Leading figures in tech, business and sport met at the Aspire Tech Conference hosted at Stamford Bridge in London to discuss new applications of technology in the sports sector. Supported by Microsoft, CISCO, IBM and Honeywell, topics at this year’s conference focused on innovation and best practices in disruptive technologies and creating modern, digital and interactive stadium experiences for fans.
Industry leaders agreed that advancements in connectivity and mobile technology will enable clubs and stadiums to deliver more personalised and informative experience to fans.
“Technological advancements will allow clubs and stadiums to deliver a more personalised and engaging experience for fans attending a match. From the moment a fan purchases a ticket and leaves their front door to attend a live match, they can opt-in to be updated with information which optimizes their route, provides them with relevant information on the teams playing and even offers bespoke coupons for restaurant and entertainment venues nearby based on their likes,” Kenneth Martin, Executive Director Global Sales, Sports and Entertainment, Consumer Industries for IBM, said.
Microsoft’s business architect for Digital Innovation and Transformation Daniel Mehaffey said, “The industry is making progress in providing fans with greater access to the moments that matter to them; whether that be through additional points of view of the match, tunnel cams or replays of crucial moments.”
Improvements to security and sporting performance were key themes in the second discussion, which discussed the impact of disruptive technologies on sports.
On security, Dima Tamimi, director of Smart Cities, Mega Events and Vertical Industries, High Growth Regions at Honeywell, said, “Facial recognition technology is improving tenfold every 3-6 months, so its quality today versus what it will be in a year is tremendous. For example, just one person will be able to watch up to 300 cameras at a time and if something out of the ordinary occurs the venue operator will be notified of the problem by the technology.”
John Short, Global Business Development executive at IBM’s Sports and Entertainment Practice, said: “Artificial intelligence and machine learning is fundamentally changing how the sports industry views player performance and health. It allows clubs to make more informed decisions on how to optimise their performance on the field.”
Aspire Zone Foundation manager for IT Strategy and Operations, Krishnakumar Kottekkat, said: “Technology is rapidly changing how consumers and businesses approach sports. To deliver a better experience for fans and optimize the performance of athletes across the world, we need to work together to continue to innovate and push the boundaries of technology.”
Ibrahim M Jaidah, CEO and Chief Architect of the Arab Engineering Bureau, which designed the Al Thumama Stadium for the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar, said: “We consider technology in the earliest stages of designing new stadia. We are working in collaboration with the world’s leading tech companies to deliver the best experience for fans at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”
