Buffalo, NY  – OnCore Innovations, creators of the Genius™ Ball — the world’s first smart golf ball delivering real-time putting and short game data — today announced its participation in the upcoming ONE Houlihan Lokey Global Conference, taking place May 13–15, 2025, at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Keith Blakely, CEO of OnCore Innovations, will represent the company as a featured panelist on “Down the Fairway: Insights in the Golf Market,” part of the Consumer Track on May 14. The panel will be moderated by Nathan Pund of Houlihan Lokey and will include leaders from Foray Golf, Imperial, Rapsodo, and TRUE linkswear.

Now in its largest-ever format, the ONE Global Conference is expected to host over 4,800 participants, representing 370 companies across 160+ sectors — making it one of the most comprehensive investment banking conferences of the year. OnCore’s inclusion signals growing interest in the convergence of sports, performance analytics, and connected product ecosystems.

“We’re honored to join this world-class event alongside some of the most forward-thinking brands in golf,” said Blakely. “As technology transforms every corner of sports, Genius is pioneering a new data category in putting and short game play — giving players and coaches unprecedented insight from the ball itself.”

The Genius Ball captures high-frequency motion data (including speed, direction, launch angle, skid, and more) directly from the moment of putter impact. Launching in 2025, it is poised to redefine how golfers train, fit equipment, and improve performance in their short games — where over half of strokes in a round are played.

While Genius is launching in golf, its underlying sensor platform and motion analytics engine have applications across a wide range of ball sports, including baseball, cricket, and lacrosse. By embedding intelligence directly into the ball, OnCore aims to unlock a new layer of data for athletes and coaches—capturing insights that were previously invisible and enabling smarter training, injury prevention, and performance enhancement in sports where precision and motion mechanics matter.

Finally, by starting with golf, OnCore has tackled the most demanding application first — where the ball is the smallest, the required data is extremely precise, and the g-forces from golf club impacts are among the highest in sports. This engineering challenge has enabled OnCore to develop a ruggedized, miniaturized platform that can be seamlessly adapted for larger ball, lower-impact sports.

About OnCore Innovations

OnCore Innovations is a sports technology company redefining performance training through sensor-enabled equipment and intelligent software. Its flagship product, the Genius Ball, is the first smart golf ball designed to capture putting and short game stroke data directly from the ball. For more information, visit www.geniusball.golf.

Media Contact: Kathy Butcher, Kbutcher@oncoregolf.com, 716-748-8622 Ext. 110

California in 2024 claimed the world’s fourth-largest economy, by some curious math.

Whether the state remains at this high, bragging-rights perch is very much in doubt.

California businesses produced $4.1 trillion worth of goods and services in 2024, according to the latest gross domestic product estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. GDP is a broad measurement of economic production and is useful for comparisons of business heft.

When California’s economy is put on a global scale, only three nations were more productive last year, according to GDP stats from biannual reports from the International Monetary Fund.

The U.S. is easily No. 1 with $29 trillion, and it would still be tops without California. Next is China at $18.8 trillion. And there’s Germany at $4.66 trillion.

The “big news” is that California managed to bump up from its long-standing No. 5 ranking on this global totem pole by edging past Japan, which produced $4.03 trillion in GDP last year.

California is an economic powerhouse because its 18-million-people-strong workforce isn’t just the nation’s largest, it produces highly valued products. For all the talk of California’s “anti-business” policies, no state comes close to the Golden State in business output.

Texas is the nation’s No. 2 in GDP at $2.7 trillion. My trusty spreadsheet, using California’s bragging-rights calculations, found Texas ranks as the world’s No. 8 economy, on par with Italy.

New York’s $2.3 trillion GDP is No. 9 globally. That’s Canada’s ballpark. Florida, at $1.7 trillion, is No. 16, or roughly the size of Indonesia. And Illinois, at $1.1 trillion, is No. 19, comparable with Saudi Arabia.

Big headaches

Think about the challenges California’s lofty global ranking economy faces.

Start with the strength of the U.S. dollar. Its rise has been a relative economic norm for over a decade.

These economic rankings are made possible by converting the worldwide business output into its top currency, the American one. A strong U.S. dollar makes domestic output pricier to our global trading partners. It also devalues foreign production.

So ponder how currency gyrations affected the calculations of Japanese growth.

Throughout 2024, the Japanese yen lost 11% of its value compared with the U.S. dollar. That’s a key reason why Japan’s GDP growth was 2.9% for the year in yen, but only 0.1% in dollars.

That story is different today. In 2025’s first four months, the two currencies flip-flopped. The yen has appreciated 10% against the dollar as currency traders weigh trade wars started by the Trump administration and what they will do to the world’s business production.

It’s possible that California would lose the No. 4 spot on the GDP scorecard if output were priced at today’s currency rates.

Then there’s India, with an economic competition I’ve previously mentioned when writing about California’s GDP rank.

India is the world’s most populous nation with 1.46 billion people. California has “only” 40 million. India is blooming into one of the world’s economic superpowers that will surely surpass California’s output some year soon.

India’s $3.91 trillion GDP in 2024, just behind Japan. The IMF projects then Indian economy to grow 6.2% in U.S. dollars in 2025. Assuming California’s GDP can grow at the estimated 1.8% U.S. rate, the Indian economy could surpass the Golden State this year.

Of course, the immense wildcard in any chat about the world’s economy today is the business turmoil created by the Trump administration. Its ever-changing attempts to right what it perceives as the world’s unfair trading practices makes any business forecast a raw guestimate, at best.

We see new U.S. tariffs and ensuing retaliation by the targeted nations – plus talk of ripping up existing trade deals. Which national economies will win or lose these trade wars – not to mention California’s globally focused business climate? Who ends up where on the 2025 global GDP ladder?

It’s a big unknown.

Slow ending

California’s No. 4 global ranking is a fun fact, but it can’t hide a decidedly cooling economy.

Look at the state’s GDP growth against its domestic competition.

Last year, California’s business output grew 6% using the same GDP math. That was ninth-best among the states and topped the 5.3% national expansion.

However, the year’s end was worrisome.

GDP growth in California cooled to a 4% annual rate in the fourth quarter. A key factor is that the state’s information industries – from Silicon Valley to Hollywood – faced steep challenges.

That end-of-the-year expansion ranked No. 40 among the states and trailed the 4.8% U.S. pace.

So, California’s economic growth cooled by 33% when comparing all of 2024 to its finish. The nation’s growth shrank only 9%. And only four states slowed more than the Golden State.

Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 2 (ANI): Gokul V Subramaniam, President of Intel India and Vice President of the Client Computing Group, showcased Intel’s expanding role in India’s content and innovation ecosystem during the Waves Summit 2025 in Mumbai.

Speaking to ANI, Subramaniam emphasized Intel’s commitment to powering India’s growing media, gaming, and educational sectors through cutting-edge AI and processing technologies.

“Waves is an amazing opportunity, especially for content creators working in audio and video. At the core of all this is data — and data is what Intel is all about,” he said.

“We are working across multiple aspects of computing — from data centers to AI-enabled personal devices — to enable content creation at every level, from large media conglomerates to individual YouTubers.”

Subramaniam explained how Intel’s advanced processors and AI accelerators are helping streamline content workflows.

“For the big players, our data center CPUs and AI accelerators are making content creation faster and more AI-driven. And for individual influencers, our AI PCs enable quick video editing and high-quality content generation.”

He also highlighted the transformation of India’s gaming landscape.

“India has a significant population of gamers. Many have moved from mobile gaming to high-performance, network-based games on laptops. With Intel’s innovations in performance, audio-video capabilities, and affordability, we see huge potential in this space.”

One of the most exciting developments Subramaniam revealed was Intel’s collaboration with Tejas Networks and Sankhya Labs to bring TV tuner capabilities directly into laptops.

“We’ve integrated broadcast TV tuner and demodulator technology into laptops, in partnership with Tejas and Sankhya Labs. The antenna is built inside the device, allowing users to receive broadcast content without needing internet access. This has massive potential for educational content delivery — students can access lessons without paying for data or facing online distractions. With our AI PCs, this content can also be transcribed and translated in real-time.”

Subramaniam emphasized that Intel’s broader vision is to bring AI everywhere — from the cloud and network to the edge and personal devices.

“India is not just a massive consumer base — it’s a creative powerhouse. With the right tools and innovation, we believe the country can lead in content creation, gaming, and digital learning.”

The Waves Summit 2025 brought together industry leaders, tech innovators, and media professionals to explore collaborations and showcase India’s potential as a global media and tech hub.

On Thursday afternoon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated WAVES (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit). The four-day summit with tagline “Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries” is poised to position India as a global hub for media, entertainment, and digital innovation by bringing together creators, startups, industry leaders, and policymakers from across the world.

In line with Prime Minister’s vision of leveraging creativity, technology, and talent to shape a brighter future, WAVES integrates films, OTT, gaming, comics, digital media, AI, AVGC-XR, broadcasting, and emerging tech, making it a comprehensive showcase of India’s media and entertainment prowess. WAVES aims to unlock a USD 50 billion market by 2029, expanding India’s footprint in the global entertainment economy.

At WAVES 2025, India also hosts the Global Media Dialogue (GMD) for the first time, with ministerial participation from 25 countries, marking a milestone in the country’s engagement with the global media and entertainment landscape.

The Summit also features the WAVES Bazaar, a global e-marketplace with over 6,100 buyers, 5,200 sellers, and 2,100 projects. It aims to connect buyers and sellers locally and globally, ensuring wide-reaching networking and business opportunities.

WAVES 2025 witnesses participation from over 90 countries, with more than 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300+ companies, and 350+ startups. The summit will feature 42 plenary sessions, 39 breakout sessions, and 32 masterclasses spanning diverse sectors including broadcasting, infotainment, AVGC-XR, films, and digital media. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)

HANGZHOU, China, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The inaugural Zhejiang (Hangzhou) International Fashion Sports Week was launched on April 30 and will run through May 5 across two premier venues: E-Fashion Town in Linping District and Zhejiang Huanglong Sports Centre. Themed “Infusing Tech with Fashion and Fueling the Future of Sports Consumption”, the event is hosted by the Sport Bureau of Zhejiang Province with support from Hangzhou Sport Bureau, Linping District People’s Government, Xihu District People’s Government, and Zhejiang Huanglong Sports Centre. The convergence of sports, fashion and cutting-edge technology creates a dynamic platform to reimagine athletic lifestyles and accelerate industry innovation.

The six-day program is structured around a “1+3+N+1” format, designed to integrate large-scale production with community engagement:

• 1 Official Opening Ceremony
• 3 Core Events: A sportswear design competition, an athletic fashion trend showcase, and an innovation expo spotlighting performance gear
• N Public-facing activities: A Fashion Sports Shopping Festival, a Sports Gear Pop-Up Market, a RV Camping Rally, a “Village Tents” Rice Field Carnival, a Citywide Fitness Challenge, and an E-Fashion Music Festival
• 1 Closing Highlight: an exclusive release of the year’s Sports Trend Rankings

Olympians Take Spotlight in the Kick-off Event

A roster of Olympic and world champions from Zhejiang took the spotlight during the April 30 launch at E-Fashion Town, with them stepping into their roles as official ambassadors of Fashion Sports Week. Among them are freestyle swimmer Pan Zhanle, shooting prodigy Huang Yuting, badminton star Zheng Siwei, decorated athletes Yang Qian, Wang Zhilin, and Dong Xiya. Their presence adds star power to the weeklong event, helping to bridge professional athleticism with daily lifestyle and drive broader public engagement.

Throughout the week, the athletes will appear in key experiential zones:

• Fashion Tech Runway: Showcasing experimental activewear that blends AI-generated design, biodegradable fabrics, and local craft traditions
• Emerging Sports Hub: Offering interactive demos in flag football, land-based Stand Up Paddle (SUP) yoga and other trending disciplines
• Smart Tech Pavilion: Allowing attendees to test AI fitness avatars and cutting-edge wearable audio tech
• “Village Tents” Carnival: Featuring informal athlete storytelling sessions amid family-friendly camping activities

These activities are providing participants with the opportunity to connect closely with sports stars in an engaging way, while showcasing the sports lifestyle as a platform for design, innovation, and cultural exchange.

Champion-Led Appeal Drives Retail and Community Momentum

Zhejiang (Hangzhou) International Fashion Sports Week is also a lever for local economic stimulation, with initiatives that blur the line between consumer experience and retail activation:

• Government-backed voucher programs totaling millions of yuan for use on sports gear, cultural collectibles, and wellness snacks
• Limited-edition collections co-branded with Olympic ambassadors
• Free public access to activities like roller skating, water sports, and archery—plus prize giveaways including signed gear
• Lifestyle programming designed for families and pet lovers, including a pet-athlete runway and community camping experiences

With expectations of drawing more than 100,000 visitors, the event aims to generate wide-ranging impact across local retail, hospitality, and tourism sectors. “Olympic ambassadors consider this much more than a celebration—it becomes a vehicle for economic and industrial transformation,” said a representative from the Zhejiang Provincial Sports Bureau,”By integrating fashion-tech into the athletic sphere, we’re shaping a high-value model for China’s next phase of consumption-driven growth.”

SOURCE Zhejiang (Hangzhou) International Fashion Sports Week Organizing Committee

A New Era in Competitive Play

In recent years, high-stakes competitive gaming has surged into mainstream consciousness, capturing the imagination of audiences worldwide and redefining what it means to be an athlete. The digital arena now hosts events where prize pools can soar up to $40 million, a testament to the rapid evolution and enormous appeal of esports.

The Digital Battlefield

Esports, once considered a niche hobby, has swiftly become a juggernaut in its own right. In this burgeoning landscape, games simulate everything from realistic combat scenarios to surreal, fantastical encounters. Tactical war games and sports simulations—including those emulating football, basketball, and racing—have all found their niche audiences. Among these, basketball-oriented titles such as NBA2K have struck a particular chord with professional athletes. By blurring the lines between traditional sports and digital competition, esports has emerged as a vibrant community teeming with innovative platforms and passionate fans.

Mental Refreshment and Tactical Exploration

For many athletes, the immersive world of gaming serves as more than mere entertainment. It offers a much-needed reprieve from the grueling pressures of physical competition. After long days of training and high-stakes matches, stepping into the virtual realm can lower stress levels and reinvigorate a player’s focus. The controlled yet competitive environment of a gaming session allows athletes to experience the thrill of contest without the physical toll of their sport. As one well-known athlete noted, the strategic process behind every move in video games parallels the tactical decisions required on a basketball court, enhancing both mental agility and decision-making skills.

The Allure of Off-Court Competition

Outside the spotlight of professional leagues, the competitive spirit remains undiminished. Esports provides athletes a sandbox where they can strive for victory without the risk of physical injury or the pressures of large stadiums. This off-court competition is driven by pure enjoyment—a shared adrenaline rush that comes from pitting skill against equally driven opponents. The excitement derived from these virtual battles is not only about winning but also about reaffirming a sense of personal achievement and creativity that many athletes cherish when stepping away from conventional sporting arenas.

Building Bonds in a Digital World

The social dimension of esports cannot be understated. In a lifestyle marked by frequent travel and intense training sessions, connecting with friends and fans becomes a challenge. Digital platforms, such as popular streaming channels and community chat rooms, offer a venue for athletes to showcase their more personable side. Whether engaging in casual banter with fans during a livestream or strategizing with teammates on community platforms, gamers are forging deeper personal connections that transcend their professional personas. This blend of competition and camaraderie provides a refreshing balance to the often lonely world of elite sports.

Athletes Immersed in Gaming Culture

The crossover between traditional sports and video games is best illustrated by the involvement of high-profile basketball players who have embraced gaming not only as a leisure activity but also as an extension of their competitive identity. LeBron James has been seen enjoying Madden NFL on the big screen, hinting at the potential of streaming and live gameplay events. Kevin Durant’s early exposure to video games—with memorable moments sparked by a gift like a Sega Genesis—has blossomed into a lifelong passion, especially evident in his dedication to titles like Call of Duty. Stephen Curry has become a notable presence not just on the court but also in the gaming sphere, even creating a custom Fortnite mode that reflects his style and spirit.

Veterans of the sport, such as Shaquille O’Neal, illustrate a lasting relationship with digital games that spans decades—from his early starring roles in interactive titles to his modern-day involvement in trending online games. Other notable figures, including Devin Booker, Ben Simmons, Josh Hart, Meyers Leonard, and Karl-Anthony Towns, have not only contributed to the gaming culture through live streams and social media but have also lent their influence to shape the industry’s growth.

Investing in a Digital Future

The growing popularity of esports has ignited a keen business sense among athletes, many of whom are now strategically investing in the digital entertainment and gaming sectors. Forward-thinking players see esports not merely as recreation but as a promising avenue for long-term financial security. Entrepreneurial endeavors in team ownership, sponsorships, and content creation have allowed athletes to diversify their careers beyond traditional sports.

Investment in prominent organizations has become a trend, with figures like Stephen Curry channeling capital into major esports teams while engaging in game development and creative content initiatives. Similarly, partnerships and stake acquisitions in reputable gaming brands underline an emerging culture where athletic passion meets financial strategy. This dual commitment to performance and entrepreneurship represents a significant shift in how modern athletes envision their legacies.

Expanding the Athletic Horizon Beyond Basketball

While basketball players have notably pushed the envelope of digital competition, the esports phenomenon has spread to athletes across various disciplines. Football stars, NFL quarterbacks, and even Olympic competitors are now actively participating in competitive gaming and streaming, embracing this hybrid realm of sport and technology. This cross-sport migration underlines the universal appeal of esports and its potential to foster new communities, creative expressions, and business ventures. The athletic drive to continually challenge oneself is as potent with a controller in hand as it is on the field or court.

Reflections on the Future of Athletic Competition

The integration of esports into the fabric of modern sports signifies a broader cultural evolution—one that harmonizes mental dexterity, technological innovation, and traditional athletic prowess. As classic sports athletes continue to blend physical skill with digital fluency, they are not only redefining competition but also setting the stage for a future where the boundaries between physical and virtual triumphs become increasingly intertwined. With every playful session and entrepreneurial venture, these athletes underscore an enduring legacy: the quest for growth, connection, and excellence transcends the limitations of any one arena.

In this dynamic era, as the lines between physicality and digital artistry blur, the world of competitive gaming stands as a testament to the endless drive of sportsmanship—a force that continues to inspire and transform the very essence of athletic achievement.