The Ten Most Innovative Companies In Sports
Whether they’re redefining ticket sales or building a stadium worthy of Silicon Valley, when it comes to the business of athletic entertainment, these companies are true game-changers.
1. STATS
For turning jocks into nerds. This data company’s SportVU cameras track and quantify everything during a game and have quickly gone from a geeky extra to a necessity: As of this season, every NBA arena uses the $100,000-a-year system—up from half last year—allowing teams like the Toronto Raptors, for example, to rewatch games with “ghost” versions of themselves that know exactly how to react based on an opponent’s stats. “It’s not just about getting all 30 teams but exposing game data on NBA.com and NBA TV,” says Brian Kopp, an SVP at STATS. That only creates more demand. Soccer’s UEFA Champions League uses it, and Duke basketball became the first college adopter in October. Next up: ice hockey. Read more >>
2. ROC NATION SPORTS
For breaking into the business. After selling his stake in the Brooklyn Nets to open his own sports agency, Jay-Z promptly snatched former Yankee superstar/$240 million Seattle Mariner Robinson Cano from superagent Scott Boras. Jay-Z may be new to the sports rep game, but he has a deep bench of athlete buddies and fans of his marketing prowess in locker rooms throughout sports. His relationships with major brands are something other agents can’t touch. (New clients CC Sabathia, Kevin Durant, and Victor Cruz are counting on it.)
3. IBM
For acing tennis data. With SlamTracker, IBM has created an online stats dashboard that cuts through reams of new data provided by motion-capture cameras and automated sensors. The software’s specialty is its predictive analysis. Based on more than 41 million data points from eight years of Grand Slams, SlamTracker applies some of the same analytic techniques as IBM’s crime data tools to pinpoint what each player needs to do to win a given match. By updating those numbers during the match, SlamTracker provides a deeper perspective on the action.
