Sportstech & Member News

This week MyVenue, a leader in next-gen POS solutions for stadium and venue, opened it's new Global Headquarters and Software Development Centre in Adelaide. This is a major milestone in the company's rapid global expansion, with the facility designed to fuel further growth, creativity, and collaboration. The new building was officially opened by Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC (Governor of South Australia) and the Honourable Joe Szakacs (Minister for Trade & Investment Minister, Local Government, and Veterans Affairs).

EngageRM has been selected for LaunchVic’s 30x30 program, an initiative that supports Victoria’s top scaleups as they take on the world. Over the next four months, EngageRM will join 11 companies to connect with mentors from unicorn companies like Atlassian, Canva and SEEK, tackling key scaling challenges in HR, Operations, and Finance. EngageRM is changing the game in sports and entertainment, helping teams, leagues, and venues run smarter, connect with fans, and boost revenue. EngageRM is making an impact across APAC, North America, and the UK, working with major leagues like the AFL, NRL, NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, and the Premier League. 

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.

Motorsport Australia has announced that Next Level Racing is renewing its Esports partnership for another season. The leading Simulator brand has been a key supporter since Motorsport Australia Esports launched in 2023. Under the renewed agreement, Next Level Racing will be the Official Esports Racing Cockpit Partner. As part of this continued partnership, Motorsport Australia and Next Level Racing will activate an Esports experience at the 2025 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, giving fans the opportunity to get behind the wheel of high-quality racing simulators and test their skills against the clock.

Leading volunteer workforce platform Rosterfy has announced a partnership with St John Ambulance. Rosterfy will support St John Ambulance in enhancing the way they engage and empower young people, youth leaders, volunteers, and parents. Through Rosterfy’s automation and scheduling capabilities, volunteers will have greater visibility of opportunities in real time, making it easier contribute to the incredible work that St John Ambulance delivers across communities. St John Ambulance are using Rosterfy to help them empower their Youth Leaders to run weekly first aid training sessions, interact with the public, and most importantly have fun and enjoy being part of the community.

Golf.ai has announced the launch of three groundbreaking AI experiences - Ai Caddie™, Ai Scorecard™, and What’s in My Bag™. Ai Caddie™ provides real time recommendations based on playing history, course conditions, and advanced Ai analytics, including personalised club suggestions and dynamic shot analysis. Ai Scorecard™ offers live player performance tracking, Ai generated insights, and trend spotting, initially launching with PGA Tour and LIV Golf events. What’s in My Bag™ provides personalised equipment insights, recommending optimal club configurations based on swing data and gear specs, and comparing with professional golfers' gear.

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.

SureVision have released its new LED, crossbar technology. The release of the new technology introduces a new and innovative digital asset, and a desirable advertising platform for sponsors.  The first-ever high-resolution crossbar was used last weekend at the NRL's Māori v Indigenous game at Commbank Stadium. 

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.

The NBL1 has welcomed INTIX on board as the league’s Preferred Ticketing Partner. INTIX has signed a five-year deal with the NBL1, that includes all five conferences, of NBL1 North, East, South, West, and Central. INTIX has been NBL1's ticketing partner for the National Finals for three years, and already work with more than 35 NBL1 clubs. For clubs looking to boost attendance, data insights, and revenue, INTIX offers a powerful, integrated solution to simplify administration, enhance operations, and elevate the fan experience.

In 2006, Vizrt and Melbourne-based Champion Data first joined forces to transform graphics-based broadcast capabilities, adopting one of the earliest versions of Viz Artist. Almost 20 years later, Champion Data is still using Vizrt tools to create stellar sports storytelling moments for the likes of the Australian Football League and beyond. But it’s not all just about sports. The Champion Data team have pushed the boundaries of Vizrt technology, utilizing their existing AFL Match Day set up to render Katy Perry’s show stopping virtual reality-enabled performance at the AFL Final needing to rebuild the infrastructure from the ground up.

BetMakers Technology has announce the long-term extension of its agreement with leading Australian wagering operator Sportsbet for the provision of its pricing and data services across three-codes of racing. Under this extended agreement, BetMakers will continue supplying Sportsbet with a comprehensive suite of pricing and data solutions to drive their global racing book.

Hockey Australia, the national governing body for hockey, has partnered with impact and engagement platform Everclime to implement a comprehensive sustainability program across its operations. Through Everclime's Sustainability-as-a-Service model, this partnership will implement key emission reduction strategies and introduce innovative ways for fans to engage with sustainability initiatives, allowing them to connect with and contribute to positive social & environmental action through their support of the sport. The collaboration also creates a new Impact Sponsorship category, providing brands with a meaningful way to align their marketing efforts with tangible sustainability outcomes while deepening fan engagement.

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.

Williams have secured what the British Formula 1 team describes as the “biggest partnership deal” in their 48-year history, with software firm Atlassian becoming their title partner. Williams have agreed a multi-year commitment with the team collaboration provider and productivity software company. Atlassian’s branding will feature prominently on their 2025 challenger as well as the race suits of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, teamwear and the squad’s own branding.

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.

Streaming giant Disney+ has announced it will add ESPN sports programming to its library for Australian and New Zealand customers at no extra cost. The launch follows the same rollout in Latin America in June last year, and the US in December last year. It will feature US shows such as SportsCenter, The Pat McAfee Show, NBA Today, and First Take, along with live NBA and NFL matches, replays, and original programming. ESPN programming has to date been available via Foxtel, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, and Sky NZ.

TwinLabs.ai is a leader in digital twin technology for venues & events. By integrating real-time intelligence, TwinLabs.ai is transforming the way venue owners and managers optimise their operations and improve user experiences. TwinLabs.ai was looking to integrate real time usage data into their GymTwin product to provide gym operators with deeper movement and usage insights. To need this need TiwnLabs.ai has partnered Nola’s Video Intelligence as a Service (VIaaS) which is a cost-effective, scalable platform that can extract actionable insights from existing CCTV systems. 

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.

A Melbourne-based software platform used to organise volunteers globally for non-profits, governments, sporting federations and events - including this year’s Superbowl in New Orleans - has raised an additional $AUD 5.5 million from Australian venture capital firm OIF Ventures. The funding boost for Rosterfy got over the line in December as an extension to Bailador Technology Investments' $AUD 3 million investment in October, which had followed a $US 9.8 million injection in April 2023. Rosterfy's Software as a Service (SaaS) platform allows organisations to automate their end-to-end volunteer management from recruitment, screening and training through to scheduling, rewarding and reporting.

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.

Tradable Bits, a leading provider of fan marketing technology, has been selected by 17 Australian Football League (AFL) clubs to drive fan engagement, data collection, and activation strategies for the upcoming season. With over six years of collaboration with the AFL, Tradable Bits continues to expand its role in the league, enhancing data intelligence across in-venue, broadcast, email, and mobile SMS platforms. Tradable Bits solutions for sports organisations including seamless fan engagement tools, a purpose-built CRM for teams, and integrations with ticketing, merchandise, and marketing automation systems.

Kayo Sports has just launched an campaign using Komo Technologies marketing technologies, giving fans the chance to win a Las Vegas experience coinciding with NRL games in late February. The prize includes flights, game tickets, VIP perks, and more. By leveraging Komo’s Memory Match and Leaderboard, Kayo is driving deeper fan engagement while expanding its customer base.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and Sportradar have announced a long-term extension and expansion of their decade-long partnership, set to begin with the 2025 season. The partnership aims to unlock the full potential of MLB’s data and audiovisual (AV) content while growing the MLB worldwide. As part of the agreement, MLB has acquired an equity stake in Sportradar. Under the new terms, Sportradar, in partnership with MLB, will exclusively distribute MLB’s ultra-low latency official data, media content, including MLB Statcast Data, and AV content across its global client network, which spans 800 sportsbook clients and 900 media companies. 

NSW-based media and production company BarTV Sports has announced a strategic alliance with the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL). The partnership will provide the NSWRL’s 117,000 members and supporters with extensive coverage from grassroots all the way up to major competitions across NSW for up to $AUD 19.95 a month. The move follows the introduction of a dedicated subscription-based app for NSWRL TV in 2024. Approximately 900 games will be covered per annum for NSWRL, with BarTV streaming over 8,000 games across multiple sports per annum.

STWS has announced that the 2025 Sports Tech Conference and Content Live Technology Show will be co-located at the MCG Melbourne over Wednesday and Thursday 29th - 30th October and sit as the centrepiece of the 2025 Australia Sports Innovation Week. Content Live is the leading technology show for the sports broadcasting industry, featuring the latest products and innovations for professionals across sportscasting, newscasting and live event production. 

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. 

Tennis Australia has taken a page directly from the NFL, NBA, and MLB playbook by launching its own venture capital fund. Their unique advantage? Immediate access to those 1.2 million attendees, 10 million broadcast viewers in Australia alone, and a direct line to 1.5 million active tennis players nationwide. At the heart of their strategy is AO STARTUPS, a unique program redefining how sports organisations invest. Startups can test their products during the Australian Open, gaining invaluable exposure and immediate feedback. Tennis Australia just announced they’ve had their first fund close. This fund is called AO Ventures. The $US 30 million fund has cash commitments from the family office of Tesla chair and Blackbird partner Robyn Denholm (Wollemi Capital Group) and the Gnanalingam family, who own the London football club Queens Park Rangers.

Since 2018, Swimming Australia has worked with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop technology that is the envy of other global swimming powerhouses. Swimming Australia is using computer vision, machine learning and generative AI to track swimmers and analyse their results.  The technology has changed how coaches and athletes approach competition and training. It provides valuable information for coaches to make better informed decisions about their athletes and tailor training programs for individuals to be the best they can be. In the past, Swimming Australia has only used the technology at high-level race meets, however, in its push to continue to innovate and stay ahead of the rest of the world, the technology will now also be used in the training pool – another world first.

In October 2024, the Lao Football Federation (LFF) was named the AFC Member Association of the Year. This prestigious recognition was awarded for their commitment to innovation and football development, especially in the realm of youth football. LFF is using cutting-edge technology like DRIBL to fuel their ambitions and overcome the limitations they face as a small football nation. By embracing DRIBL, the LFF has streamlined league management, eliminated the need for time-consuming paper records, and introduced a new level of transparency and efficiency to their operations. The ability to manage leagues online has made it possible for youth players from even the most remote provinces to compete, with results accessible to coaches, scouts, and even potential sponsors.

Eight Queensland business have been selected for the NRL Magic Round Tech Sprint, delivered by Advance Queensland and in partnership with ASTN - Australian Sports Technologies Network. The companies selected include Crowd Canvas, Myriad Studios, Talk All Sport, WearOptimo, Imagine Realities, Cool Beans Underwear, FemPro Armour and Cérge. The businesses will take part in a 10-week NRL Magic Round Tech Sprint, which includes five core 1-hour workshops and weekly meetings with the NRL subject matter experts to help to pivot and tailor their innovative products to the NRL’s needs.

Sports Cloud Australia and NSC Events have announced the inaugural Digital Sport Business Summit to be held at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday 29 April 2025. The Summit will bring together executives and experts from sport governing bodies, government, consulting giants, and iconic venues to pro sports, esports, tech innovators, sponsors, and leading sport apparel and equipment brands.

Fast-growing, Australian-born fitness franchise STRONG Pilates has launched world-first strength training equipment - bridging the gap between strength conditioning and traditional Pilates. STRONG Pilates has introduced a Reverse Spring System built into their exclusive Rowformer and Bikeformer beds - a reformer bed with a rower or bike attached. The new Reverse Spring System allows users to lift over 40kg through a series of exercises that replicate the power of traditional strength training movements like squats and deadlifts while remaining low-impact.

Five Australian sportstech companies have been shortlisted for the prestigious 2025 Sports Technology Awards. This includes Catapult, Layercake, MyVenue, Box Altitude and Chicks Who Ride Bikes. Catapult has been shortlisted for the Coaching and Tactics and Sports Performance categories, Layercake for the Digital and SaaS platform category, MyVenue for the Match Day Technology category, Box Altitude for the Sports Performance category and Chicks Who Ride Bikes for the Women's Sports Innovation of the Year. The winners will be announced in London on 23rd April 2025.

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.

Leading fitness & wellness new source Athletech has announced the 50 most innovative companies that will define the fitness and wellness industry’s future. The list includes three Australian companies including Centr (the fitness app and equipment brand founded by Christ Hemsworth), Evolt (body scanning technology) and F45 Training (high-intensity gym and functional centres).  

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.

FrogBox has announced a partnership with Prime Video to help grow female cricket at the grassroots level. Through this initiative, 50 community cricket clubs with female teams across Australia are receiving a free FrogBox Streaming Kit, empowering them to capture and share their matches, celebrate moments, create visible role models and inspire the next generation of female cricketers.

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.

With 22.4 billion pairs of shoes manufacturing annually around the world ASICS has been pursuing two approaches to circular manufacturing to reduce or eliminate waste. Launched in 2024, the ASICS NEOCURVE™ sneaker is made from defective and unsold stock. The entire process of grinding, materialization and manufacturing takes place within the EU, and the sneaker is sold only in Europe. Also launched in 2024, our NIMBUS MIRAI™ running shoe has a single-material polyester upper that can be detached from the sole, chemically recycled, and remade ready to run again. 

Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) and BMO Stadium have teamed up with PAM’s Smart Navigation Platform to redefine the fan experience, offering real-time traffic and parking updates while streamlining the journey for every attendee. Using PAM’s cutting-edge 3D interactive mapping technology, fans will enjoy state-of-the-art digital wayfinding that guides them from parking, to food and beverage options, and ultimately to their seats. Fans can access the new LAFC eXplorer maps through the Venuetize Mobile App, the LAFC website, QR codes, and other communications channels, ensuring accessibility across multiple touchpoints.

Irish sports technology company Output Sports has raised $US 4.8 million in funding to boost its US expansion and increase staff numbers. The funding includes new supporters such as Apex Capital. Output Sports technology captures and analyses athletic data through a single wearable sensor system and its used in velocity-based training, reactive strength, and power development . It works with more than 800 sports organisations to provide data-backed insights to improve athletic performance, including more than half of all English Premier League clubs.

AXS has launched its new biometric authentication feature for its mobile app in what it claims to be a ticketing industry first. The feature aims to provide users with a secure way to access accounts and tickets while also reducing fraud. With on-device biometric authentication, users can log in to their accounts and access their tickets using their fingerprint or facial recognition.