International Sportstech News

Football's global governing body FIFA has partnered with AI technology firm Magnifi to transform how fans experience match highlights and key moments across its digital platform FIFA+. The collaboration will leverage Magnifi's artificial intelligence capabilities to deliver real-time highlights, crucial match moments and personalised player clips to football supporters worldwide. The technology will be deployed across more than 600 matches in the first year, processing approximately 1,200 hours of content.

Thanks AI and the trillions of data collected in 30 years on Technogym's Mywellness Open Platform, Technogym is able to offer the Healthness solution. This includes a range of products and services including the Technogym Checkup, the new assessment station based on AI is able to analyze psycho-physical and cognitive parameters and automatically calculate Precision Training programs. The new AI-based Biostrength and Biocardio product ranges allow users to deliver Precision Training Programs automatically thanks to the Technogym App, enabling them to track data and adapt the program to progresses. Heatlhness health prevention programs tangible thanks to data and AI.

Hudl has acquired FasModel Sports, the provider of best-in-class game preparation, scouting and recruitment tools in basketball and ice hockey. Hudl will combine its own video, analytics, and content ecosystem with FastModel’s industry-leading play diagramming, scouting, and recruiting products. This will enable Hudl to deliver a one-stop-shop solution to coaches and video coordinators. FastModel services the majority of NBA and WNBA teams, and thousands more in college and high school basketball. FastModel found similar success in ice hockey, with teams in the NHL and PWHL as well as college and high schools.

The International Sports & Entertainment Free Zone Cluster (ISEZA) is poised to become the UAE’s inaugural dedicated sports and entertainment business cluster within the Free Zone environment. It will function as an industry-centric business hub, enabling licensing for various sports and entertainment business activities, and nurturing a collaborative ecosystem that aims to promote the industry’s growth. The Zone will deliver a cohesive platform for licensing businesses across established sectors, including sports management and marketing, event management, talent representation, and media and broadcasting, while also driving growth in emerging fields like e-sports, AI-driven sports tech, and fan tokens. 

Aescape, which has developed massage robots using artificial intelligence, has raised $US 83 million in strategic funding. Aescape said its Aertable uses sensors and AI to map, understand, and adapt to each body’s unique contours and areas of tension. The system captures 1.2 million unique data points about the body’s muscle structure to create a personalized massage experience. The funding will enable the company to expand into new markets, and grow its partnerships with global brands.

International Sports Group (ISG), a financial holding leader in innovative sports technology, has announced its acquisition of Iterpro, an all-in-one sports data management platform. Both ISG and Iterpro share a clear vision: to transform traditional sports management by consolidating data and streamlining operations into a single, unified system. Iterpro’s cutting-edge capabilities perfectly complement ISG’s commitment to driving peak performance, ensuring that sports operations is optimised for success.

Fanatics has launched the Fanatics Ticket Marketplace after partnering with Ticketmaster. The Fanatics app will allow people to buy resale tickets alongside apparel, merchandise, and collectibles. The partnership is part of a wider collaboration between the two which enables Ticketmaster tickets to be listed on Fanatics while Fanatics merchandise becomes available on Ticketmaster.

Spanish LaLiga football club Sevilla FC has become the first sports organisation to be invited to join the global AI Alliance. The club was recognised by the group in light of its pioneering work on artificial intelligence (AI), most notably regarding attendance prediction solutions. The AI Alliance was co-founded by IBM and Meta and includes other technology partners and academic institutions. Sevilla has incorporated AI into its ticketing, sponsorship and Fan 360 tools, with a special emphasis on attendance prediction solutions, which have had a significant impact on the management of the secondary ticket market.

United Soccer League has expanded their partnership with Spiideo & SportsEngine Play to transform streaming, data & scouting in pre-professional men’s and women’s leagues. The United Soccer League (USL) is the largest and fastest-growing soccer organisation in the United States, impacting more than 200 communities nationwide. The USL is the first and only organization to offer a comprehensive youth-to-professional pathway for both men and women under one ecosystem. Spiideo is used by thousands of teams and installed in more than 6,000 venues across 60 countries.

adidas and Fastbreak AI have joined forces to launch a groundbreaking initiative that will provide more than 6,000 athletes across the United States with access to premier athletic camps and tournaments. This partnership aims to break down the financial barriers that prevent many young athletes from competing at the highest levels. adidas will serve as the program's founding sponsor, fully funding fees and expenses to enable participation for these athletes. Fastbreak AI's Impact platform (AI-powered scheduling, tournament management and sponsorship platform) will manage the selection and placement of participants into top-tier camps and tournaments held in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and Houston. The Athletes to Tournament initiative focuses on basketball and soccer athletes between the ages of 8 and 19. 

TitletownTech Startup Draft located in Green Bay has opened its application period for startups to apply to their 2025 program. Top companies on the board will be invited to the TitletownTech Startup Combine on April 3rd and 4th. The program provides startups the opportunity to showcase their business in front of prospective customers, receive coaching from leaders in the market, and compete for a $US 1 million investment from TitletownTech and $350,000 in credits from Microsoft for Startups.

TKO Group Holdings has closed its acquisition of IMG, On Location and Professional Bull Riders (PBR) from Endeavor Group Holdings. The deal was first announced back in October, with all three to be acquired in an all-equity transaction valued at $US 3.25 billion. IMG is a sports marketing agency servicing more than 200 rights holders including The R&A, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon) and Major League Soccer. On Location is a provider of premium hospitality and live experience, and is an official partner for the likes of the FIFA Men’s World Cup 2026, the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The ATP and Overtime announces a content partnership that will deliver behind-the-scenes tennis content to Overtime’s 100M+ millennial and Gen Z/Alpha audience. The partnership aims to expand the reach of one of the world’s most popular sports to younger audiences through the launch of new Overtime tennis platforms across social, featuring popular Overtime talent and some of the biggest names in tennis. Overtime will produce content at numerous ATP Tour events worldwide throughout the year including ATP Masters 1000 tournaments, the Nitto ATP Finals and the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. 

Paris Saint-Germain has launched PSG Labs, a global initiative designed to accelerate cutting-edge technology in sports, fan experience, and performance, with stadiums and training grounds one of three focus areas. PSG, which is owned by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), has said the first international PSG Lab will be based in Doha. PSG Labs will work closely with select partners in key technology ecosystems to accelerate the development of breakthrough innovations in fan experience, stadium and training ground and health and performance.

The top 100 franchises are worth $US 470 billion collectively with a cutoff of $US 2 billion. The leader is NFL team Dallas Cowboys coming in at $US 10.32 billion, followed by 3 NBA teams, the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and LA Lakers. The first football / soccer team comes in at number 17, Manchester United followed by Real Madrid at 18. The of 100 includes all 32 NFL franchises, all 30 NBA franchises, 15 MLB franchises, 10 European football teams and 8 NHL franchises.

Hudl, a global leader in sports performance analysis and scouting, has announced a renewal of their exclusive partnership with United Soccer League, a driving force behind the growth and development of soccer in the United States. This three-season exclusive agreement includes matches from: USL Championship, USL League One/Jägermeister Cup, USL Super League, USL League 2 and W League. All scouting video and data from the licensed competitions will be made available on Wyscout—the world’s largest database of football video and data. 

Grand Slam Track™, the new global home of professional track competition, launched by four-time Olympic Champion Michael Johnson, announced it has selected global sports AI, tech and data leader Stats Perform as its exclusive global data and betting rights distributor and integrity partner. Grand Slam Track™ will host four Slams taking place this year between April and June in Kingston, Jamaica, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. A total of 96 contracted men’s and women’s star athletes will race over three hours, across 12 event groups for three consecutive nights.

In 2024, USA private equity investments in the sports sector reached over $US 10 billion. That is more than twice as much as in all European top leagues combined. In total, private equity firms have invested around $US 55 billion in U.S. sports leagues since 2019. USA sports leagues have introduced changes to allow this kind of investment in teams. Major League Baseball (MLB) led the way as the first U.S. sports league to allow private equity firms to purchase minority stakes in teams, a move adopted by the NBA and NHL. In August 2024, the NFL permitted private equity firms to acquire up to 10% of team shares. 

PSG becomes the first European club to offer live broadcasts of select Ligue 1 matches in virtual reality. Produced in partnership with YBVR and Monks the virtual reality broadcast exclusively on Xtadium, the world's leading immersive platform. The broadcast was made possible through a partnership with beIN Sports and accessible on META headsets in the United States.

NikeSKIMS, a new brand from NIKE, Inc. and SKIMS merges NIKE's world-class approach to advanced innovation, sport science and athlete insights with SKIMS’ obsession for the female form and pioneering pursuit of solutions for every body. NikeSKIMS will offer an extensive line of women's training apparel, footwear and accessories. NikeSKIMS will debut its first collection in the United States at select retail locations and nike.com/NikeSKIMS this spring. 

Playpoint has raised $US 5.5 million, led by Blueprint Equity. Playbypoint provides integrated POS and management software for racket sports clubs allowing them to handle all aspects of their operation under one single solution. This raise reflects the growing demand for innovative, user-friendly technology in racquet sports. Playbypoint makes it easier for clubs to manage operations, engage their communities, and elevate the player experience.

ShotTracker’s real-time data and AI-driven insights for teams, leagues, facilities and consumers, announced the addition or renewal of 17 partner schools. The 17 NCAA schools who have either extended, expanded, or recently joined the ShotTracker portfolio represent some of the most successful programs in men’s and women’s basketball. ShotTracker’s innovative suite of products delivers completely autonomous basketball stats to teams, broadcasters and game partners as well as scouting, on demand and on-the-bench solutions that enable teams to utilize the most advanced video and data.

One of the world's leading sports universities, Loughborough University have announce the launch of Game-Intuit. Game-Intuit is Loughborough University's first Spinout dedicated to applying AI in sports analytics. Game-Intuit will pioneer the use of Machine Learning to evaluate athletes' decision-making.

Cricket fans in India are in for a big change! The Indian Premier League (IPL) will no longer be streamed for free on JioHotstar, the newly launched platform by JioStar. This new streaming service was formed after Viacom18 and Star India merged, combining JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar into a single platform called JioHotstar. While the new service promises a better viewing experience, it also introduces a new hybrid subscription model, ending the free live streaming that fans have enjoyed since 2023. Subscriptions will start from around ₹149 for 3 months ($AUD 2.70), up to ₹499 for 3 months ($AUD9.00) for 4 devices.

Hundreds of college football players have signed group licensing agreements for their likeness to be used on video games in what is expected to be the single largest commercial deal in the industry’s history, eclipsing $US 20 million and, perhaps, touching more than hundred schools. Pathway Sports and Entertainment, a new company focused on monetizing athlete NIL rights, is launching into the space by providing players with four-figure guarantees as part of video game NIL agreements.

SURJ Sports Investment (SURJ), a leading sports investment company, has agreed to acquire a minority stake in DAZN, a global leader in sports entertainment. DAZN's sports streaming service is available in more than 200 markets around the world. SURJ’s strategy extends beyond direct investment in sports to include other essential elements of the ecosystem, such as broadcasting, digital platforms, grassroots programmes, and fan engagement initiatives. As part of this agreement, SURJ and DAZN will work closely to establish DAZN MENA, a joint venture that will unlock new broadcasting opportunities for Saudi Arabia’s growing sports sector and accelerate fans’ access to live and on-demand sports content. 

With a record-breaking Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2024 and an unforgettable Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Game Technology and Innovation Commission of FIVB reinforced its commitment to advancing the game through innovation, technology and enhanced fan experiences. As the sport continues to evolve in the digital era, the Commission is focused on three key areas: FIVB World Ranking; Technology and Integrity of the Game; and Knowledge Transfer and Sustainability. The Commission highlighted the successful implementation of Bolt6’s automatic ball-tracking technology and Hawk-Eye’s video officiating system at Paris 2024, which were applauded for their precision and fairness.

Prenuvo, a provider of proactive whole-body MRI screening raises $120M in Series B funding round co-led by Forerunner Ventures, Left Lane Capital, and existing investor Felicis. The company already has 110,000 members, providing over 1.4 million personalized health insights. This success is driven by Prenuvo’s commitment to early detection and its innovative approach to whole-body MRI screening, which provides a comprehensive view of an individual’s health. Prenuvo is expanding its reach with plans to open 15 new clinics in North America, Europe, and Australia.

ScorePlay, the AI-driven platform transforming sports media management, has successfully closed a $13 million Series A funding round. Led by Harry Stebbings’ 20VC, the round also included APEX Capital, and strategic investors such as Giannis Antetokounmpo’s BYL Ventures, Nico Rosberg (former Formula 1 world champion), Pat Cummins (Australian National Cricket Team) and FIBA (the International Basketball Federation). The platform automatically tags and organizes content, enabling new workflows such as instant multilingual distribution. ScorePlay accelerates new content production and streamlines delivery to athletes, broadcasters, and sponsors.

FIFPRO Technologies, a new division of FIFPRO dedicated to fostering the benefits of technology among professional football players, announced a long-term partnership with Sports Data Labs to launch a global technology platform for players that will enable them to collect, control, and monetise their data collected both on and off the pitch. The data-agnostic platform will allow footballers worldwide to safely and securely store, access and share their personal data and other player information gathered from across their careers via one, union and player-controlled data repository.

FLITEDECK is a newly launched cycling handlebar system that integrates an automotive-like infotainment system into your bike. It features a 180mm by 70mm touchscreen in an integrated carbon fibre road bike handlebar with WiFi, ANT+, Bluetooth, 5G, NFC, GPS, GNSS connectivity and 30 hours of battery life. FLITEDECK is currently available for pre-order with early bird discounts starting from $AUD 2,697, while the customisable model costs $AUD 5,563.

Hudl, a global leader in providing cloud-based technology connecting video and data for the sports industry, has completed the acquisition of Balltime. Balltime’s advanced AI joins Hudl’s suite of volleyball tools to further drive innovation for indoor and beach volleyball teams at all levels globally. Founded in 2022, Balltime has used AI to revolutionize and democratize the use of video and analytics for volleyball teams on the court and beach. By joining forces with Balltime, volleyball teams will have faster access to detailed data like serve speed and attack height. Combined with Hudl’s analysis tools, this data will be available within minutes of walking off the court.

As younger generations shift away from traditional sports consumption, Roblox has emerged as a game-changer in how sports leagues, brands, and organizations engage with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. With 88.9 million daily active users across 190 countries, the platform offers immersive, interactive, and gamified sports experiences that capture the attention of digital-native fans.

ESPN and Major League Rugby (MLR) have reached a multiyear media rights agreement, bringing the highest level of professional rugby in the United States to ESPN platforms. Under the agreement, all regular season and playoff games will stream live on ESPN+, with a select number of matches presented on ESPN2. Additionally, fans can stream replays of each match, highlights and rugby content on The Rugby Network, following a 72-hour delay. 

Michael Johnson's new track league has struck a media deal for Peacock to stream all the action live and The CW to broadcast the weekend races during the four events in 2025.  The move gives NBC Sports, the Olympic rights holder that operates Peacock, a foothold in track and field after not renewing its deal to stream track's Diamond League meets after last year. The Grand Slam Track League has signed 48 athletes to compete in a four-event circuit beginning April 4 in Kingston, Jamaica.

ShotQuality and Field Vision have partnered to introduce Drive Quality - a new real-time American Football metric designed to predict offensive performance as part of a mission to bring real-time, AI-powered player location data and predictive analytics to multiple sports. By combining ShotQuality’s advanced computer vision technology with Field Vision’s deep football expertise, the organisations are delivering insight that gives sportsbooks, analysts, data scientists, and fans new insights into expected performance.

Electronic Arts (EA) has reached an agreement to acquire TRACAB Technologies, a leader in advanced sports optical tracking and analysis solutions. EA Sports is expected to leverage TRACAB’s technology and teams to harness advanced AI, machine learning, and real-time sports data to create lifelike animation and simulate real-world action. TRACAB’s tracks nearly everything happening on the field or pitch at 60Hz per second, generating 600 million data points per game, including 65 unique data points per player and referee by capturing live skeleton data from 21 joints on each individual body on the pitch, as well as center of mass and ball tracking.

The NBA has selected five companies in the fourth cohort of its technology R&D program, Launchpad. Launchpad pairs companies with NBA and WNBA divisions for six-month pilots. The league announced six priorities of interest -- Future of Officiating, Youth Basketball, Player Health & Wellbeing, Future of Media, Fan Connection and NBA Impact. The five companies include Somnee (a wearable headband providing gentle neuro-stimulation to help users fall asleep more quickly and deeply), VReps (educational platform that teaches strategies and allows users to review plays), SportIQ (sensor-based basketball to produce performance and analytics data), OneCourt (a haptic tablet that converts tracking data in a real-time broadcast with audio for vision-impaired) and Trashie (customer rewards program for good recycling, reuse and repurposing).

The NFL is set to host multiple international games in Australia with Melbourne reportedly given the nod. News Corp reports the Allan government has secured a multi-year deal after months of secret negotiations with the NFL. The Los Angeles Rams are set to be the ‘home’ team for the match and will likely square off against the Philadelphia Eagles. The first in-season game is expected to take place at the MCG in October, 2026, which will be just weeks after the AFL grand final. Next season’s fixture will see a game played at Real Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Spain for the first time.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), one of the world’s most globally recognized football clubs, has joined forces with Matchain, a blockchain platform known for its expertise in AI and decentralized identity (DID) solutions. The collaboration has resulted in the creation of the Joint Innovations Studio (JIS), an initiative that aims to revolutionize PSG’s digital landscape by integrating advanced blockchain, artificial intelligence, and decentralized technologies. This move is expected to enhance fan engagement, improve operational efficiency, and bolster PSG’s partnership ecosystem.