Round Up of Sports Tech News
The big news in Seattle sports this week is the KeyArena, and the possible arrival of pro hockey! New Mayor Jenny Durkan and the City Council approved a new US$660 million deal to renovate the Arena, which once served as home to the Seattle Supersonics before the NBA franchise repaired to Oklahoma City back in 2008. A number of reports this week noted that the NHL expansion process to Seattle has already begun, allowing for a season-ticket drive in order to assess interest.
Oak View Group Leading the KeyArena Development
Oak View Group is an organisation based in Los Angeles and head up by Tim Leiweke, and it is this company that will be leading the development of KeyArena. Leiweke is a veteran of the sports industry who has built new arenas worldwide before this.
Everyone knows that tech is playing an increasingly important role at all levels of sports. Leiweke has spoken about his vision regarding the KeyArena redevelopment, and emphasised the importance of technology. Various topics were addressed, with these ranging from security, Amazon, transportation, esports, and the tech industry boom in Seattle.
Other Events of Importance in Terms of Tech News
- Microsoft is planning to build a cricket field on its Redmond, Washington redeveloped campus.
- The Seattle Sounders are in Toronto for an MLS Cup rematch set to take place at 13h00 PT on Saturday, on ESPN. Former Sounders Star Roger Levesque predicts that Seattle will take the game with a score of 2 – 0, but EA Sports’ FIFA Simulation does not.
- Shohei Otani, referred to by many as the Japanese Babe Ruth, revealed his much-anticipated choice on Friday. He will be playing for the Los Angeles Angels, and the FiveThirtyEight data-driven look at his value has revealed that it has no precedent.
- The New Jersey sports betting case this week is garnering lots of attention. It seems likely that the kind of sports betting NZ and most of the rest of the world provides for may well soon be legalised in a number of states.
- This week’s Monday Night Football game was especially brutal as far as injuries were concerned. Steelers safety Mich Mitchell went on a four-minute rant that is well worth watching, and the wide receiver for the Seahawks, Doug Baldwin, took to Twitter to voice his displeasure.
- It looks like 2018 is shaping up to the year that sports streaming rights take center stage! A news report has predicted that Amazon will likely be a powerhouse in terms of live sports as early on as next year. Sports Business Journal announced this week that Facebook is on the hunt for a top-level executive in order to negotiate sports rights as well, and this person would have a budget of more than a billion dollars with which to do so.
- Is there any way that Neil deGrasse Tyson’s future holds sports commentary? The famous astrophysicist weighed in on the amazing lateral play delivered by Russell Wilson last week, calling the pitch delivered by the quarterback a legitimate Galilean Transformation.
