SBJ Power Up: Go behind the scenes at SBJ Tech Week

Happy Monday! Just wanted to say thank you all for your kindness and outreach around SBJ Tech Week. It was a blast to meet so many people and see some familiar faces again. Can't wait for next year. -- Ethan Joyce

In today's edition of Power Up:

Andretti expands Zapata AI uses in '24
Sports league leaders talk innovation
Behind The Scenes: SBJ Tech Week

Andretti IndyCar expands use of Zapata AI to race day strategy, analytics

By Joe Lemire

The Andretti IndyCar team announced expanded uses cases for generative AI in partnership with Zapata AI, which last year merged with the Andretti Acquisition SPAC. Gen AI will be applied for race strategy and virtual sensor simulations with specific track features. Other AI implementations include the application of machine learning on live race data, predictive modeling for lap times, yellow flags and tire wear. This will be the third season of their collaboration and first since the acquisition. Zapata is a Boston-based spinoff from a quantum computing lab at Harvard.

SBJ Tech Week: Sports league leaders on prioritizing innovation

By Katherine Acquavella

Now more than ever, innovation is the mantra of many sports leagues and governing bodies. But how are leaders in the space building their innovation plans with real-life goals in mind?

On Thursday afternoon at SBJ Tech Week, David Lehanski, EVP, Business Development & Innovation for the NHL, Chris Schlosser, SVP, Emerging Ventures for MLS and USTA CTO Paul Maya shared their thoughts on that very question onstage during a roundtable discussion with SBJ’s Head of Sports Technology Taylor Bloom.

Schlosser emphasized the importance of figuring out the priorities of the organization first before moving forward. For MLS, Schlosser identified player development, fan engagement and media technology as the league’s main priorities. From there, MLS found 500 companies that fit those needs and after due diligence, the league narrowed it down to six, which were then chosen to be a part of the league’s new MLS Innovation Lab.

“We give them a nine-month program where they get to test, showcase and present to our clubs, executives and youth leaders. We work with them to grow their business and give them the best chance to succeed. … The true value is if we are finding and incubating incredible companies that they’ll help drive the next generation of products, experiences and revenue for the league.”

Lehanski, who won Executive of the Year at Tuesday night’s Sports Business Awards: Tech, spoke about how the NHL is framing their innovations for different demographics based on the new technology available.

“There’s been such an evolution with regard to the technology that’s now in place that will allow for far more efficient production of multiple experiences from the same set of assets,” Lehanski said.

Lehanski noted that the NHL has been piloting a cloud production solution from AWS to help leverage cloud production services to work towards the ability to offer “almost unlimited” productions to target different audiences. One of the league’s latest targeted broadcast is their Big City Greens collaboration with Beyond Sports and ESPN.

Each executive agreed that innovation is overall a collaborative effort between all departments, and Maya pointed out that innovation in sports can extend beyond a tech focus, citing the USTA’s Fan Week event as one example.

“[Innovation is] how we’re thinking about the business and how we’re going after the market,” Maya said. “It’s really about how you do that differently than your competitors.”

AI-written jokes, big wins highlight Sports Business Awards: Tech celebration

At the SBA: Tech ceremony Tuesday night, a lively crowd stayed engaged throughout the presentation of eight awards (and the announcement of a ninth starting in 2025). SBJ Managing Director of Sports Technology Dan Kaufman emceed the evening, playing a guessing game with attendees where he weaved dad jokes throughout the night that were written either by him or ChatGPT. The jokes elicited a mixture of groans and laughter. Conveniently -- and suspiciously -- all had been written by AI, according to Kaufman.

The biggest cheer came in response to David Lehanski’s victory as Technology Executive of the Year, with a mighty NHL contingent backing its EVP/business development and innovation. Lehanski’s acceptance speech immediately laid the honor and success at the feet of his staff and coworkers.

The biggest laugh came as OnePlan’s Paul Foster accepted the Venue Operations Technology of the Year award. He quipped that he was happy to be the Brit in the room, like when Ricky Gervais hosts the Golden Globes but that he was far less offensive.

John Baier, Evolv Technology's VP/sports, shortened his award speech after Evolv Express won the Best in Fan Experience Technology, then was in the fortunate position of having to provide another for the Best in Sports Technology honor. He shared his gratitude to be part of the sports tech community that continues to push one another forward.

Among the awards, a new one was announced by SBJ Tech presenting partner Next League. Beginning in 2025, SBA: Tech will feature a ninth award called the Next in Sports Tech: Rising Female Tech Leader award, which will be given to a woman in a tech position with a sports-focused organization. It was one of three women-focused initiatives for Next League, which also shared that it would make a $10,000 donation to the Women’s Sports Foundation and made a $100,000 commitment to the LPGA Foundation with the extension of its relationship.

Becki Civello, Next League’s COO, announced the new award near the end of the evening, saying “together we look forward to recognizing and celebrating these rising female stars during Tech Week, beginning next year and for years to come.”

SBJ also recognized its 10 Most Innovative Sports Tech Companies for 2023 -- Genius Sports, Infinite Athlete, Kitman Labs, OnePlan, Peak AI, Pramana Labs, Springbok Analytics, Supponor, Videocites and WSC Sports -- by inviting them up on the stage for a celebratory photo session.