Technology

Storytelling needs to inform technology in sports broadcasting not the other way around: SVG India Summit 2025

MUMBAI: Storytelling needs to inform technology in sports broadcasting not the other way around. This was one of the points made during a panel discussion at the SVG India Summit 2025. The session was called ‘Game Changers: Understanding the Top Five Global Tech Trends’ 2025 will continue to see five key technology trends influence the […]

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1 month ago

May 7, 2025

Your Sports Nation

MUMBAI: Storytelling needs to inform technology in sports broadcasting not the other way around. This was one of the points made during a panel discussion at the SVG India Summit 2025.

The session was called ‘Game Changers: Understanding the Top Five Global Tech Trends’

2025 will continue to see five key technology trends influence the way sports content is produced and delivered: IP; Generative AI; the Cloud; Extended Reality and AR; and Social Media. Leaders from the U.S. and India took to the stage to debate and discuss why they are important and what they mean to anr organisation.

The Moderator was:

Ken Kerschbaumer, SVG, Co-Executive Director, Editorial

The Panellists were:

Mike Davies, Fox Sports, EVP, Technical and Field Operations; SVG U.S. Chairman

Paul Devlin, Amazon Web Services, Global Strategy Leader, Betting, Gaming & Sports Technology

Rajat Nigam, Network18 Media, Group CTO

Alessandro Reitano, Sky Deutschland, SVP, Sports Production; SVG Europe, Chairman

Nigam noted that, sports production he sees as a high-intensity reality television wherein the storytelling has to be done in an unrestricted fashion and more so impactfully and instantaneously. And that brings in the challenges and the opportunities as well. “So, the five trends, what you mentioned, everything revolves around it’s insightful, it’s immersive, it’s impactful, it’s intelligence.

“And when we are talking of since I come from Indian industry, the fifth line would be Indian, Indian-ness. Because Indian consumer is highly emotional. we need to create content which connects with the consumers.

“And that makes the softer part of the creativity comes and takes over the technology. So, that’s an important ask. And everything we do has to be multi-fold. So, pluralism is the principle. The multitude of events, the tiering, the multitude fragments of consumers, the multiple platforms.” He gave the example of needing to enhance and make the content available even in an MRI machine. While the patient is inside for 12 to 15 minutes, he should have some content to get them engaged. Similarly, FM radio, the DRM, the company uses the FM radio channel for putting in sports data while the other content continues.

“So, these are the opportunities wherein we need to look at. And with more and more data available, more and more efficient algorithms which are coming up in the name of AI, we need to apply that and convert it into content which engages.”

The moderator agreed about the soft side of production. “He’s right. Because this is the mark of a really just an intelligent way to approach it is that storytelling needs to inform technology, not the other way around. And that too often an AI is a huge problem and a solution.”

A Flexible Ecosystem: Reitano was asked about trends that make the technology better, the trends in budgets, which obviously is a constant battle of getting enough budget in order to do things the way you want to do them. And third is the consumer trends that are shaping, driving operations at Sky Deutschland. Reitano noted that it’s different from a European perspective, it’s a different landscape. “This is a very saturated market. Obviously, we have to work in a different way.

“For us, it means tech trends is how we become super-efficient. So that means at the end of the day, our key principle, if you can automate things, you have to automate. We have our key events. But after that, we have a really, really close look at what can we automate in the content processing to cater every, let’s say, audience group we have to cater. And there’s a ton of platforms. There’s not only one linear channel.

“There’s OTT, there’s TikTok, there’s Facebook, there’s everything. And I think to get the thing done, you have to build an ecosystem which is possible to, let’s say, start from your localisation on site and get multiple outputs at the same time. So – and I see this as the most trending part. Whatever sits in the ecosystem will give us the ability to produce more content to the same amount of people. I’m not talking about less, the same amount of people. But we have to increase, let’s say, the content volume. It’s very simple. We run consultation. We run a 24-news channel on sports. And we have all the outputs, let’s say, which we have to deliver. And that’s why you have a very flexible ecosystem in place. And I think this is a trend.” For him its is important to be both flexible and scalable and adaptable what’s coming up next.

The Sky Advantage: He was asked that given the other entities within Sky across Europe if that gives him more buying power to get scalability more cost-effective? His reply was absolutely. “At the end of the day, what we share, is all worth it in the entire industry.” In terms of what is next he noted that if it comes to live operation, scalability, his company is working with Sky as a Sky on a Sky group platform. “I mean, we’re producing 25,000, 30,000 hours on linear channels, but the same amount of hours on our so-called bonus streams.

“And this sits entirely in the cloud. And this is based and leveraged by, let’s say, us, Sky Italia, Sky Austria, all the group affiliates at Sky. And it’s driven by Sky UK. So, we leverage the entire platform, which helps us to produce more content, everything cloud-based, data-driven. It is, for us, really important because we’re bypassing, let’s say, our production center and deliver, let’s say, more content for our customers. And this is, at the end of the day, this is everything what counts.

Learning From The US: He admitted that he admires US broadcasting because it always starts with entertainment and then comes to sports. It’s not the other way around. “Sometimes in Europe, we’re discussing too much, very serious about sports, and forget about the entertainment sector. And if you look into the demographics, what you see in front of you, they love entertainment, by the way. And sports is not only life.

“You have to wake up with sports. You go to bed with sports. In between, there’s tons of stories to tell. And this is, I think, one of those challenges for us as storytellers and production companies and services, how to cater everything. And this is all about the scalability. Yes, whenever you can leverage as a group, you have to leverage.”

Player Tracking’s Role In Storytelling: Devlin noted that his background pre-AWS was in high-performance sport. And so a lot of that involved player track. “Definitely a trend I’ve seen over the last probably ten years in high-performance, the last five years, all over the world, is that of player tracking. Trust me, from a performance side, it’s really important athletes perform, or you get fired, or that they don’t get injured.

“But we try our best to mitigate them getting injured. So there’s an awful lot of detail that goes into the analysis of that player tracking data and its impact on performance. A sub-segment of that is incredibly, incredibly valuable for storytelling.”

He shed light on how Bundesliga match facts are created. There are three million data points per game, and that is between 16 and 22 cameras in the stadium tracking the athletes ten times per second. That tracks them physically and tells you what they did, but it doesn’t tell you why they did it.

“It doesn’t tell you why a player sprinted up the sideline. What we then do is take the match event data, passes, shots, headers, free kicks, fouls, and we sync those two data sets together. And then quite simply use machine learning to ask questions that fans want answers to.

“So if you think about that particular match insight passing profile, before machine learning and player tracking and syncing of the two data sets, a good passer of the ball was a player who completed the most passes. That might be short passes, of two, three meters, continually over the game.That doesn’t help a fan understand the game at a deeper level.

“A good insight into the objective outcomes here was that the Bundesliga did a fan survey to check are these insights landing? Because at the end of the day, they’re an experiment, they’re what we call arms on a two-way door decision. And they found that 97% of their fans found it insightful and added value to them, which is a nice number.

“But for me, a really important number was that 90% of the fans surveyed said it helped them to better understand the game. What we’re doing and what we’re putting on screen helps fans to understand. The job of a striker is to put the ball in the goal. It’s very hard to do that. You would think you’re back to goal.

“Yet the striker is most effective there. A third of the time, 34% of his passes are actually back towards his own goal, which allows the shot to go and go. Previously, that depth of analysis and therefore storytelling in the broadcast just wasn’t possible.”

He said the same holds true for tennis, the NFL, cricket. “Tracking data, contextualised to enhance the storytelling for fan engagement.”

Working Backwards From Fans: He noted that a sports organisation must focus on working backwards from fans. That doesn’t always mean you get it right. And the spirit of experimentation is critical to that.

He gave the example of the F1 app. “What questions could we answer for fans? I think Formula 1, in particular, do an incredible job of this. When you look at the Formula 1 and the amount of insights that they generate.” He said that his oldest daughter is 18 now. She watched ‘Try To Survive’ and then downloaded the F1 app and enableed notifications.

She doesn’t watch F1 but knew that due to notifications that Lando Norris was not doing well. “And she was telling me about how Lando was struggling in comparison to Kimi Antonelli. And told me all about what was going on in Formula 1. Now, she’s never actually watched the full Formula 1 race. But she’s also not in that category where everyone says, oh, they only watch highlights. She doesn’t watch highlights either. She’s just reading the notifications and she watches the documentary. So, we think about the engagement for her as a fan.

“What she wants to know is a bit of the entertainment, a bit of the gossip, a bit of what’s going on. But she’s a fan at 18 years of age. Again, there’s different ways to engage. But you have to work backwards from the fact that they do use Amazon Personalise. Which is a machine learning tool that learns what the fan wants from the notification and pushes them the content that they want. Clearly, in that case, it’s working pretty well.”

Real-time Data Analysation And Visualisation Is The Future: Reitano was asked how the technology, the speed of the ability to use these systems, impacting, just making it better storytelling? He noted that

in his case it is offering xustomers a so-called technical feed. “It’s a dedicated feed next to our primary broadcast. You can watch really from a tactical perspective. So for all the tactical freaks, you have all the data coming in. And let’s say two years ago, it took us, let’s say, a minute for the turnaround to get the data visualized.

“Now we are, let’s say, up to 20 seconds. At the end of the day, you want to have real-time data analyzation and visualisation. Then you can predict things in your own language, what you want to predict. And I think this is, at the end of the day, this is from our perspective than the future. Not only by saying, okay, fans, you have a really tactical feed, but you can predict things by your own if you play around with data. So always what if, what if the striker would, let’s say, run 10K faster? I don’t know.

“Or he would left foot instead of a right foot. Then you would have all the prediction data coming in. But you want to predict it. But therefore, you need live-life visualization. That’s the really key. And that’s the thing what we’re working on.” The key is to make sure there is live data visualised instantly. “And then you call it up from your preference what you want to tell your customers. And that is your own dedicated story because it’s more than a simple storytelling, which position should be the striker in, in the box, out of the box, left foot, right foot.

“Then you can predict things. And I think this is where we want to head in the next couple of, the next season on because we have all the live-life data. And you told us there’s 3 million data points. it’s a lot of things coming into something. And then you have to visualize it. And you have to tell a story.

“And that’s why AI comes into to help us to make it better also for the storytellers.”

Devlin noted that this is a really good point. “All of these sports have been collecting data for such a long period now. It’s creating historical archives. So, as you mentioned, stats have been collecting data for a long time now.

All of the major football codes, same in cricket. There’s a ton of data there. And therefore, we’re seeing a trend of creating graphics out of that that help engage fans like we talked about.

“I think there is an exciting opportunity in the present but also the near future to enable fans to be able to do that should they wish. So, yeah, it might not be for everybody. It might not be in a major broadcast. But the ability for fans through second screen or even post-match to be able to dive into that data and then visualise it with natural language query, I think that’s an exciting development.”

AI Can Be An Issue: Davies noted that now you’re getting a lot of solutions looking for a problem, with AI crap. But just because you can use AI doesn’t mean you should. “So, my trend is it’s the tale of two worlds. It’s the tale of the flagship at the summit, the flagship shows, your cricket, your Bundesliga, my NFL.

“And those are the ones that we’re throwing money at. We’re throwing money at because we’re trying to increase the spectacle. The spectacle, these resource hunger shows and we’re putting more and more money in it. We’re not so much on the efficiency side on that. But in the mid-tier events, that’s where you’re really going to see where can we get a similar product or very much the same product using some very, you know, innovative ways.

“Now maybe you’re talking about automation, maybe you’re talking about remote technology, maybe you’re talking about all of the things that make production more efficient. And in some ways, the mid-tier productions, if you squint, is subsidising the top tiers. So you’re following the eyes.”

Nigam agreed saying that there is a need to create different levels of production.

“So the high or for the premium events, we deploy different sort of production techniques, which would entail more number of resources, more number of expenses as well. There would be certain events, or even the lower tiering of the same event, wherein we could use technology to optimise, to bring in automation, wherein the cost of production becomes low, as well as the number of resources and the dependency goes low. So the fragmentation is the key, wherein lot and lot of opportunities are there.

“How do you stitch that together? The pie remains constant. We have to allocate that pie to bring the value very quickly.”

Lower-end technology has become very capable: One trend pointed out in terms of technology is the lower-end technology is so capable now. Viacom 18 used iPhones at the Olympics last year. There are also automated camera systems. One can do very cost-effective shows with almost little compromise in terms of the overall production value. Davies noted that sometimes today’s efficiency technology becomes tomorrow’s enhancement technology and sometimes vice versa.

“So I think that we’re not necessarily interested in putting too much remotely or putting too much on automation on the flagship shows. But what you find is that sometimes that technology can have other uses. You think about, well, can this type of technology do auto-framing on a pylon camera? Now that might be a very small thing.

“I told you a hundred cameras. Maybe it doesn’t make air. It’s just what your risk tolerance is on that particular thing. And can you actually ascribe some improvement by using those things?”

Reitano noted that the good thing is on technology, and this is very helpful because it feeds also, let’s say, the customer you can produce more content on the lower end. “And you have to consider that there are tons of content out there. They were invisible the last couple of years because it was too expensive to produce them. And now you are capable, let’s say, halving with, let’s say, one camera, automating stitching, whatsoever. And you’re producing tons of more content and feeding, let’s say, the customer’s needs. So it gives us, if you accept the compromises, I think this is sometimes very, let’s say, hard to understandable for sea level.

“Because they are measuring whatever comes on Sky platform needs to be top-notch. And now you’re starting to compromise and producing more lower tiers.” He gave an example of in Mumbai an under-17 match-up taking place. And there were a problem with encoding and decoding. nd this is how you want to educate. How you educate your customer on different platforms. Because there is and must be a compromise.

“You can’t have resiliency and reliability on 100% if you’re having a fully automated camera system, which is cloud and IP only. So you have to find a compromise. But this is an education curve.

“You’re offering more content for your customers. On the same side, you’re lowering your production cost, which is part of your ecosystem. And then you have to find, let’s say, a good conversation with your customer base because they’re not paying more for that.

“This is absolutely a deal. We’re offering incremental services free of charge. But this is happening because customers are reacting. (24:12) They don’t care what they see. At the moment, if the Sky-corner bug is up, they’re expecting premium quality.”

Nigam was asked about 9×16 productions where one is actually using automated camera. Noigam said that those are the opportunities. “Yes, we do that. And I would pick the line that you mentioned earlier. You used an adjective along with artificial intelligence. So somehow that remains an elephant and somehow all of us tend to get obsessed by that.

“Fortunately or unfortunately, this has been there. AI is nothing but automation. And this has been there or various levels of automation has been there for many, many years. And all of us deploy those automations with respect to the live productions that we do.

“What the consumer requires is a plain, simple, good storytelling about that particular event. Like for cricket, the live event happens with seven cameras. The story gets completed in seven cameras wherein we tend to use more than 30 cameras. Now, how well the additional 25 or 30 cameras have to be used, that’s an option.

“The story gets completed in those seven cameras. And again, at the end of the day, the consumer is not bothered what is that being used at the back end. What it means is, for example, I would pick in this IPL, we have been doing a lot of different things. Each IPL match is getting produced in 25 different streams, getting distributed in more than 70 different ways, etc., etc. (26:08) But what it has caught the eye of the consumer is one physical feature which we call it as Champak. So, Champak, which is not an artificial intelligence thing.

“It’s a physical, physical technology product which has caught the eye of the consumer. So, that’s something innovation we need to bring in.

Just because we want to deploy artificial intelligence, that does not mean everything will get enhanced. We need to capture the spirit of the consumer, certainly keep them excited, keep them engaged. But then, there are ways to do it.”

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Genius Sports Ltd (GENI) Expands Strategic Partnership with NFL

Summary Genius Sports Ltd (GENI, Financial) has announced a multi-year extension and expansion of its strategic technology partnership with the National Football League (NFL). This agreement, revealed on [insert date if available], will see Genius Sports continue as the exclusive distributor of real-time NFL data and video, while also expanding its role in advertising and […]

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18 minutes ago

June 11, 2025

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Summary

Genius Sports Ltd (GENI, Financial) has announced a multi-year extension and expansion of its strategic technology partnership with the National Football League (NFL). This agreement, revealed on [insert date if available], will see Genius Sports continue as the exclusive distributor of real-time NFL data and video, while also expanding its role in advertising and fan engagement through innovative platforms like BetVision and GeniusIQ. The partnership aims to enhance the NFL fan experience globally through cutting-edge technology and data solutions.

Positive Aspects

Genius Sports remains the exclusive distributor of official NFL data, ensuring a stronghold in the sports data market.
The partnership introduces innovative solutions like BetVision and GeniusIQ, enhancing fan engagement and experience.
Genius Sports’ role in advertising expands, leveraging its FANHub platform for broader market reach.
Continued focus on integrity services ensures the credibility of NFL’s sports betting ventures.

Negative Aspects

The partnership’s success is contingent on the effective implementation of new technologies and platforms.
Potential risks and uncertainties associated with forward-looking statements could impact future performance.
Dependence on the NFL partnership may pose a risk if the relationship changes or ends.

Financial Analyst Perspective

From a financial standpoint, the extension of Genius Sports’ partnership with the NFL solidifies its position as a leader in sports data and technology. The exclusive rights to distribute NFL data and video globally provide a significant competitive advantage, potentially driving revenue growth. However, investors should be mindful of the inherent risks in forward-looking statements and the dependency on the NFL partnership for sustained success.

Market Research Analyst Perspective

The expanded partnership between Genius Sports and the NFL highlights the growing importance of data and technology in sports entertainment. By introducing innovative solutions like BetVision and GeniusIQ, Genius Sports is well-positioned to capitalize on the increasing demand for immersive fan experiences. This move aligns with broader industry trends towards digital transformation and personalized content delivery, suggesting a positive outlook for market expansion.

FAQ

What is the main focus of the extended partnership between Genius Sports and the NFL?

The partnership focuses on enhancing NFL fan experiences through advanced data and technology solutions, including exclusive data distribution and innovative platforms like BetVision and GeniusIQ.

What new innovations are introduced in this partnership?

The partnership introduces BetVision, an immersive sports betting streaming solution, and GeniusIQ, a next-generation sports data and AI platform.

How does this partnership impact Genius Sports’ market position?

The partnership strengthens Genius Sports’ position as a leader in the sports technology ecosystem, expanding its role in data distribution, advertising, and fan engagement.

Read the original press release here.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

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Gold’s Gym SoCal Debuts First Octagon Load in U.S.

Following its launch in Fullerton, Gold’s Gym SoCal plans to roll out Octagon Load stations across its clubs, offering members access to a new functional strength zone for an added fee When Gold’s Gym SoCal in Fullerton, California, faced bottlenecks in its high-demand free-weight area, owners Angel and Willie Banos found a game-changing solution from […]

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36 minutes ago

June 11, 2025

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Following its launch in Fullerton, Gold’s Gym SoCal plans to roll out Octagon Load stations across its clubs, offering members access to a new functional strength zone for an added fee

When Gold’s Gym SoCal in Fullerton, California, faced bottlenecks in its high-demand free-weight area, owners Angel and Willie Banos found a game-changing solution from Escape Fitness, a fitness solutions provider for club operators.

The Fullerton club is now the first in the U.S. to install Octagon Load, a strength and functional training system featuring Gold’s Gym’s signature black and gold color palette.

Designed and built at Escape Technologies’ U.K. facility, Octagon Load blends traditional plate-loaded strength with high-tensile resistance bands to deliver continuous muscle engagement and advanced variable resistance, especially at the end range of motion. The system features five bolt-down stations (Squat, Drive, Lift, Press and Row) that support full-body, standing-position workouts, maximizing kinetic chain activation and training efficiency.

The new Octagon Load system by Escape Fitness — credit: Escape Fitness

The setup was installed in a repurposed kids’ club room, transforming it into a dedicated functional training space that members can access for an additional fee. While Fullerton is the first to feature Octagon Load, it’s not the last. The new training solution is set to roll out across other Gold’s Gym SoCal locations.

“Working with Escape is always a great experience,” Gold’s Gym vice president of facilities Jason Taylor said. “The equipment is not only engineered to deliver a faultless training experience, it is also extremely robust. We have some of California’s biggest, most experienced powerlifters using our facility, and the Escape equipment is more than up to the job.”

Escape Fitness USA CEO Matthew Januszek | credit: Escape Fitness

As Escape Fitness USA CEO Matthew Januszek points out, strength training has gone mainstream and is no longer reserved just for elite athletes or bodybuilders.

“It’s a cornerstone of fitness for people of all ages and abilities,” he said. “After three years of research and conversations with leading operators, athletes and coaches, built on a lifetime of experience working in the fitness industry, Escape Fitness has created a circuit-based system for the general population that efficiently stimulates muscle.”

Technology

Levelling Up Safely: How Self-exclusion and Limit Settings are Saving the Game

This is a guest post by Shreyasi Tripathi, a technology policy professional and Atulya Gupta, Head of Public Policy and Advocacy at Kaio. When the internet first entered our lives, it was a frontier of limitless potential and equally limitless uncertainty. Each new use case, from social media to e-commerce to digital payments, brought with […]

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37 minutes ago

June 11, 2025

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This is a guest post by Shreyasi Tripathi, a technology policy professional and Atulya Gupta, Head of Public Policy and Advocacy at Kaio.

When the internet first entered our lives, it was a frontier of limitless potential and equally limitless uncertainty. Each new use case, from social media to e-commerce to digital payments, brought with it a wave of opportunity followed closely by challenges: fraud, misinformation, harassment and addiction. Yet over time, these issues were met with innovation, regulation, and growing digital literacy.

Gaming is the latest frontier in this evolution. As it becomes a dominant form of entertainment, especially in India, it too faces its set of growing pains ranging from financial harm to mental health concerns. Recent events saw a student being allegedly held captive in Kanpur over gaming debts and a Bhubaneswar youth being found dead, with problem gaming being suspected, underscoring the urgent need to spotlight responsible gaming practices.

While the online gaming industry in India stands out as the fastest-growing segment in new media, mishaps like these are on the rise. Even amidst facing the threat of illegal offshore betting platforms, gaming accounted for 30% of the total new media market revenue and reached $3.8 billion in valuation. In 2024, the gaming consumer base reached a staggering 442 million, with the average time spent on gaming increasing by 30% to 13 hours per week, catapulting India to become the second-largest gaming community in the world.

These numbers speak volumes about the growing interest in gaming in the Indian market. The benefits of gaming – entertainment, community, improved cognitive function, and spatial reasoning – are now well studied and recorded. However, excessive gaming has its own share of drawbacks. These range from risk of online scams, financial strain, dependence on the virtual world, as well as adverse impact on physical and mental health, including sedentary lifestyle, irregular sleep, anxiety and depression. The urgency with which we should empower users with the right information to protect their health grows by the day. This underscores the need for all stakeholders,industry, Government and players, to ensure online safety and responsible play.

With the aim of fostering responsible play, gaming companies offer players a system of checks and balances; self-exclusion and limit settings being the most widely accepted measures. These tools are only as effective as their use, placing a significant share of the responsibility on players to engage with them meaningfully. Self-exclusion acts as a reset button that not only slashes time and money spent by players on gaming but also relieves stress and boosts mental wellbeing. It’s a powerful pause that helps break the cycle of harmful habits and reclaim balance. On the other hand, limit-setting tools offer a more flexible approach. These result in healthier gaming patterns, stronger self-control, and a better understanding of one’s spending. According to research, even intense users have shown marked reductions in both participation and expenditure over time.

A recent study, analysing data of 8,300 users, evinces the efficacy of these measures.1 They found that when players voluntarily excluded themselves, or set limits on their game-play, they spent less money, played fewer games, but their winnings per game were higher than before. The findings highlight that the real impact hinges on players choosing to use these tools.

Compared to external regulations such as complete bans, or time-restrictions imposed by the government, which are difficult to enforce and have easy work-arounds, these tools, due to their reliance on self-resolve, can ensure that a player can reap the positive benefits of online gaming, without risking unhealthy consequences.

While self-exclusion and limit setting tools have proven to be efficient in tackling problem gaming behaviours, they have their own limitations. Short-term exclusions often fall short, and for some players, the return to gaming triggers a rebound—playing harder after the pause. Emotional fallout like isolation and deprivation can make things worse, especially in the absence of ongoing psychological support. Further, its lack of flexibility makes it harder to follow as a sustainable practice. Though more flexible, limit-setting tools come with their own share of cracks. Users can tweak or bypass them, especially when driven by compulsive habits or the urge to chase rewards. Overly strict systems may even backfire, pushing players toward alternative platforms or anonymous accounts. Further, the success of these tools is also dependent on the intrinsic behaviour of players and external factors such as social media exposure and peer pressure.

Thus, these tools need to be accompanied by targeted and adaptable measures, taking into consideration psychological and external factors affecting gaming behaviour, and also the creation of support systems for the sustenance of safe gaming habits. However, with the knowledge that these tools are effective in addressing problem gaming behaviours, regulators, gaming companies and civil society must take note and ensure that these options are available to all gamers. More importantly, generating awareness amongst users about the value these tools might add to their gaming experience will have a significant impact.

To sustain the momentum of India’s booming gaming industry, it is essential to balance growth with user well-being. As the sector evolves, so must the safeguards that accompany it. Responsible gaming tools like self-exclusion and limit-setting are not just optional add-ons, they are evidence-backed solutions that empower players to make informed choices. Ultimately, the onus of responsible play rests significantly with the players themselves, who must take active steps to use these tools wisely. Through collaboration among industry, government and users themselves, and greater awareness and accessibility of such features, India can foster a gaming ecosystem that not only rides high on technological innovation but also builds consumer trust and takes accountability. Only then can the promise of online gaming truly be fulfilled: for players, platforms, and the future of the nation.

Views expressed in the article are the personal opinion of the authors.

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Technology

RBFA selects EVS’s Xeebra for new VAR Center at Proximus Basecamp

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has selected EVS’s Xeebra video review system to power its new centralised VAR (video assistant referee) Center. The facility, located at the RBFA’s headquarters, will be fully equipped by EMG / Gravity Media ahead of the upcoming Pro League season kicking off in July. The VAR Center will feature […]

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1 hour ago

June 11, 2025

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The VAR Center will feature six state-of-the-art booths, each outfitted with EVS’s Xeebra system, a FIFA- and FIBA-certified multi-camera review solution trusted across 13 sports worldwide. Xeebra enables officials to review action from multiple angles in synchronisation, with touchscreen controls that allow for precise zooming and slow-motion playback.

Peter Willems, CEO of the RBFA, emphasised the strategic importance of the partnership: “This investment represents a significant leap forward in our commitment to innovation and fairness in football. By centralising our VAR operations with EVS’s Xeebra technology, we are equipping our referees with the most advanced tools available, ensuring more accurate decisions and reinforcing Belgian football’s position as a leader in integrity and technological excellence.”

Nicolas Bourdon, chief commercial officer at EVS, added: “We’re proud to see Xeebra at the heart of Belgian football. This collaboration with the RBFA and EMG is a testament to our shared vision of delivering the highest standards in officiating through cutting-edge technology. And with access to the VAR Center for training and demonstrations, we’re excited to make Tubize a hub for VAR excellence in Europe.”

Dirk Theunis, managing director – Belgium at EMG / Gravity Media, commented: “We’re thrilled to bring our technical expertise to this project. Equipping the VAR Center with EVS’s Xeebra systems ensures that referees have the best tools available to make accurate and timely decisions. It’s a win for the game, the officials, and the fans.”

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NFL renews, expands Genius Sports partnership through 2029

Sports data and technology heavyweight Genius Sports has extended and expanded its partnership with American football’s elite National Football League (NFL). The multi-year renewal, which now runs through the 2029 NFL campaign, will see Genius Sports continue as the league’s exclusive distributor of real-time, play-by-play data and statistics for both viewing audiences and betting firms. In […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Sports data and technology heavyweight Genius Sports has extended and expanded its partnership with American football’s elite National Football League (NFL).

The multi-year renewal, which now runs through the 2029 NFL campaign, will see Genius Sports continue as the league’s exclusive distributor of real-time, play-by-play data and statistics for both viewing audiences and betting firms.

In expanding the deal, Genius will now also exclusively manage the NFL’s in-game advertising inventory, utilizing its FANHub sports activation platform to target commercial advertising to viewers during games.

Speaking on the renewal, NFL vice president of business development and strategic investments Brent Lawton commented: “Across data, video, advertising, and integrity services, Genius has proven to be an important strategic partner through the first four seasons of our partnership.”

Genius Sports chief executive Mark Locke added: “The NFL delivers a tremendous platform to accelerate our business, and we are thrilled to extend and grow our strategic partnership.

“Our expanded NFL partnership further strengthens our leading position at the heart of the sports technology ecosystem, and represents a key milestone in our FANHub rollout, setting a new standard for data-driven immersive experiences for NFL fans, broadcasters, teams, sportsbooks, brands, and sponsors.”

Genius Sports took over from rival Sportradar as the NFL’s official data distributor in 2021, and led to the 2023 launch of the BetVision solution, now one of Genius Sports’ flagship offerings.

Since the partnership’s inception, the NFL has often been a first mover in terms of adopting Genius Sports innovations, such as the Genius Marketing Suite for which it was the first partner.

The BetVision advanced stats overlay allows customers to “place wagers from within the live video player in the sportsbook’s app,” with low-latency streams featuring integrated betting odds and bet slips and set to be enhanced by in-game alerts and on-screen offers.

Founded in 2000, Genius Sports has experience working with more than 500 sports organizations and leagues, including soccer’s FIFA and English Premier League, basketball’s NBA, EuroLeague, and FIBA, baseball’s MLB, motor racing’s Nascar, and US golf’s PGA Tour.

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Technology

Machaxi Raises $1.5M from Prakash Padukone, Rainmatter and Others to Expand AI-Based Grassroots Badminton Training

Bengaluru, India – 11th June 2025: Machaxi, a sports-tech company focused on grassroots coaching and digital sports infrastructure, has raised $1.5 million in a round led by Rainmatter, the investment initiative of Zerodha. The round also saw participation from Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone and existing investors. The funding will help Machaxi scale its operations […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Bengaluru, India – 11th June 2025: Machaxi, a sports-tech company focused on grassroots coaching and digital sports infrastructure, has raised $1.5 million in a round led by Rainmatter, the investment initiative of Zerodha. The round also saw participation from Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone and existing investors.

The funding will help Machaxi scale its operations beyond Bengaluru into three new cities-Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai—while also building a nationwide framework for AI-powered badminton coaching.

“We’ve always believed in the power of grassroots sports to transform communities. Machaxi’s tech-driven approach to coaching, combined with a solid on-ground strategy, aligns perfectly with our mission at Rainmatter to back sustainable and impactful ventures. We’re excited to support them on this journey, “said Nithin Kamath, Founder of Zerodha and Rainmatter.

As part of the expansion, Machaxi is collaborating with the Padukone School of Badminton to launch the “Machaxi x Padukone School of Badminton” program. The initiative aims to establish over 1,000 coaching centres across India within the next four years. A key feature of this partnership is the rollout of an AI-based coaching system that will help maintain consistency in training, regardless of geography or availability of expert coaches.

Prakash Padukone, Ace Indian Badminton player, added, “I’ve always believed that the future of Indian badminton lies in structured grassroots development. Machaxi’s vision to scale coaching while maintaining quality through AI is forward-thinking and impactful. I’m thrilled to partner with them in shaping the next generation of champions.”

The company’s AI coaching system is designed not to replace human coaches, but to standardize training quality, assist in performance tracking, and ensure that the coaching model remains scalable.

Pratish Raj, Co-founder, Machaxi, commented, “This partnership is a big step forward in our mission to make quality sports coaching accessible to everyone in India. With the support of Rainmatter and the visionary backing of Mr. Padukone, we’re working toward a future where every aspiring athlete no matter where they come from can train with consistency, purpose, and access to world-class infrastructure. Our AI powered model is built to ensure that potential is discovered and nurtured, not overlooked. We’re proud to be at the forefront of this shift in grassroots sports.”

Since its founding, Machaxi has built a reputation as a pioneer in integrating technology with grassroots sports coaching. By combining AI-powered tools with on-ground coaching, Machaxi aims to address key challenges in India’s sports ecosystem — such as inconsistent coaching quality and limited access to professional training. With this funding and strategic partnership, Machaxi is poised to revolutionize grassroots badminton and inspire a new generation of athletes, setting new benchmarks for scalability, accessibility, and training excellence in Indian sports.

According to a recent survey report by MarketsandMarkets, the global AI in Sports market was valued at $1.03 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $2.61 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 16.7%. With the integration of generative AI and predictive analytics, the sector is transforming how sports are played, managed, and experienced, unlocking significant innovation and growth opportunities across the value chain for Machaxi.

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