Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies hits in the first inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Mar. 09, 2019 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Thursday, Mar. 28, 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.
- Phillies Outfielder Bryce Harper to Wear Photochromic Contacts in Games: New Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper will wear photochromic contact lenses on the field this season. The lenses can adapt to changing light conditions, and the technology has long been used in glasses but is new to contact lenses. Harper has worn contacts since eighth grade. He began testing the photochromic lenses during spring training as part of his sponsorship with contact lens brand Acuvue Oasys. “The sunlight and the lights of the stadium would really interfere with my eyes a little bit. Being able to have a lens that transitions into a darker lens for me has been huge,” Harper said according to USA Today.
- Barça Innovation Hub to Study Link Between Sleep and Performance: FC Barcelona’s research center is planning to collaborate with insurance company Allianz on projects impacting the health of both athletes and non-athletes. The partnership’s first initiative will be a six-month study to collect qualitative sleep data from 600 young athletes across Barca’s sports teams. Athletes participating in the study will wear smart t-shirts from Hexoskin to monitor heart rate, breathing, and movement during sleep. “Our aim is to transcend the sports field and give more insights for the general public,” said Josep Maria Bartomeu, President of FC Barcelona, in a press release.
- Capital One Arena’s Green Turtle Bar to Become Sportsbook: Washington Wizards and Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said at a gambling conference on Wednesday that he plans to add a sportsbook inside Capital One Arena. Washington, D.C.’s city council approved sports betting in December. “There will be a sportsbook inside the building accessible from the outside and depending on the league and depending on the event, it might be accessible from the inside as well,” Leonsis said, according to The Action Network. Capital One Arena already received a $15 million investment to build out its sports betting plans while NBC Sports Washington has started producing a betting-themed alternative broadcast for select Wizards games this season.
- NHL Names William Hill as Official Sports Betting Partner: Sports book operator William Hill has been named an official sports betting partner of the NHL as part of a multi-year agreement announced Thursday. The deal is non-exclusive, as the NHL also formed a similar partnership with MGM Resorts in October. William Hill maintains existing partnerships with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and New Jersey Devils, and will now build upon its relationship with the league. “Partnering with William Hill US, a leader in both the sportsbook and mobile betting marketplace, provides a tremendous opportunity to further fan engagement,” said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, in a press release.
- MLB Leads Latest Fundraising Round for Satisfi Labs: Major League Baseball has partnered with knowledge management platform Satisfi Labs since 2016, and has been announced as a lead investor in the company’s latest fundraising. The platform uses artificial intelligence to answer customer questions and is currently used by more that 20 MLB teams. “[Satisfi Labs] industry leading capabilities in conversational interfaces, voice, and machine learning can help power the next generation of innovative fan experiences. We are looking forward to working with our Clubs to explore new opportunities with Satisfi Labs this year and beyond,” said Chad Evans, Senior VP of Product Development at MLB.
