ logos and banners will be superimposed digitally on the courts at the tennis tournament, which will be held in Madrid in November. AR company Supponor, which has worked with La Liga since 2017, will provide the technology for the Davis Cup. “It’s a format that is much more attractive to sponsors,” said Oscar Mayo, La Liga’s director for international development. “It’s a model fully developed and we will share our know-how and provide support.”
- Reebok Launches Loyalty Program as Part of Digital Initiative: The athletic apparel giant has created a loyalty program called “Unlocked” in which consumers can earn points by purchasing or reviewing products, interacting with Reebok through social media, or attending events. Points can be saved up towards rewards ranging from early access to new Reebok products, training programs, and other promotions from Reebok partners. “We’ll be rewarding consumers for their loyalty and consistent brand interaction, with experiences that we know resonate with them and speak to their passions,” said Matt Blonder, Reebok’s Global Head of Digital.