Old-school football fans have argued against technology in sport for years. Unfortunately for them, we are now in the 21st century. Technology and football go hand-in-hand and taking advantage of any help available to us makes complete sense. We look at four companies that continue to make technological strides in the football world.
Hawk-Eye Innovations
An obvious starting point. Hawk-Eye have been revolutionary in a number of sports, bringing cutting-edge video technology to tennis Grand Slam events, cricket competitions and rugby tournaments. Without a shadow of a doubt, Hawk-Eye set the standard for technology companies looking to make an impact in professional sport.
Goal-line technology has helped officials to make correct decisions in recent years. With the Hawk-Eye technology in place, any doubt over whether the ball has crossed the line or not has now gone. Furthermore, Hawk-Eye have ventured out into video content management and simulation to give fans a realistic glance at certain professional football scenarios.
DAZN
Labelled by many in the industry as “the Netflix of sports”, DAZN are quickly developing into one of the biggest football broadcasters on the planet. With lucrative deals to show Premier League matches, as well as games in Spain, Italy and France, DAZN appeals to younger fans who may prefer to watch football on the move.
The only real downside to DAZN is that, at this moment in time, it is only available in a selection of countries. Unfortunately, United Kingdom football followers cannot access the DAZN system yet – which is a real shame as it is a lot cheaper than Sky Sports at just £9 per month. A shift away from traditional television could see DAZN capitalise.
FlashScore and Football365’s live score centre
An absolute must-download for any football fan, FlashScore and Football365 are the place to be to track goal updates. Arguably faster than Sky Sports News and other similar traditional channels, this is ideal for those placing a betting accumulator on various football games or simply for those wanting to keep an eye on rival results.
For the fastest goal updates and live text commentary, FlashScore and Football365 are definitely the place to be. And, as an app, FlashScore offers instant play, a near-necessity in the era of declining attention spans. Analyst Andrew Chen indicates that most apps can only retain their user’s attention for 72 hours. It’s perhaps no surprise then that many developers focus on creating a streamlined experience. For instance, iGaming brands like Microgaming and Playtech offer both instant and no download play according to review site CasinoWings.
STATSports
Last but by no means least, we have STATSports. Manchester City and other Premier League clubs have used STATSports vests in recent times to track player heartrates and breathing whilst in training. This technology is helping players and coaching staff to hit new heights in terms of stamina and fitness – which is then beneficial come matchday.
As of 2016, 17 Premier League clubs were using STATSports player tracking and analysis information. They are the dominant market in this particular sector and it has been useful for all teams utilising the software. With performance levels rising across the top flight, it would be fair to state that STATSports have had a positive impact.