Friday, May 17, 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
- Amazon Prime Video Secures U.K. Rights to Women’s Tennis Association Matches: Amazon has negotiated the rights to livestream Women’s Tennis Association matches in the U.K. for the 2020 season. BT Sport has held digital and broadcast rights to the WTA there since 2013, but will cease ownership after the current season. Amazon’s streaming service already holds exclusive rights to stream the ATP World Tour and the U.S. Open in the U.K. and Ireland. Amazon’s coverage of last year’s U.S. Open received negative reviews from British fans.
- Olympic Sprinter Usain Bolt Unveils Prototype Two-Seater Electric Car: Usain Bolt unveiled a two-seater electric car at the VivaTech conference in Paris on Thursday. Dubbed the Bolt Nano, the vehicle was launched by Bolt Mobility, an electric transportation company co-founded by the former Olympic sprinter. Bolt Nano has a swappable battery and customers will be able to purchase the car for $9,999 starting in 2020. Bolt Mobility also started rolling out rentable electric scooters in Paris this past week.
- Helmet Manufacturer Xenith Launches Position-Specific Football Shoulder Pads: Xenith announced a new line of shoulder pads designed to be worn by players based on position and playing style. The pads come in three styles: skill, hybrid, and lineman. “Every player has a unique playing style and body type,” said Grant Goulet, Xenith VP of product innovation. “To enable their best performance, we designed the line of Element shoulder pads for superior feel and protection, while not compromising on range of motion and on-field agility.” In April, the NFL and NFLPA ranked Xenith’s football helmet as the ninth-safest helmet.
