Patrick Corbin of the Washington Nationals delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning of a spring training baseball game at Fitteam Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on Mar. 13, 2019. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Tuesday, Mar. 19, 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.
- MLB Tests Secure Catcher to Pitcher Communication System: MLB officials visited Washington Nationals’ spring training yesterday to test a new wearable device meant to prevent sign stealing, according to Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post. A catcher can enter pitch location and type into a watch that is connected to another device a pitcher is wearing on the mound. “I feel like the tech is definitely too far ahead for regular signs anymore,” said Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers on Twitter. “We, as the players, want the game crisp for the fans so less mound visits etc. and need a way to combat it.”
- AWS Adds Pit Strategy Battle Stat to Formula 1 Coverage: Amazon Web Services introduced a new statistic at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this past weekend. The Pit Strategy Battle stat analyzes the potential outcome of a team deciding to bring a driver in early for a pit stop, or keeping the driver out late. It provides real-time information measuring the position of two drivers, the predicted gap between them after pit stops, and the percentage chance of them switching positions during stops. AWS delivered the stat directly to race broadcasters via the Formula 1 International feed.
- The Spring League Will Feature STATS Data in 2019 and 2020: STATS has signed a deal to become the official data provider to The Spring League, a developmental football league that begins its third season this April. STATS will provide live box scores, play by play, and drive charts for the league’s next two seasons. “The league has become an offseason destination for both NFL and CFL scouts looking to bolster their rosters ahead of training camps,” said Brian Woods, CEO of The Spring League, in a press release. “As we look to grow, we need to provide access to game data for scouts and fans who follow us.”
- ESPN+ and UFC Extend Pay-per-View Deal Through 2025: An extended deal between ESPN+ and UFC will make the streaming service the exclusive U.S. home to all UFC pay-per-view events until 2025. The new agreement builds on the five-year, $1.5 billion deal that UFC originally signed with ESPN in 2018. Part of the attraction of ESPN+ for UFC was that the service can provide better audience data, according to Variety. “It’s really unlike anything we’ve had with legacy distributors like Comcast and DirecTV,” said Lawrence Epstein, UFC chief operating officer. “The amount of data we were getting on buys from the cable industry was pretty much zero.”
- Mobile Service Helps Cavaliers Fans Quicken Food Orders: The Cleveland Cavaliers have launched a new mobile ordering service at Quicken Loans Arena powered by Apple Business Chat. Fans with an iPhone and an Apple Pay account use their camera to scan a QR code on the back of their seat to have food and beverages delivered directly to them. The service will run as a pilot program until the end of the current NBA season and is also available at home games of the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, who also plays at Quicken Loans Arena.
- Ironman Races Will Be Exclusively Streamed on Facebook Watch: Facebook has agreed to a multi-year extension with Ironman to make Facebook Watch the exclusive digital home to at least 17 live events per year. The new deal runs through 2020 with an option for 2021. Coverage will appear globally on Ironman’s Facebook page, which saw more than 3.5 million people view at least one minute of an Ironman live broadcast in 2018. Facebook’s broadcast will include Facebook Watch Parties, real-time polls, fan discussion, and user generated content from spectators along the course.
