Sportstech & Member News

The Brisbane 2032 infrastructure program will be funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Intergovernmental Agreement. The $7 billion-plus infrastructure program will reshape some of Queensland’s most significant venues and precincts, leaving a legacy for the community well after 2032. On 24 November 2023, it was announced that the Project Validation Report (PVR) Summary ( 1.3 MB), and design and construction procurement will now begin

SportBusiness’ newly published Global Media Report 2023 reveals the combined worldwide media rights value of all sports properties has climbed to $US 55.986bn over the last 12 months, up 2.4 per cent from $US 54.698bn in 2022. The value is expected to pass $60bn for the first time in 2024 as the return of the Olympic Games and Uefa European Championship add weight to the total.

In the competitive world of health and fitness technology, cutting-edge body composition technology innovator Evolt 360 is fast-tracking its global expansion via significant new partnerships with Goodlife Fitness Canada, Matrix Fitness and Jetts Australia. GoodLife Fitness Canada is a behemoth of the Canadian fitness scene and the fourth largest globally with 650,000 members across 200 clubs and a team of over 13,000 associates. Evolt 360 is set to play a pivotal role in enhancing GoodLife’s offering with its innovative body composition monitoring technology to be used as a personal training assessment tool to inform customised training plans for GoodLife members.

Emerging from the collaboration of Dorilton Capital and Williams Racing, FanCapital plans to partner with premier athletes and teams to build the largest sports vertical audience and incremental monetization platform. FanCapital has announced that Formula 1 driver, Alex Albon, has joined as client #2 and will play a pivotal role on the company's advisory board.

Olympic legend, Cathy Freeman OAM, has today officially opened the Blacktown City Council’s new Blacktown Exercise, Sports and Technology (BEST) Hub. The newly constructed $100 million facility was fully-funded by Council and sits within the Blacktown International Sports Park – venue for the Sydney 2000 Olympics softball and baseball competitions.

GameDay, powered by Stack Sports and in conjunction with Stack Team App, have partnered with Cricket Hong Kong, China to create a streamlined database and communication framework for their High-Performance Pathways division. The project is designed to ultimately enhance the digital experience of pathway players and track their engagement throughout their journey from developing to high performance athletes, while also providing a valuable cloud-based resource for cricket administrators across the pathway programmes.

The NFL today announced the HealthTECH Challenge I, a crowd-sourced challenge to accelerate innovations that can help make playing surfaces more consistent and safer for players. HealthTECH Challenge I will provide up to $100,000 to entrants with ideas that further improve the safety and consistency of playing surfaces. Submissions close 20 February 2024.

The NCAA's Big Ten Conference and Big Ten Network today announced a groundbreaking partnership with Greenfly, the leading platform for short-from content capture, organization, and distribution, to power the flow of digital media assets for thousands of Big Ten student-athletes. The multi-year partnership will allow the conference to provide student-athletes across 14 member institutions sophisticated access to tailored content they can leverage to build their brands.

The Global Wellness Institute has valued the Physical Activity market at $US976 billion, and is expected to grow to $US1.4 trillion by 2027. Beyond gyms, the Global Wellness Institute breaks the industry into six sectors: fitness, mindful movement, recreational sports, tech, apparel, and equipment. Fitness tech (including wearables and workout apps) has grown most rapidly, becoming a $US64 billion market in its own right. Right behind, apparel/footwear and equipment have surpassed pre-pandemic values, worth $US372 billion and $US 137.5 billion, respectively.

Sports social media monitor, Shunt, has today released its latest measures of Australia's sports social media landscape.  A total of 150 leagues across eight sports or codes including the AFL, AFLW, NRL, Netball, Basketball, Football, Rugby and Cricket. Where the NSW NPL has built a massive audience in excess of 100K, NBL1 is punching out a staggering 7 plus posts per day so far in 2023. Checkout what league, association and geographic region from eight sports around the country was the Facebook Audience Allstar, Publishing Pro, Fan Favourite and Performance Powerhouse from Jan-Oct 2023.

Announced in September 2023, Rosterfy will be working with not-for-profit organisation, Disability Sports Australia, to streamline and manage their impressive national network of volunteers and 70 come-and-try events. Disability Sports Australia (DSA) is one of Australia’s nine (9) National Sporting Organisations for people with disability with a focus on enabling more Australians with disability to be active more often. The platform officially went live in mid-November 2023 and volunteers can now register directly with DSA on the Rosterfy plaform.

Ahead CES 2024, NASDAQ-listed Vuzix, a supplier of Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technology announced the expansion of its Ultralite OEM Platform with its new Ultralite S AR smart glasses aimed at sports and fitness users. The Vuzix Ultralite S, has been named a CES® 2024 Innovation Awards winner in the Wearable Technologies and Sports & Fitness categories.

With an innovative approach towards increasing member engagement, gym brand World Gym Australia has joined forces with the Australian health tech innovator Coach Welly. The alliance promises to personalise member experiences using AI, aimed at strengthening customer loyalty and satisfaction.

For the first time at the UEFA European Football Championship, the Official Match Ball will feature adidas Connected Ball Technology - which sends precise ball data to video match officials in real time. Combining player position data with AI, the innovation contributes to UEFA’s semi-automated offside technology and will be key to supporting faster in match decisions.

Next Level Racing has unveiled the brand-new Next Level Racing GTRacer. The GTRacer simulator cockpit has been designed specifically to deliver an immersive GT-Style racing experience for racing enthusiasts.

New York City FC is planning on building the first fully electric stadium in Major League Soccer (MLS), with a number of sustainability features to be integrated into the design of the 25,000-seat venue. As well as becoming the first fully electric stadium in MLS, the facility would be the first fully electric professional sports stadium in New York City.

The A-Leagues and Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) today announced their partnership with GoBubble Community to prevent social media abuse, first established in April 2022, would continue through to 2027. GoBubble’s own artificial intelligence monitors social media accounts in order to identify and block abusive, derogatory, harmful or offensive content. 

Genius Sports today announced an expanded agreement with FanDuel to deliver its transformative BetVision streaming solution. FanDuel, America’s #1 sportsbook will unveil BetVision as part of its premium NFL offering through Genius Sports. As the exclusive distributor of NFL Official League Data, Genius Sports will continue to provide FanDuel with access to the league’s proprietary Next Gen Stats (“NGS”) data as well as the official sports betting data feed. BetVision will allow FanDuel customers on mobile and tablet devices to take their live NFL viewing experience to the next level in the FanDuel sportsbook app.

Lumin Sports has underlined its commitment to supporting S&C coaches at every level of athlete development by partnering with the National High School Strength Coaches Association in the US. The agreement brings together two organizations that share a commitment to educate, equip, and empower coaches to make positive impacts on the lives of student athletes.

iNSPIRETEK is technology platform where athletes can input daily metrics including their mental health, sleep, fatigue, nutrition and stress, providing valuable insights, tools and education for sports coaches and officials to prioritise the wellbeing of athletes and the identification of potential athlete issues. The Queensland Government has now invested in iNSPIRETEK and its health technology so it can be piloted by athletes, coaches and club officials from nine state-level sporting organisations, including Basketball Queensland.

Adelaide-founded, Active Pathways (Pickstar and Vlast), has expanded its offering with the addition of leading talent agency W Sports & Media (WSM). Active Pathways is known for its existing talent activation technology platforms, (Pickstar and Vlast) and the announcement reconfirms he Company’s move to transform the sports and entertainment ecosystem. The deal will see Active Pathways combine Pickstar’s technology with WSM’s talent management agency, which represents some of the world’s best athletes, media personalities and musicians.

China National Sports Group and Singapore’s White Group signed a strategic cooperation deal in Beijing focusing on acquiring the intellectual property of international sports events and establishing global or Asia-Pacific commercial rights. The agreement outlines cooperation in sports event investment, venue construction, sports technology, international sports funds, and sports derivatives. The agreement includes plans to build a China-Singapore International Sports City in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The NBA Future Analytics Stars Program (FAS) is designed to attract, develop, and pipeline top talent of future leaders in basketball, business, and marketing analytics. This virtual program provides participants with access to mentorship, networking, and development opportunities. The program will connect current executives in these fields with the next generation of leaders in data and analytics and is expected to run for approximately five months beginning in January 2024. Current undergraduate juniors, undergraduate seniors, graduate students, or those early in their careers in similar fields are encouraged to apply.

News Corp Australia’s SuperCoach, Australia’s most popular and prominent fantasy franchise, has been selected by Cricket Australia to be an official fantasy sport game of the KFC Big Bash League. The free and fun fantasy game will provide Aussies with the opportunity to win plenty of awards, including weekly cash prizes and vouchers as well as the chance to gain bragging rights over family, friends and colleagues within mini-league competitions.

The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) has partnered with etrainu, a leading provider of community education solutions, to launch the IFAF Academy. First-of-its-kind education platform will empower member federations worldwide to build capacity and support accelerated participation growth as flag football prepares to make its debut in the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028

ESPN will today launch its sports betting brand ESPNBet. EPSN is the largest sports media brand in the US, with over 100 million unique monthly digital visitors. Its social media presence tops 370 million followers, as well as boasting 25 million subscribers to its ESPN+ streaming service. ESPN is also the biggest brand on TikTok with more than 40 million followers worldwide.

The brand rolled out across 17 states. As well as heavyweights New Jersey and Pennsylvania, this will total every major US market (aside from New York).

Techstars New York City Accelerator is pleased to announce the 12 remarkable companies that have been selected for the Winter Class of 2023. On Demo Day, February 15th, 2024 the founders will present their companies and progress to the NYC tech ecosystem in person and virtually to VCs around the world.

A running app called Femmi, designed specifically for females has been launched today. Femmi offers personalized running guidance to help women reach new milestones and fall in love with running. The training is made to align with the unique physiology of each user, whether they are building, maintaining or just starting out on their running journey.

Bhout, a Portuguese connected boxing startup, has raised an impressive €10 million ($10.7 million) in seed funding for its AI-powered gamified boxing bag, scalable studio concept model and omnichannel approach.  Dubbed the “boxing bag with a brain” by Bhout founder Mauro Frota, the innovative fitness startup opened a boxing club in Lisbon, Portugal, in the summer of 2021 and was crowned the 2023 Startup Spotlight award winner at The Fitness Technology Summit in Washington, D.C.

ACHPER Victoria has announced a pioneering initiative stemming from a partnership with Readiness, a proven local wellbeing provider, to develop a scientifically-based curriculum to equip physical education teachers across the state to deliver a complete wellbeing curriculum to primary school students. What sets this curriculum apart is its meticulously crafted learning pathways tailored for every primary level, fully aligning with both the Australian and Victorian curriculum.

Geelong-based high-performance wheel manufacturer Carbon Revolution announced an initial investment of USD 70 million (AUD 108.7 million), which will be used to continue expanding the company’s global footprint. It also coincides with the closure of a business combination and the company’s listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

2023 has been a rough year for SportsTech startups looking for funding, with amounts invested at a 5 year low. However M&A deal flow has been at an all-time high. So it’s not that there’s no capital, it’s just being deployed in a different way. It’s been most interesting to see the sheer number of funds coming into the space over the last 12 months - both from new investors and existing investors with follow-on funds. 31 Funds with at least $4b+ of announced capital over the last 12 months. Yes some of that has already been deployed but most of it is yet to hit the market.

Readiness have announced the launch of the groundbreaking Wellbeing App in collaboration with the Victoria Jockeys Association. The App is designed to provide a range of resources and support tailored specifically for jockeys, ensuring they have the tools they need to thrive both on and off the track.

Australian sports advisory and investment firm XV Capital, co-founded by former Wallabies captain Stirling Mortlock and business partner James Godfrey, today announced a strategic partnership and equity agreement with CoachMate, a trailblazing sports technology company based in New Zealand. The partnership is poised to redefine grassroots community sport and offer invaluable support to sports organisations and communities while championing lifelong sports participation.

ActiveXchange, the leading data intelligence provider for the sport and active recreation industry, is excited to announce the launch of their Social Value of Sports platform module. Following the success of the Social Value for Leisure service, enabled through a research partnership with KPMG, this newly launched service will revolutionise the way sports organisations and local governments understand current and potential community savings and benefits generated through participation at sporting clubs, facilities and across priority local areas.

The GOAL sustainability platform, founded by Oak View Group, the Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena, Fenway Sports Group, and green building expert Jason F. McLennan, today announced a strategic partnership with Arctos Partners, to expand the tracking performance of the GOAL sustainability program and increase sustainable operations in venues around the country.

PlaySpark (formerly Spark Up Studios) recently partnered with Adelaide Lighting basketball club to implement their fan engagement platform to drive a more personalised and fun experience.

Australian cycling apparel company MAAP has announced the release of the new Atmos Pertex® Jacket & Vest. Designed in Melbourne, where riders frequently encounter up to four seasons on any given day, MAAP set out to create a jacket that performs in the most varied possible set of conditions. 

Legends and ASM Global today announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which Legends will acquire ASM Global to create a premium live events company dedicated to providing outstanding experiences for fans around the world. The acquisition of ASM Global’s venue management capabilities will enhance Legends’ services portfolio, positioning Legends to meet the expanding needs of sports organizations, entertainment venues, convention centers, and attractions globally while supporting its vision to deliver exceptional live experiences for fans in the digital age.

Smart Navigation platform PAM and the Los Angeles Rams are announcing that PAM will serve as the Technology Solutions Partner for the organization for a period of three years. During the 2022 season, PAM’s platform was used to enable Rams content to be shared directly with fans and visitors to SoFi Stadium during Rams game days. 

FIBA has presented its Venue Guide at the IAKS Congress in Germany to an array of the world's leading architects. The FIBA Venue Guide is overseen by the FIBA Equipment and Venue Centre, and provides technical recommendations, best practice examples and inspiration to support the build and renovation of basketball venues to ensure that they are suitable for potential future hosting of competitions.

Riverside Acceleration Capital (RAC) has announced a recent investment in Hapana, a full-stack fitness software solution servicing fitness businesses looking to streamline operations and elevate member engagement.

Chiliz, a sports blockchain company, has announced 25+ projects in its SportFi ecosystem, where the worlds of sports and decentralization converge to deliver new products and experiences to fans. The Chiliz vision for SportFi is that blockchain technology has the potential to transform sports into valuable, tradable digital assets, and create a new paradigm of interaction between sports entities and their communities

Barça Innovation Hub (BIHUB), an innovative division of the iconic football club FC Barcelona, has set its sights on Asia Pacific, aiming to create a lasting impact on the sports industry across the region. BIHUB looks to collaborate with regional startups whose values align with the club’s mission. The club, whose Asia Pacific office is headquartered in Hong Kong, also plans to open a physical office in Singapore.

After successfully completing two classes, the Minnesota Twins Accelerator by Techstars today announced its third cohort. Pioneering a unique pathway in the sports landscape, this accelerator is the first of its kind in Minnesota sports and just the second to be operated and funded by a Major League Baseball club.

Vald Performance have announced the launch of ForceFrame Max, the new addition to the ForceFrame line (with existing ForceFrame model being rebadged to ForceFrame Fold). ForceFrame Max is the outcome of over six years of feedback from clients who have cumulatively performed over 1.2 million ForceFrame tests on over 200,000 athletes and patients.  

The AFL has today entered a 10-year strategic partnership with global sports and entertainment leader TGI Sport. The AFL and TGI will deliver fans a brand new at match experience via new and innovative LED signage, digital screen and fan engagement offerings at both the MCG and Marvel Stadium.

In 2023, France had the honor of hosting the Rugby World Cup, an event of significance in the world of sports. To take fan engagement and excitement to new heights, organizers turned to the ‘Sync to Calendar’ marketing solution provided by ECAL, a trusted partner of World Rugby.

Coach Welly, a Queensland-based fitness & health tech start-up today announced its recent success in raising pre-seed funding, valuing the company at A$4.25M. The funding round was led by AngelLoop, and included Brisbane Angels and a group of strategic investors in Australia, Singapore and the USA who share Coach Welly's vision for helping millions of people to measurably improve their health and wellness.

A total of 17 of 18 AFL clubs use Tradable Bits for fan engagement, sponsorship, community and data-focused activations. Across these clubs there was nearly a 20% rise in campaign entries in 2023 and a 15% increase in communication subscriptions. The article take a deep dive into case studies from each club on how they engaged with fans, sponsors and the community through online activations.