Technology and sports come hand and hand, advancing and improving together at the same time. I believe technology has effected every professional sport that exists by improving the game and its accuracy. Professional sports have been around dating back to 1871 in the 20th century, with baseball being the first to hit the big leagues. There was little to no technology back in 1871 so you can only imagine how much every sport has changed from the time is was created until now. A couple of areas that I believe technology has changed professional sports are sports in social media, buying tickets, precision, analytics and experience. I am aiming towards a large audience of people whom play and watch sports on television as well as at various stadiums. I want my readers to be able to see how professional sports have advanced over time while benefitting the common athlete and fan.
Sports Fans & Social Media (Infographic).” Brandwatch, 18 Nov. 2014, http://www.brandwatch.com/blog/the-social-habits-of-sports-fans-whats-hot-whats-not/
Due to technology, social media is able to have coverage for every professional, college, and most high school sports games. Social media has opened the doors to an illusive way of following your favorite sports team, friend, or even child. Social media alone has given us the access to live updates on games if you can’t be in attendance but still would like to know what Is going on. You no longer have to wait for the news paper in the morning to read about how the game went. Social media has made it possible to actually make an interaction with your favorite sports star on the internet. You would have never guessed that one would be able to interact with someone like Derek Jeter over the internet only 25 years ago.
The price of professional sports tickets has sky rocketed though the roof over the years. Technology has made the process of purchasing all tickets much more convenient for fans from all over the world. You are able to access the internet and purchase a ticket within minutes electronically. Many different websites have been created including stub hub and Ticketmaster; where you can sell your ticket electronically if you can’t attend, or simply have extra. This has made selling and buying tickets much easier because you can do it from home rather then going to the stadium. You are able to purchase any ticket at the palm of your hands due to the advanced technology that we have access to.
Sports are games of inches making it impossible to for referees to be perfect on the field. Technology has made it possible for instant replay to correct any call on the field. Every sport has incorporated the “challenge” feature, giving a team the opportunity to challenge the referee if they do not agree with the call.
A very useful replay feature that many sports use is the “hawk eye” where a camera is positioned from above the playing field to measure if a ball has crossed a line. The sports techie magazine supports this by saying “In the NHL, replay technology has been used for many years to determine if a goal crosses the goal line. It’s rare to need instant replay in the NHL, but it’s better to have the system in place to ensure every goal is actually a goal”. Instant replay is not as common in the NHL compared to other sports much like tennis. The sports Techie magazine supports tennis and the hawk eye replay feature by saying “Some international sports, such as tennis utilize replay technology. In major tennis tournaments there is a line replay system in place, so players are able to challenge whether or not a shot was in or out.” Based on my own personal experience, I believe that tennis utilizes the challenge feature more then any other sport. In tennis, they create an animated version of the original play on instant replay to portray the replay more clearly. I find it fascinating that we have the technology to show live footage and make it animated for replay within seconds. Due to technology, precision in sports has been increased drastically with very few incorrect calls..
Carr, Austin. “The Top 5 Blown Calls That Technology Could’ve Stopped.” Fast Company, Fast Company, 30 July 2012, http://www.fastcompany.com/1678200/top-5-blown-calls-technology-couldve-stopped.
Analytics have been a major part of professional sports for the last couple of years. According to my research analytics “include recording data and running those metrics though a particular algorithm to create and advanced statistic”. The data recorded can be used to prepare for future competition, decision making, and player records. The National Basketball Association has utilized the analytics feature by installing “sportVU cameras though out stadiums” that track total movement of players by up to 25 data points per second. This data is then broken down and used for advanced statistics. Technology has made this strategy available to every basketball team in the NBA. The analytics created are not only for the coaches and staff but for the fans as well. Much of the data is projected on the jumbotrons over the course of a game. “All of this big data is beginning to revolutionize the NBA by providing coaches more actionable insights and fans with a more personalized, informative experience.”, which is directly targeting my audience of sports fans. Data analytics are a great way to show how a player can improve on tiny details and become a better player as a whole.
Lastly, technology has changed many fans experience for the better. Every stadium has enormous HD monitors, inside and out that project the game, advertisements, instant replays, and many more features. The only downside that I have found related to technology in sports is it tends to drag games on all night, showing replay after replay. In most NFL stadiums they even broadcast the game in the bathroom so you don’t miss a second. I have found this feature in the bathroom to be extremely useful in my own personal experiences while attending professional sporting events. Fantasy sports have taken over; being that every male I know is involved in it. These giant monitors keep the fans updated with different games that are occurring throughout the national football league, enhancing their experience. Technology has changed sports forever, making the games more advanced generation after generation.
Works Cited
How Technology Has Changed Sports.” Sports Techie, sportstechie.net/how-technology-has-changed-sports/.
Agrawal, AJ. “3 Ways Technology Has Changed the Sports Industry.” Inc.com, Inc., http://www.inc.com/aj-agrawal/3-ways-technology-has-changed-the-sports-industry.html
“Six Technological Advancements That Have Changed Sports.” WorkInSportscom Sports Career Blog, www.workinsports.com/blog/six-technological-advancements-that-have-changed-sports/.
Hill, George. “Top 5 Technologies That Have Changed Sport | Articles | Sports.” Articles | Sports | Innovation Enterprise, 31 Aug. 2016, channels.theinnovationenterprise.com/articles/top-5-technologies-that-have-changed-sport.
Writing and Technology 