Wednesday, July 31, 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.
- ESPN, MLB and the X Games are teaming up with non-profit DoSomething to campaign against cyberbullying. A Shred Hate PSA featuring Mets’ All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso and five-time X Games medalist Gus Kenworthy is up on the non-profit’s YouTube account and will appear across MLB’s digital channels and ESPN media platforms during the X Games. “MLB is thrilled to work with our partners at ESPN to link the Shred Hate effort with DoSomething.org in an effort to create an opportunity for our nation’s youth to educate themselves and act against this online epidemic,” said Billy Bean, MLB’s VP & special assistant to the commissioner.
- League of Legends developer Riot Games has signed an integrity deal with data firm Sportradar. Under the terms of the partnership, Sportradar will monitor global esports betting activity across domestic and international League of Legends esports competitions organized by Riot Games. Sportradar also provides its integrity services to the NBA, MLB, the NHL, and FIFA. According to a report from Narus Advisors, a projected $12.9 billion will be wagered on global esports by 2020.
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- Sports video analysis site Hudl has acquired Italian soccer scouting platform Wyscout. More than 1,000 professional clubs, 1,000 player agencies, and 60 national teams and federations across global soccer use Wyscout. Hudl’s platform mostly targets football teams in the U.S., but the company’s data analysis tools are also used by several clubs in the English Premier League. This deal is Hudl’s ninth acquisition since 2011. “Hudl and Wyscout coming together means coaches, analysts and the football community will have unprecedented access to all the video and data they need to drive improvement and unearth talent from all over the world,” said John Wirtz, Hudl’s chief product officer, in a press release.
- Amazon’s package of Premier League matches will be shown in pubs across the U.K. next season, as part of a distribution deal with BT Sport. The Amazon Premier League Pass will cost between $120 and $730 for individual establishments to show, and BT Sport will help market the pass, according to the Daily Telegraph. Amazon will exclusively stream 20 Premier League matches per year for the next three seasons to U.K.-based Prime subscribers.
- Panthers fans will be able to use the ParkWhiz app to find parking at Bank of America Stadium this season. The mobile app allows fans to find, book, and pay for parking in advance of game days. The Browns partnered with another mobile parking app last year, signing a deal with ParkMobile.
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