Wednesday, Apr. 10, 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.
- MiLB Plans to Reduce Game Highlight Sharing on Social Media: Minor League Baseball will reportedly release an updated social media policy in the coming weeks that will ask teams to limit the number of game-action highlights they post on Twitter and other social media platforms. Teams will be asked to post game highlights to their own website instead of social media accounts, according to Emily Waldon of The Athletic. The new policy comes as a stark contrast to MLB’s social media policy, which was updated in February to allow players to share game highlights on their individual accounts. MLB is also allowing Twitter to stream daily at-bats of fan-selected players as part of a new partnership established for the 2019 season.
- Kansas City Royals Partner With StellarAlgo to Gain Data Insights on Fans: This season, the Kansas City Royals will use StellarAlgo’s customer data platform to boost fan engagement. StellarAlgo’s machine learning software should help the Royals understand fan interests and preferences, and use that information to increase sales of merchandise and event tickets, and to improve customer service. The Royals are the first MLB club to partner with StellarAlgo, which is now working with teams from four of the five biggest U.S. sports leagues as well as other live event organizations.
- Pro Football Hall of Fame Adds Digital Ticketing Through Tickets.com: The Hall of Fame and Tickets.com have announced a new multi-year digital ticketing partnership. Football fans visiting the HoF in Canton, Ohio, can now purchase tickets through Tickets.com’s ProVenue secure online platform, and will also be able to use their mobile devices, instead of paper tickets, to enter the museum and the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, which hosts the annual Hall of Fame Game as well as the Enshrinement Ceremony.
- NormaTec Updates and Shrinks Compression Therapy Recovery Device: Athlete recovery firm NormaTec has released a new version of its compression therapy device. The new version is 27 percent smaller, and $200 cheaper, and more durable. Athletes use NormaTec devices to massage muscles after exercise and thus reduce pain and soreness. NormaTec also allows users to connect their devices with a NormaTec mobile app to track recovery data and share performance data with coaches.
- Oakland A’s Front Office to Use RingCentral for Business Communications: The Oakland A’s front office will use RingCentral’s cloud communications technology, while the company will be the new presenting partner of the A’s Radio Network, and will also have its brand displayed throughout the Oakland Coliseum. “The partnership will give the A’s access to our differentiated open cloud communications platform that integrates voice, video, and team messaging, to enhance fan engagement and improve productivity across the organization,” said David Sipes, chief operating officer at RingCentral, in a press release.