NBA Keeps Pushing High-Tech Envelope Via Deals With Hawk-Eye, Second Spectrum
Thursday, March 9, 2023 at 09:46PM By Barry Janoff
Photo: Hawk-EyeMarch 9, 2023: The NBA today unveiled two tech-related strategical moves intended to build upon and expand its platform in innovative sports content and data.
The NBA and Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations, a provider of officiating and tracking technology in sports, have signed a multi-year alliance to deploy Hawk-Eye’s 3D optical tracking technology, beginning with the 2023-24 season.
Hawk-Eye will, for the first time, enable NBA tracking data to “capture the game in real-time in three dimensions, including the movement of each player on the court and the ball, all at sub-second latency.”
Separately, Second Spectrum, a Genius Sports Limited company, and the NBA have signed a multi-year partnership expansion naming Second Spectrum an “official NBA League Pass augmentation provider” and an “official NBA team basketball analytics provider.”
The league and Second Spectrum said they would also work together to research and develop “Dragon”, a next-generation technology platform that will track “mesh” data, which aims to synthesize millions of on-court basketball data points.
“We view it as a real privilege to partner with the NBA — a truly iconic global brand and a leader in innovative sports content,” Rufus Hack, CEO of Sony’s sports businesses, said via the company.
“We look forward to helping them unlock the power of data to continue to enhance officiating and basketball analytics, as well as to drive new immersive fan experiences.”
Hawk-Eye said its technology would “provide the opportunity to enhance officiating by increasing the accuracy of calls and the speed of gameplay, including, in future seasons, through automated calls on plays such as out-of-bounds and goaltending.”
The introduction of Hawk-Eye’s “pose” data capture product will offer the NBA and its teams new applications in basketball analytics that will help evolve how we understand on-court data and give fans a real look into the action on the court and deeper analysis of the game, according to the company.
The data generated will also provide collaboration opportunities between the NBA and Sony’s Sports Businesses around virtual game recreations, dynamic visualizations, unique content development and gamification.
The NBA said it would use Second Spectrum augmentation technology to create automated, enhanced graphics based on optical on-court basketball data for alternate telecasts available on NBA League Pass.
Photo: Second SpectrumThe alternate telecasts will feature advanced team and player statistical insights integrated directly into the stream, enriching the experience and providing viewing optionality for analytics-focused fans.
The league and Second Spectrum said they would also work together to research and develop “Dragon”, a next-generation technology platform that will track “mesh” data, which aims to synthesize millions of on-court basketball data points.
“As one of the most technologically advanced leagues in world sport, NBA teams, fans, broadcasters and media partners demand cutting-edge innovations,” Mark Locke, Genius Sports CEO, said via the company.
“We’re thrilled to expand our long-term partnership with the NBA. We are proud that the NBA shares our vision that Dragon can solve the technology challenges of the future. ”
Hawk-Eye has worked closely with the NBA since 2019 in a Proof-of-Concept capacity to fully develop and test their basketball tracking systems. Through data collection at NBA Summer League and six NBA arenas.
Hawk-Eye also has alliances that include Nascar, MLS, the ATP Tour, Hologic WTA Tour, UEFA and Sky Sports.
With Second Spectrum, all official NBA tracking data will continue to be integrated into Genius’ basketball insights and analytics engine. Genius will also continue to provide its services to all 30 NBA teams who rely on Second Spectrum’s precise machine learning for key basketball insights and decision-making.
The NBA last month signed a multi-year deal with Cosm experiential media and immersive technology company to produce and present select games from NBA League Pass, the league's out-of-market live game streaming service, in immersive 8K on large-scale LED-dome systems in venues being built by Cosm.
The NBA said it is the first pro sports league to partner with Cosm.
Concurrently, NBA commissioner Adam Silver introduced during the NBA All-Star Tech Summit personalized options that would be part of the future live game streaming experience, including a feature for fans to scan their own avatar into a live NBA game via the NBA App to replace an NBA player.
In January, describing it as a way to “provide more immersive and innovative ways to experience the NBA,” the NBA and Meta unveiled a multi-year multi-platform partnership extension.
Among the highlights are a new virtual reality experience for visitors through Meta Horizon Worlds via Meta Quest, the official VR headset of the NBA and WNBA.
The new alliance will see NBA and Meta bring 52 live NBA League Pass games — including "five immersive 180-degree monoscopic live VR games in 2880 resolution with celebrity broadcasters" — in “NBA Arena” in Meta Horizon Worlds or via Xtadium throughout the season.
In addition to this, the NBA said it has selected seven companies for the second installment of NBA Launchpad, the league’s initiative to source, evaluate and pilot emerging technologies that advance the NBA’s top priorities on and off the court.
NBA Continues To Take The High (Tech) Road
NBA Names Seven Firms For R&D Launchpad
NBA Goes To The Meta-Verse And Beyond
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