Bygone days, mankind was actively engaged in physical activities like hunting, swimming, trekking, mountain climbing, running, etc. In the prehistoric era, having a fit body was an essential part to survive the harsh conditions.
Over time, it became a daily activity or we can say sports that used to be enjoyed in our leisure time and afterwards a whole new industry evolved around them. Who thought that science will have a collaboration with sports? Yes, initially you may not see any obvious link between sports and science, but it is all around the industry. The TV you watch in your bedroom, the protective gear you use while playing, the heart monitors, analytics, fantasy sports apps these are all forms of science, and it is all around us.
For example: Virtual leagues (a social network of sportsmen), Sports webcasting apps , Live broadcasting apps, sports management apps, Ticketing apps for sports events etc.
Technology has changed the sports industry, How? Let us explore:
1. Thanks to Digital and Social Media!
- As we can see vast improvements in technology, sports coverage is more extensive than ever before. Formerly, viewers had to select between a number of channels to catch the game. Now there are plenty of options available along with 24*7 coverage.
- People are now able to record, save, and replay any footage anytime. Updates are sent to smartphones as quickly as the news appears. The social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc have provided access for fans and athletes to connect. This connection has raised fan’s enthusiasm and contribution to the sporting events.
2. Everything is Online!
Standing in long queues for hours to get tickets for your favorite sport used to be a mess. Nowadays sports fans buy tickets online in a couple of minutes.
For example:
- Eventbrite- This platform made it easy and convenient to check-in and coordinate the entire ticketing process, which allure a number of people to attend sporting events.
- Barry’sTickets/TicketsNow/StubHub- These are some of the platforms that focuses on getting cheap tickets at the very last minute.
- Facebook and Craigslist- These offers fans the chance to purchase and sell tickets without being navigated through ticketing websites eventually increasing the growth across e-commerce industries.
3. Equipment and Experience
Technology has transformed the manner in which we used to design apparel and equipment. It has introduced some beneficial devices to sports.
For example:
- Scoreboards used in soccer, cricket, badminton etc are now in HD formats, people are now using wireless internet, and recreational devices have also stepped into the field, like batting cages and hitting machines. Every team now has the ability to view and analyze videos of themselves in action and can learn to improvise their techniques and forms. The same technology is used to watch the opponent’s gameplay.
- Smart Helmets technology used in sports car and motorbike racing offers sensor and magnet tech built-in, that detects and disperse force, thus decreasing the chances of head injury. Whenever an impact occurs, the helmet communicates to the coach that the player has been hit. In this way, the coaches can take action immediately in completing concussion diagnosis.
4. Prosthetic Devices for Athletes with Disabilities
Technology even gave wings to those athletes who were struggling with physical disabilities. Now, what seems to be the end of the story is now a beginning. Prosthetic devices are placed in bodysuits embedded with motion sensors of the athletes They then go through a series of drills based around athletic movement, the cameras, and the wearable tech report back on their movements. The prosthetic design process begins after this motion study, which in the end creates a custom prosthetic that moves with their body.
There are far more than the aforementioned technologies that have changed the sports world including GPS golf balls, carbon fiber skis & snowboards, computer software for fitness monitoring, etc.
Technologies that proved to be game-changer in sports
1. Hawk-Eye Technology
This technology was introduced in 2006, since then it is widely used in Cricket, Football, Tennis, Rugby, Volleyball and Ice Hockey. Just as the name says, this technology uses a number of cameras (6-7) situated above the field of playing ground to analyze the flight and trajectory of an object.
According to the sports management, it is a highly trusted technology as the end results are error-free and allows officials to make quick and accurate decisions to try and interrupt play as little as possible.
For better understanding of Hawk Eye Technology, you can click the link to watch the video: https://youtu.be/yzf_uFD6Fwc
2. HANS (Hands And Neck Support) Device
This device is used in automobile racing sports. It keeps the head from whipping forward and backward in a crash, also preventing excessive twisting movements at the same time. Designed as U shaped, it is placed behind the neck and its two arms are placed over the pectoral muscles of the chest. This device is only being connected to the helmet by two anchors on each side and supported by the shoulders.
3. Wearable Gadgets
Wearable gadgets allows real-time tracking of an athlete’s health. The incidents of dehydration, heart attacks or any internal body defect have been dramatically decreased ever since these gadgets are introduced as there is constant supervision of pulse rate, hydration, and temperature through the wireless and microscopic health monitoring system.
Conclusion
From virtual reality infused sports viewing experiences to safer helmets and enhanced athletic data and performance, technology is extremely altering the world of sports. As it continues to evolve, the barriers between fans, athletes, and teams will likely continue to flatten out so that sports invite more cross-platform participation than ever before.
Jellyfish Technologies is providing sports applications outsourcing services to some of the leading startups and conventional companies. We understand the technology, compliances, user expectations and have the experience of delivering sports and leisure products. Some of our products are as follows:
- Ileague- A networking app for players and team managers, which allows players to manage their athletic lives, and connect and share with their teammates. In turn, it allows teams/managers to find and register players, and create and manage events.
- RJL- A hunters’ association app that organises events such as hunting, ski touring, snowshoeing, horseback riding, dogs, forestry, biking and geocaching in collaboration with the Department of Hunting Nature and Fishery of the canton of Lucerne.
- Snuba- A snuba diving booking platform, where bookings are done from remote islands where internet is either not available or is intermittent.
If you are interested, feel free to contact us.
