MLB and Sports Media Rights in the Streaming Era: Stinson LLP Law Firm
Diamond Sport Group’s recent stay in Chapter 11 proceedings provides a good illustration of evolving trends in the consumption of live sports content and the resultant changes in the media industry landscape. Less than four years after Diamond acquired various regional sports networks (RSNs) for a variety of professional teams, including MLB clubs, it filed […]
Diamond Sport Group’s recent stay in Chapter 11 proceedings provides a good illustration of evolving trends in the consumption of live sports content and the resultant changes in the media industry landscape. Less than four years after Diamond acquired various regional sports networks (RSNs) for a variety of professional teams, including MLB clubs, it filed for bankruptcy. Diamond was overleveraged based on a significant drop in the value in the “traditional” (i.e., linear TV) media rights it had acquired. Throughout Diamond’s stint in Chapter 11, MLB continued to express doubts about the viability of a perceived declining business model. The ongoing transformation of the sports media landscape may explain why.
In 2019, Diamond’s then-corporate parent, Sinclair Broadcast Group, purchased multiple RSNs from Disney, which, for regulatory reasons, had to divest following its acquisition of Twenty-First Century Fox. The approximate $10.6 billion purchase price was funded in significant part through debt incurred through Diamond. That entity, in turn, held the RSNs either directly, through joint ventures with Bally Sports, or by minority interests in non-Bally RSNs. The historical business had been dependent upon cable and satellite providers for distribution to consumers. Only six months before bankruptcy did it launch its first “direct to consumer” (DTC) offering, a streaming service. As of the bankruptcy filing, Diamond’s RSNs held rights to broadcast games of 16 MLB clubs, yet only five of which had DTC offerings. While the number of viewers for its still-dominant linear model continued to decline, its contracts with the MLB teams had an average remaining term of 6 years, and Diamond was saddled with almost $9 billion in debt.
While a more detailed description of events in the bankruptcy is beyond the scope of this article, how the proceeding began and ended is illustrative of industry changes. After filing, Diamond targeted what it viewed as its unprofitable contracts. It tried to impose upon three MLB clubs a “grace period” for payment of telecast fees, then sought court approval to unilaterally reduce such fees. MLB joined the affected teams in successfully opposing the relief. While Diamond’s position was legally sound, industry economics resulted in the deals being restructured. Additionally, broadcast agreements with two other clubs, the Padres and Diamondbacks, were terminated consensually in the 2023 season. This trend towards restructuring broadcasting partnerships continued during the course of the bankruptcy case. MLB joined other clubs in expressing concerns about the viability of Diamond’s proposed new business model and projections, scrutinizing its ability to pivot to a DTC-focused strategy. Eventually, MLB’s objection to the reorganization plan was resolved after amended telecast agreements involving six other clubs were reached and Diamond’s DTC projections improved. A very significant development was Diamond’s renegotiation of its agreement arrangement with Amazon to enhance its DTC offerings.
Diamond’s corporate journey over the past six years is emblematic of increased competition from new wealthy and tech-savvy entrants into sports media rights, who are well-positioned to offer sports content via DTC platforms. The combination of these new competitors includes Amazon, Apple TV, Netflix and Hulu. Many would not have predicted MLB’s future partnership with Apple TV for Friday Night Baseball or Amazon’s acquisition of NFL’s Thursday Night Football at the time Diamond acquired its RSN’s.
Marketplace demand is driving these changes. The movement of sports consumers, including MLB fans, away from “bundling” under traditional cable subscriptions began a while ago. Viewers increasingly demand more tailored options. ESPN remains a sports broadcasting juggernaut, but its leverage in negotiating in the industry continues to erode as it faces this new competition. These new “players” who have entered the sports media landscape have become accepted by content originators (leagues, teams, event promoters, etc.) as reliable media partners. Moreover, they appear to have an inherent technological advantage in capitalizing on consumer trends towards viewing content on different devices at or away from home.
In parallel with this shift is a trend toward smaller or even single-event packaging. Apple TV’s acquisition of media rights for Friday night MLB games is just one example of a more circumscribed offering. This arrangement can be viewed as a “foot in the door” move by this company, but to be economically viable it must attract the consumer, and apparently Apple concluded it does. Netflix’s embrace of an even more limited, but exclusive, package of content in the form of NFL’s Christmas Day games is another development worth following.
As a sports content originator, how is MLB positioning itself? The Diamond bankruptcy case illustrates MLB’s recent desire to adapt to the evolving media trends while maintaining control of how baseball’s content is distributed. The strategy appears to be for MLB to manage local and national broadcasting rights more directly, including negotiations with streaming giants like Apple TV and Amazon. At the same time, as shown in the Diamond case, the league still wishes for itself and its clubs to maintain relationships with traditional broadcasters, albeit under changing business models with greater emphasis on DTC.
Professional baseball’s relationship with ESPN is instructive. It was a pivotal moment when ESPN recently elected to opt out of its national television agreement with MLB after the 2025 season. The thinking is that the broadcaster decided to move away from the traditional, linear, full-season commitment over multiple years. ESPN’s shifting strategy will focus more heavily on its own streaming platform, ESPN+ to cater to sports consumer tastes. On the other hand, speculation is that this is a positive development for MLB as it’s believed that the league wants to overhaul its media rights structure by 2028 as existing deals expire. MLB’s strategy could be to broaden the potential field of buyers of its content, thereby making the field more diverse than it has been, as the best means to maximize revenue.
The lesson of Diamond Sports is how a misreading by one sports media participant of industry trends led to an expensive, often contentious, Chapter 11. In the case of ESPN, it was able, through a previously negotiated contract right, to opt out of a broadcast partnership as part of its overall pivot from an aging business model. Both scenarios compel MLB to focus on how it delivers sports content to consumers. The increased number of potential buyers of media rights presents economic opportunities. However, the continuing disruption in the industry will present both business, legal and technological challenges in the years to come.
Australian data centre stocks climb on Nvidia outlook — Capital Brief
The news: Nvidia reported revenue of US$44.1 billion ($68.6 billion) for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, up 12% from the previous quarter and up 69% from a year ago, with data centre revenue of US$39.1 billion. The forecast was in line with analysts’ estimates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The numbers: The company […]
The news: Nvidia reported revenue of US$44.1 billion ($68.6 billion) for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, up 12% from the previous quarter and up 69% from a year ago, with data centre revenue of US$39.1 billion.
The forecast was in line with analysts’ estimates, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The numbers:
The company incurred a US$4.5 billion charge in the quarter due to new US export licensing requirements for H20 products to China, resulting in US$2.5 billion in H20 revenue that could not be shipped, it said.
Nvidia’s outlook for fiscal Q2 reflects a loss in H20 revenue of approximately US$8 billion due to the recent export control limitations, it said. It expects total revenue to be US$45 billion, plus or minus 2%.
Gross margin for the first quarter was 60.5%, or 71.3% excluding the H20 charge, and diluted earnings per share were 76 US cents per share, or 96 US cents per share excluding the H20 charge.
Nvidia shares rose more than 2.5% in after-hours trading after the result.
The company announced full-scale production of its Blackwell NVL72 AI supercomputer and said it will pay a US$0.01 dividend per share on 3 July.
What they said: “Global demand for NVIDIA’s AI infrastructure is incredibly strong,” Huang said in a statement released ahead of an investor briefing.
“AI inference token generation has surged tenfold in just one year, and as AI agents become mainstream, the demand for AI computing will accelerate,” he added.
“Countries around the world are recognizing AI as essential infrastructure — just like electricity and the internet — and NVIDIA stands at the center of this profound transformation.”
“Our breakthrough Blackwell NVL72 AI supercomputer — a ‘thinking machine’ designed for reasoning— is now in full-scale production across system makers and cloud service providers,”
Logan-based iFIT forms science council to personalize fitness with biometrics and brainpower – KVNU
LOGAN – Fitness technology company iFIT Inc. has formed a new Science Council aimed at embedding cutting-edge scientific research into its personalized fitness offerings. New advisory council of leading scientists will guide iFIT’s platform, integrating fitness insights and wellness technology for science-backed workouts. The council, made up of experts in fields such as sleep medicine, […]
LOGAN – Fitness technology company iFIT Inc. has formed a new Science Council aimed at embedding cutting-edge scientific research into its personalized fitness offerings.
New advisory council of leading scientists will guide iFIT’s platform, integrating fitness insights and wellness technology for science-backed workouts.
The council, made up of experts in fields such as sleep medicine, cognitive performance, women’s health, and longevity, will guide iFIT’s efforts to integrate biometric data and health markers into its interactive training programs. The Logan-based company says this will enhance how workouts adapt in real time to a user’s performance and wellness profile.
“Health and wellness journeys are deeply personal—each of us starts from a different place,” said Kevin Duffy, CEO of iFIT in a release. “The iFIT Science Council allows us to translate that science into actionable, everyday routines.”
The inaugural council includes:
Dr. Darshan Shah, longevity and health optimization expert, who also serves as iFIT’s Chief Medical Advisor
Mona Sharma, holistic nutritionist and wellness strategist
Louisa Nicola, neurophysiologist and performance coach
Dr. Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and sleep expert
Dr. Duncan French, high-performance sports scientist
Dr. Vonda Wright, orthopedic surgeon and women’s health authority
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, functional medicine expert and bestselling author
Dr. Shah emphasized the shift away from “one-size-fits-all” workouts.
“By harnessing real biomarker data and the latest scientific research, we can tailor truly science-backed workouts to each individual,” he said in a release.
iFIT plans to incorporate heart-rate variability, recovery metrics and other biometric signals into its platforms to customize workouts and wellness plans.
The connected fitness market continues to grow, where companies target users looking for hyper-personalized training solutions. iFIT, headquartered in Logan, offers workouts via brands such as NordicTrack, ProForm, and Freemotion.
Nvidia overcomes tariff-driven turbulence to deliver Q1 results that eclipsed projections
SAN FRANCISCO — Artificial intelligence technology bellwether Nvidia overcame a wave of tariff-driven turbulence to deliver another quarter of robust growth amid feverish demand for its high-powered chips that are making computers seem more human. The results announced Wednesday for the February-April period came against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again trade war […]
SAN FRANCISCO — Artificial intelligence technology bellwether Nvidia overcame a wave of tariff-driven turbulence to deliver another quarter of robust growth amid feverish demand for its high-powered chips that are making computers seem more human.
The results announced Wednesday for the February-April period came against the backdrop of President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again trade war that has whipsawed Nvidia and other Big Tech companies riding AI mania to propel their revenue and stock prices upward.
But Trump’s tariffs — many of which have been reduced or temporarily suspended – hammered the market values of Nvidia and other tech powerhouses heading into the springtime earnings season as investors fretted about the trade turmoil dimming the industry’s prospects.
Those worries have eased during the past six weeks as most Big Tech companies lived up to or exceeded the analyst projections that steer investors, capped by Nvidia’s report for its fiscal first quarter.
Nvidia earned $18.8 billion, or 76 cents per share, for the period, a 26% increase from the same time last year. Revenue surged 69% from a year ago to $44.1 billion. If not for a $4.5 billion charge that Nvidia absorbed to account for the U.S. government’s restrictions on its chip sales to China, Nvidia would have made 96 cents per share, far above the 73 cents per share envisioned by analysts.
In another positive sign, Nvidia predicted its revenue for the May-July period would be about $45 billion, roughly the level that investors had been anticipating. The forecast includes an estimated $8 billion loss in sales to China due to the export controls during its fiscal second quarter, after the restrictions cost it about $2.5 billion in revenue during the first quarter.
In a conference call with analysts, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang lamented that the U.S. government had effectively blocked off AI chip sales to China — a market that he estimated at $50 billion. Huang warned the export controls have spurred China to build more of its own chips in a shift that he predicted the U.S. will eventually regret.
”The U.S. based its policy on the assumption that China cannot make AI chips. That assumption was always questionable, and now it’s clearly wrong,” Huang said.
Hrvatski Telekom Showcases MultiSIM Service at Zagreb Gym Rave
With energizing DJ beats, a spectacular light show, and a club-like atmosphere, Hrvatski Telekom has transformed Zagreb into the stage for the first Gym Rave in Croatia. It was an event combining music, technology, and fitness in a way previously experienced only in metropolises such as Berlin, London, New York, and Los Angeles.
[…]
With energizing DJ beats, a spectacular light show, and a club-like atmosphere, Hrvatski Telekom has transformed Zagreb into the stage for the first Gym Rave in Croatia. It was an event combining music, technology, and fitness in a way previously experienced only in metropolises such as Berlin, London, New York, and Los Angeles.
More than 200 participants trained, danced and competed in six dynamic fitness challenges at THE Fitness and Padel Hall. The most successful won valuable prizes, including the latest Apple Watch S10. Gym Rave is a new global trend that brings the energy of a night out into the fitness world, creating a motivating environment where you can work out to music and light effects.
One of the technological highlights that evening was a holographic demonstration of the Apple Watch S10’s features, which participants used to track their progress during the challenges. The event also showcased Hrvatski Telekom’s MultiSIM service, which connects a smartphone and smartwatch using the same number, providing an ideal solution for an active lifestyle and complete freedom of movement without the need to carry a phone.
Branka Bajt, Director, Brand Sector, Hrvatski Telekom
Gym Rave is an excellent example of how, for the first time in Croatia, we’re combining technology, an active lifestyle, and community into an experience that resonates with young people. Through events like this, we’re putting cutting-edge technology in the service of sports, entertainment, and connection, digital and physical alike. With the MultiSIM service and Apple Watch, smart technology becomes an ally in everyday life. It helps us stay present, active, and connected without anything slowing us down or distracting us. For Generation Z, who see fitness as a way of life rather than something they must do, it’s important that we create content and events that are relatable, meaningful, and inspiring.
Live Sports Streaming Pushes Demand for Immersive Volumetric Video
Company Logo Growth in the volumetric video market is driven by advancements in 3D capture, powerful infrastructure, and strategic investments in AR/VR technologies. Key players include Microsoft, Intel, and Google, with North America leading market share. Applications span media, sports, and gaming, while emerging markets in APAC and Latin America show strong growth potential. Volumetric […]
Growth in the volumetric video market is driven by advancements in 3D capture, powerful infrastructure, and strategic investments in AR/VR technologies. Key players include Microsoft, Intel, and Google, with North America leading market share. Applications span media, sports, and gaming, while emerging markets in APAC and Latin America show strong growth potential.
Volumetric Video Market
Volumetric Video Market
Dublin, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The “Volumetric Video Market – Global Outlook & Forecast 2025-2030” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
The Volumetric Video Market was valued at USD 2.55 Billion in 2024, and is projected to reach USD 10.29 Billion by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 26.18%.
Volumetric video represents a paradigm shift in digital content, enabling three-dimensional capture of people, objects, and environments. Unlike traditional videos, it allows users to interact with content from 360-degree perspectives, offering deeply immersive, lifelike experiences. The demand for such realism is being accelerated by consumers’ growing appetite for interactive media and spatial computing.
Despite the high cost and lack of standardization in 3D content creation, the volumetric video market is gaining strong momentum due to several pivotal developments:
Technological Advancements: Innovations in 3D capture, including high-definition cameras, LiDAR sensors, and multi-view photogrammetry – are enhancing video quality and reducing production complexity.
Powerful Infrastructure: The rising availability of high-performance GPUs, edge computing, and cloud-based storage solutions is solving the massive data demands of volumetric content.
Strategic Investments: In 2024, Gracia AI invested USD 1.2 million into next-gen volumetric video tools tailored for spatial computing, highlighting growing investor confidence.
Furthermore, major tech companies such as Meta, Microsoft, and Apple among others are gradually investing in AR/VR technologies which shows the growing need for immersive experiences in digital space. In 2023, Apple also introduced its Vision Pro headset during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) which was released globally in 2024 and includes multiple cameras to enable mixed reality, eye and hand tracking for interaction. Thus, the expanding innovations in AR and VR technology are significantly contributing to the volumetric video market growth.
VOLUMETRIC VIDEO MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS
Rising Demand in the Live Sports & Entertainment Industry
The live streaming sports events have revolutionized sports content for its consumers in recent years. Major platforms like ESPN+, DAZN, Amazon Prime, and social media channels like YouTube and Facebook have witnessed significant user engagement in sports streaming. For instance, in 2023 DAZN became Europe’s biggest digital sports broadcaster app and has around 15 million subscribers worldwide. In 2022 Amazon Prime Video recorded over 25 million viewers for its extensive NFL Thursday Night Football streams. Hence, the rapid expansion of live sports and entertainment industries has gradually boosted the volumetric video market.
Advancing Volumetric Videos Realism with Generative AI
In volumetric videos generative AI is significantly enhancing the realism of immersive media experiences, thereby propelling the growth of the market. Generative AI refines the 3D capabilities fills the missing data and improves the resolution of volumetric video which makes it more lifelike and engaging. Moreover, the integration of AI in volumetric video is transforming the immersive content as AI enhances the quality of volumetric captures by improving its resolution and texture refining to make it more real. The usage of AI also reduces the manual effort required in postproduction enabling faster and cost effective content creation.
Improvements in 3D Capture & Displays
The volumetric video market witnessed significant advancements in recent years driven by the increasing demand for various sectors like entertainment, education, and healthcare. The development of affordable 3D cameras and sensors is one of the major advancements of the volumetric video market. Further, companies are also increasingly investing in high-resolution depth sensors LiDAR technology, and multi-camera systems to improve the quality and efficiency of 3D captures. For instance, companies like Gracia AI use Gaussian splatting to record volumetric videos viewable on devices such as the Meta Quest headsets allowing users to observe scenes from various angles and enhance their experience.
Revolutionizing Gaming & E-Sports
The global volumetric video market is changing the gaming industry as is used in applications like character animation, world construction, and player immersion. Game makers use these types of videos to capture real-life performances and incorporate them into gaming environments such as live creatures with realistic reactions and motions which improves the gaming experience of players by offering more engaging and immersive experiences. For instance, in 2024, Arcturus, a volumetric video developer company, introduced an update for its HoloSuite software that transfers lightweight, scalable volumetric video into game engines which allows it to execute and playback in real-time. Further, by using a new high-performance codec, Accelerated Volumetric Video (AVV) users can populate digital scenes with more volumetric characters than has typically been possible and at the same time maintain a higher level of data quality.
VOLUMETRIC VIDEO MARKET GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS
North America holds the largest share of the global volumetric video market, accounting for over 35% in 2024. The growth is inspired by the growing adoption of immersive media by brands across the region in advertising to create interactive and 3D advertisements. This is especially prominent in the retail sector, where consumers can engage with virtual product demonstrations via holographic displays or AR experiences on their smartphones. Further, Europe is the second-largest volumetric video market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 25% during the forecast period. The film industry particularly in the UK and Germany is incorporating volumetric content into high-end TV series and movies. Studios are using volumetric capture to create immersive special effects and 3D environments. The UK film industry is increasingly adopting 3D video technology for both feature films and virtual reality projects. For instance, in 2024, WPP plc, a UK-based advertising company introduced an AI-powered production studio which is developed with the help of NVIDIA Omniverse to create 3D products throughout the production lifecycle.
APAC is projected to witness the fastest CAGR in the global volumetric video market during the forecast period. Countries, such as China, Japan, and Australia are investing in the establishment of volumetric content studios to support the local entertainment and advertising sectors. For instance, in 2023, NantStudios developed the largest permanent LED volume at Docklands Studios in Melbourne, Australia. Moreover, governments in countries, such as China and Japan are actively supporting the development of immersive technologies, including 3D video, through funding and technology initiatives.
Moreover, the market in Latin America, and Middle East & Africa, has a low market share but has a huge impact on the volumetric video market because of the rising adoption of this technology across the gaming sector. Brazil is one of the largest gaming markets in the world which is continuously adopting 3D technology to encourage user engagement, thereby supporting the volumetric video market growth.
VOLUMETRIC VIDEO MARKET VENDOR ANALYSIS
The global volumetric video market is categorized by the presence of numerous established and emerging players such as Microsoft, Intel, Google, Sony, 8i, and 4Dviews, among others. These companies are investing in R&D and strategic advancements to enhance their volumetric video capabilities and expand their product offerings. With the rising adoption of immersive technologies across industries such as entertainment, sports, and advertising, the competition among players in the global volumetric video market is increasing. Key factors driving competition include video quality, real-time rendering capabilities, content personalization, cost-effectiveness, and compatibility with AR or VR applications.
The competition in the global volumetric video market is expected to intensify with rising investments in R&D, product diversification, and mergers and acquisitions. Market players are also expanding their global reach, particularly in emerging markets such as APAC and Latin America, where there is a growing demand for innovative video solutions. Companies with robust financial and technological resources have an advantage in introducing advanced solutions, potentially overtaking competitors that lack the capital to invest in cutting-edge developments.
Global Volumetric Video Market Latest News & Developments
In 2024 Meta launched a redesigned video player on Facebook that combines Reels, longer movies, and Live content into a single widescreen, entertaining experience.
In 2024 Foundry introduced Modo 17.0 with a significant performance update and up to 50 times quicker rendering.
In 2024 OTOY, Roddenberry Entertainment, and Paramount Game Studios announced a major expansion of the archive for Apple Vision Pro.
In 2024, Djinn Technologies, a UK-based company developing advanced volumetric and spatial camera sensor and scanning technologies, acquired EF EVE, a provider of consumer-friendly volumetric and spatial capture software.
In 2024, Arcturus released several updates for its HoloSuite platform for volumetric video editing and XR content creation. With the new blend tool, HoloSuite users can connect volumetric video clips and blend them seamlessly.
Key Company Profiles
Microsoft Corporation
Intel
8i
Unity Technologies
Other Prominent Vendors
Key Attributes:
Report Attribute
Details
No. of Pages
243
Forecast Period
2024 – 2030
Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024
$2.55 Billion
Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030
$10.29 Billion
Compound Annual Growth Rate
26.1%
Regions Covered
Global
Key Topics Covered:
Market Opportunities & Trends
Improvements in 3D Capture & Display Technologies
Revolutionizing Gaming & E-Sports
Expansion in E-Commerce & Virtual Shopping
Market Growth Enablers
Rising Demand in Live Sports & Entertainment Industry
Advancing Volumetric Video Realism with Generative AI
Increasing Adoption in Advertisement Industry
Market Restraints
Segmentation by Component Type
Hardware
Software
Services
Segmentation by Display Type
AR/VR HDMs
Volumetric Displays
Projectors
Other Displays
Segmentation by Applications
Media & Advertisement
Sports & Events
Gaming
Education & Training
Other Applications
Segmentation by Geography
North America
Europe
Germany
The U.K.
France
Italy
Spain
Sweden
APAC
China
Japan
India
Australia
South Korea
Indonesia
Latin America
Brazil
Mexico
Argentina
Chile
Middle East & Africa
UAE
Saudi Arabia
South Africa
Turkey
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/57i1dq
About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world’s leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.
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‘To be above average later in life, you need to be above average now’ – The Irish Times
High levels of aerobic fitness are the best predictor of longevity, according to cardiologist Dr Paddy Barrett, who has attracted an international following for his expertise in prevention of heart disease. Feeling how puffed you are after running up two flights of stairs might be a clue to how you are faring on that front. […]
High levels of aerobic fitness are the best predictor of longevity, according to cardiologist Dr Paddy Barrett, who has attracted an international following for his expertise in prevention of heart disease.
Feeling how puffed you are after running up two flights of stairs might be a clue to how you are faring on that front. But a more insightful and scientific approach is to measure your VO₂ max. This is the maximum rate at which your body can transport and use oxygen to fuel muscles, expressed in millilitres of oxygen consumed per minute per kilo of body weight.
“The higher your VO₂ max, the longer you are likely to live and the less likely you are to develop the major chronic diseases of heart disease, cancer and dementia early in life,” says Dr Barrett, a specialist in heart disease prevention and cardiovascular risk management at Blackrock Health in Dublin and author of Heart: An Owner’s Guide (Dorling Kindersley, 2024).
No wonder then that there is growing interest in this key “metric” for the probability of enjoying a longer lifespan and, perhaps more crucially, an extended healthspan, ie well enough to enjoy an independent and active life. Of course, the proverbial bus, literal or metaphorical, can still come along to confound any such expectation, but it is an important indicator of odds.
More than half the Irish population have a smartwatch on their wrists and many will be familiar with at least the option of using it to get a VO₂ reading. But these are estimates conjured up by algorithms based on the device’s measurement of pace and heart rate, with no breath analysis involved. Some brands are regarded as better than others in their fine tuning of those algorithms for accuracy
Long before the development of consumer wearable trackers, American doctor Kenneth Cooper devised a test for the US military in the 1960s to measure aerobic fitness. This is still popular today as a self-test for VO₂ max. It involves measuring how far you can run in 12 minutes and putting that figure into an online Cooper test calculator. The result can be used to look at how your VO₂ max compares within the range for your gender and age group.
However, the only way to get an accurate VO₂ reading is to take a test wearing a mask connected to a machine that assesses the body’s oxygen consumption while gentle movement is ramped up to full exertion. A process that was once confined to elite sports circles and research labs is becoming increasingly available to anyone interested in learning more about their fitness. Some corporate workplaces now organise on-site testing as a perk for employees.
Seán Kinane came across VO₂ max testing when he was working in a gym in Perth, Australia, in 2009. Two years later, he set up Health Matters based in a gym in Tallaght, Dublin, working with athletes from a variety of sports. But he has seen demand grow “exponentially” in recent times.
“We’re doing nearly more tests in a week now than we did in a year,” he says of both VO₂ and resting metabolic rate testing, with work in corporate care having taken off in the last few years. He attributes this to people generally being more aware of health and fitness post Covid, and also to the influence of global guru Dr Peter Attia, “beating the drum from America about the longevity aspects of VO₂”.
[ How to be happy as you grow older: ‘Get out and keep going’Opens in new window ]
The link to longevity is very much the focus of siblings Elizabeth and Daniel O’Mahony, who this month opened AgeLess in South Dublin to offer testing for VO₂ max and/or resting metabolic rate. (The latter calculates the number of daily calories an individual needs to function while at rest and is used as a tool in weight management, be that to lose, gain or maintain.)
“We’re not saying that we’re going to increase people’s lifespans or make people live to 100,” says Daniel, sitting with his sister in a pristine office suite in Sandyford’s South Beacon Quarter. But they are confident that their “gold standard” equipment here can give people very useful data for longevity and working towards fitness goals, be that to run a first marathon or still be able to play a round of golf at 85.
Test results, he explains, can help predict what decade physical activities are likely to start to become difficult for an individual if they continue on their current health trajectory. An individual’s VO₂ max typically declines by up to 10 per cent for every decade after the age of 25 to 30 but exercise helps counter the extent and impact of that decrease.
AgeLess is a significant change of direction for the O’Mahonys who were both involved in the family property business for about 20 years. They were looking for an opportunity to strike out on their own and share their passion for health and wellbeing, sharpened by the experience of the Covid pandemic
Daniel, who is 39 and a former smoker, says that, like many millennials, he did not think about long-term health in his 20s. But then he became an avid runner and participates in ultra endurance events. He finished 72nd in the 2021 Marathon des Sables, a gruelling seven-day race covering 250km in the Moroccan desert, and now has his sights set on next year’s Ultra Trail Mont Blanc, a 117km run around the mountain involving an elevation gain of 10,000m.
[ Do we really need 10,000 steps a day to stay healthy?Opens in new window ]
Daniel and Elizabeth O’Mahony
Elizabeth, who is 44 and a mother of two children, aged seven and four, has only taken up running recently. Motherhood, particularly having her second child during the Covid pandemic, made her more aware of her own health and the importance of physical activity for the whole family. “For me just being able to get out and have a run in the evening or at the weekend is great for the soul. I wouldn’t be doing ultra marathons or anything like that, but I’ve signed up now for the Women’s Mini Marathon on the 1st of June,” she says.
So what is involved in this test to find out how well your heart and lungs deliver oxygen to muscles? At AgeLess, there is the choice of doing it on a treadmill or exercise bike – or on your own bike fixed on a stand.
For those using the treadmill, the speed and incline is gradually increased as their respiratory exchange rate (RER) is measured through the use of mask and tubing connected to a monitor, for the VO₂ max calculation. At initial walking pace, the RER will read 0.8, indicating that the person is using fat as their primary fuel source.
“As they get to a higher level of output on their exercise,” says Daniel, “they switch over into carbohydrates as their main fuel source and the RER will have gone from 0.8 up to 1.0 and then when it hits 1.1 for anyone, that’s considered a maximum effort.” At that point all the necessary data has been captured and while more competitive clients may persevere for a bit longer, others will indicate they can do no more with a thumbs down or by hitting the stop button.
“The test itself normally lasts between 12 and 15 minutes and the last three minutes are probably the hardest for people because that’s when they’re actually getting to their threshold,” says Elizabeth. Non-runners can opt to do a walking test using steeper inclines on the treadmill.
The information readouts, which include tracking of heart rate, calories burned through the exercise test and speed of heart rate recovery, are then put in context for the client. The VO₂ max score is only part of somebody’s fitness story. But once they know their baseline, the next thing to be thinking about is how to increase that.
Dr Paddy Barrett, a specialist in heart disease prevention and cardiovascular risk management at Blackrock Health
Dr Barrett’s advice is: “If you want to be above average later in life, you need to be above average now. Falling into the ‘average’ range for your age and sex is not good enough. You need to be above average at a minimum, but ideally in the top 25 per cent.”
AgeLess is partnering with personal trainers, nutritionists and physiotherapists to work with clients seeking detailed, professional advice on how to act on what their VO₂ max result is telling them. They may want to look at improving their lean muscle mass and their nutrition.
If clients choose to have their resting metabolic rate (RMR) measured as well, or come in just for that, the test involves simply sitting on a sofa connected to a monitor for 20 minutes. Both tests, as part of a “longevity bundle”, cost €150. Individually, the fee for VO₂ max analysis is €110 and €80 for RMR analysis.
“Having a good, lean muscle mass with a high VO₂ max is the ideal place to be,” says Daniel, who stresses that small, compound behavioural changes add up over time. “What we would ideally like to do is get our clients, over the years, up into that 75th percentile; to have everyone aiming for what is quite an achievable percentile to be in.”
Ciaran Burke of The Performance Lab (thepeerformancelab.ie) in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, has also seen a surge of interest in knowing and tracking this fitness marker. A strength and conditioning coach who became an exercise physiologist six years ago, Burke was mainly providing testing to athletic and triathlon clubs at the outset but now goes into mainstream gyms.
With rising participation in Hyrox and other forms of hybrid fitness training, people “are just trying to find the little percentages that the athletic world, or the endurance world, already knows about”, Burke suggests. “My guiding principle is to make sure they know how to inject what they’ve learned into their training.”
While the majority of his work is still sports performance related, Burke notes that there are also people in their 60s and 70s coming to him to get a VO₂ test “just to sort of get a handle on what’s going on”.
VO₂ max testing is becoming more popular for tracking health and life spans
After a baseline test to inform somebody’s fitness training, noticeable change should be achievable within 12 to 15 weeks if they are following their programme correctly, he says. But he finds people are “shocking” at judging intensity of training. The rough guide for increasing VO₂ max is that just 20 per cent of training should be high intensity for that individual, while the rest is slow, steady effort.
A person’s VO₂ max is not the be all and end all, explains Kinane. An athlete with a lower level could outperform a fellow competitor with a higher VO₂ max because they train smarter. It is a number that “doesn’t guarantee performance, it guarantees potential,” is how he likes to put it. “It’s learning about how to use that through training zones and energy systems and fuelling. And that’s where the metabolic analysis then complements the VO₂ stuff.”
Elite athletes apart, dietitian Sarah Keogh of Eat Well is a bit dubious about the value for the average person of knowing the very precise number of daily calories their body needs just to function. In her work, RMR is occasionally used for somebody, say, being tube fed in an intensive care unit.
Dietitian Sarah Keogh.
However, she acknowledges that for some people this number can be very motivating in calculating and sticking to an eating plan. Her main concern is where it might increase food anxiety and rigidity over daily consumption, to the detriment of good mental health and a social life.