Moritz Wagner of the Michigan Wolverines and tournament MVP celebrates after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-66 during the championship game of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on Mar. 4, 2018. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
Wednesday, Mar. 6, 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.
- Warriors Gaming Signs First Woman in NBA 2K League: Chiquita Evans will be the first woman to play in the NBA 2K League after she was drafted by the Golden State Warriors. Evans, a 30-year-old from Chicago, was taken in the fourth round of last night’s NBA 2K League draft at Barclays Center. She is a former college and semipro basketball player, and will now make from $33,000 to $37,000 per season, plus benefits and team housing, for the switch to virtual ball.
- FuboTV to Stream Big Ten and Big East Tournaments in 4K: FuboTV announced it will be the first live streaming service to air NCAA basketball in 4K when the company streams next week’s Big Ten and Big East conference championships. However, the tournaments’ finals will air only in HD on CBS and FOX, respectively. This March will also mark the first time that FuboTV will broadcast all games played during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, which begins Mar. 19.
- CG Technology Loses Deal to Run M Resort Sportsbook: Penn National Gaming announced it will no longer enlist CG Technology to operate its sportsbook at M Resort in Nevada. Instead, William Hill will handle the casino’s sportsbook. Penn National did not explain why it has decided to switch operators, but began employing William Hill to run its sportsbooks in other states last year. CG Technology has been fined three times by the Nevada Gaming Commission since 2014 for accepting illegal wagers and making incorrect payouts, according to The Las Vegas Review Journal.
- Montana Casino Adds Betting Platform in Hopes of State Legalization: Newgioco, a Toronto-based online betting platform, has signed a multi-year deal with Fleetwood Gaming, a casino operator in Montana. Sports betting has yet to be legalized in Montana, though the two companies expect full legislation to pass in 2019. “Along with our tribal gaming partners, we look forward to working with Fleetwood and its aligned ‘family culture’ and business ethics to bring responsible sports and virtual betting to Montana and its neighboring states,” said Newgioco CEO Michele Ciavarella in a press release.
- Dallas Cowboys Launch Shared Workspace at Headquarters: The Cowboys announced the launch of Formation, a shared workspace similar to WeWork located at the team’s practice facility and corporate headquarters campus in Frisco, Texas. The 18,000-square-foot office space plans to open this summer. “By combining the sophisticated aesthetic, influential network of our membership, and one-of-a-kind access to business expertise from the Cowboys front office, I believe we are creating an atmosphere that can allow entrepreneurs and executives to reach new heights within their business,” said Cowboys EVP Jerry Jones Jr.
- Danish Robots Come for U.S. Groundskeepers: Danish startup Intelligent Marking, which builds robots that use GPS technology to mark lines on sports fields, announced it will expand its U.S presence after securing a multi-million dollar funding round. Intelligent Marking has previously sold its robots in Japan, Australia, and Europe, and lists its suggested retail price at $49,999 per robot. “With our robot, they just have to choose the desired sport type and field layout, push a button, and then the robot will drive from field to field and make sure that the lines are accurate and precise,” said Anders Ulrik Sørensen, co-CEO of Intelligent Marking.
