2018—The Year Sports Tech Strengthens Its Core
Athletes know it can feel effortless to fly down the field, across the court, or around the track or rink. It's because of a strong core.
It's a grind to spend time in the weight room stretching and doing monotonous situps, planks, and lifts. Yet, this core work is what helps athletes run faster, stronger, and longer.
In 2018, the race is on to define the future of sport. Technology is impacting all aspects of sport, and while most companies are attracted to the big shiny objects like virtual reality, drones, and wearables, they should be focused on the core.
The core in sports tech can be described as the capabilities and skills required to define the future of sport. At the Sports Innovation Lab, we define the core as:
Understanding esports so you can truly envision the future of digital fan engagement.
Experimenting with immersive media and niche sports content so you can deploy new media formats at the right pace.
Laying the groundwork for smart venues with robust security infrastructure that enhances the fan experience.
Redefining sponsorship categories and negotiating rights deals that align technology with fan experience goals.
Collecting, quantifying, and validating baseline athlete data (get genetic, nutrition, and sleep data in one place).
Each of these goals are 2018 priorities to strengthen your core. These skills and these opportunities will lead your organization to be more agile in the future as technologies continue to evolve. Anyone predicting the future is wrong. Focus on what can be done well today to prepare for your next competitor.