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The solutions in the area go far beyond apps to count calories and exercise more. From 2022 to 2030, the sports technology market is predicted to evolve at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 19.6%.
Sports experiences grabbing the most attention in recent years cover cyber sports, fan engagement, and wearable technology. 2023 is a great time to jump in and start growing your digital sports product.
This article will provide you with an overview of emerging technology trends in the sports industry. We will also showcase our experience in this domain and introduce the wellness social network web and mobile app we built from scratch.
New Technologies in Sports 2023
So, which technologies will shape the future of sports? Here is our list.
Wearable Devices and Sensors
In one of the previous posts, we gave insights into the future of wearable technology for athletes. Today we will highlight the most significant details about such devices.
According to the Data Bridge research of the wearable devices global market, its CAGR is expected to be around 13% during 2022-2029. Various sports device brands offer different gadgets, from basic to advanced models.
In recent years, wearable devices have become much more affordable. One of the top reasons is increased smartphone adoption. Nowadays, everyone with a smartphone can pair it with a smartwatch, pedometer, or heart-rate monitor. It gives access to analytics and allows the user to monitor progress or spot trends. This increases workout efficiency and provides more control.
There are several categories of wearable devices depending on their location on the body:
Headbands
Those devices monitor brain electrical activity and help to compare it with a range of standard parameters. With this data, one can get lifestyle improvement recommendations to reduce stress levels.
Arm and Wrist Sensors
This category is the biggest one as it includes smartwatches and smart bracelets. These are among the most affordable wearable devices. They also serve as a valuable addition to the smartphone. That is why they are so popular.
Modern fitness tracker models help people monitor and adjust their activity based on such parameters as step length, height, weight, diet, and age. Those have built-in heart rate monitors and location services. Mobile apps provide detailed analytics on changes in these numbers over time.
Shoe Sensors
Some sensors are installed directly onto sports shoes. People use them to get more accurate data about their jogging workouts or professional running competitions.
Sport Belts
These devices usually have the same functions as arm or wrist sensors, providing heart rate data. However, sometimes one cannot wear the device on their hand. In such cases, a belt with a tracker is the optimal decision.
All of those wearables, combined with mobile apps, allow users to measure and process such parameters as movement speed, blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, stress rate, blood oxygenation, etc.
Immersive Fan Experience
Let us fantasize about what an ideal fan experience may look like. Deloitte did a great job crafting an illustrated guide of the sports fan journey that explains which technologies they encounter:
- Discovering the event with content marketing and targeted ads.
- Buying event pass via online ticketing and CRM systems.
- Topping up the fan account online.
- Entering the fan zone and passing health and security checks that rely on cameras and sensors.
- Enjoying the game and sharing photos from the stadium with friends in another sector.
- Obtaining snacks using digital ordering, wayfinding, and location tracking technologies. Paying with a digital wallet or loyalty program prizes.
- Placing in-game bets and winning bonuses.
- Buying souvenirs during the match and being charged while exiting the stadium.
- Completing a survey on service quality.
RFID Technology
RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) is not something brand-new. However, we want to mention RFID because it has gained popularity in sports events and has yet untapped potential.
RFID technology used in sports mostly falls under one of the next three categories:
Race Timing & Leaderboards
RFID-based chips are, in fact, the smallest speed sensors possible. They are used in any sport that requires tracking one’s movements, including soccer or basketball. You can place them on clothes or any body parts, and they help to track the location with great accuracy. They also allow fans to see the accurate race completion time on the information screen.
Membership and Access Control
At live sports events and in sports clubs, RFID chips may help with access control for different membership groups. For example, if your gym has VIP membership passes and you want to grant them free access to the swimming pool, you can install a door with an RFID lock. Thus, only members with VIP club wristbands will be able to access this zone.
RFID Customer Identification
RFID identification on large stadiums may allow you to use less staff for your sports event. The customers can buy anything they need, while their loyalty card will be automatically charged when they leave the stadium. No need to worry about it during the event.
Sports Events in Metaverse
Metaverse is on top of new sports technologies due to its great potential. It works excellently for conferences, performing arts, and sports events. According to Gartner, by 2028, up to 10% of live public events will offer metaverse participation.
Making your sports event part of a metaverse, you may:
Increase Accessibility
Many people with disabilities struggle with navigation in crowded public places. To visit the stadium, they often need a personal assistant or a relative who will escort them throughout the site. Just imagine how metaverse participation will help them to get a positive experience from sports events.
Maximize Events’ Capacity
There are always some people who buy tickets for live events and don’t show up. These vacant seats offer new possibilities. Metaverse attendees can occupy them instantly, and their number will depend only on technological capacity and chosen plan. As you see, with VR technologies, your revenue will skyrocket.
Erasing the Distance
Visiting a football match with your school friends has some challenges. Some of you might need to commute to the place. That is why the bigger the distance, the lewer frequent live gatherings you have. Now you can visit sports events together in a metaverse.
Future of Sports Collectibles
Blockchain has opened the universe of new branded collectibles. Currently, NFTs are widespread in online games and cyber sports. These can be avatars of your favorite athletes, fan art and digital medals, cups, etc. With blockchain technology, you can collect and sell assets worldwide.
AI-powered Personalized Recommendations
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has proven its efficiency in various areas of human life. With machine learning, it has become a part of the future sports technology too.
For example, there are several personal training mobile apps where AI does a great help with workout plan personalization. It analyzes data from your wearable devices, such as heart rate, feedback, and health conditions info that you share. After that, it adjusts training programs to your needs.
Imagine That You Want to Run a Marathon
Approaching such a massive goal might be frustrating, especially if you are a newbie and cannot afford a personal trainer. With mobile apps for running, such as the ones Nike or Adidas provide, you will get a step-by-step training plan.
Undoubtedly, an online fitness coach would still work better in many cases. But is it not exciting to know that machines can help significantly?
Sports Equipment Development
The more science knows about the human body, the better ergonomics the technology can provide. With 360 scanning and 3D modeling technologies, companies can create sportswear and equipment with better fit. For instance, they allow the adjustment of sports clothes and equipment, such as skis or snowboards, for people taller or shorter than average.
Chemical technology, modeling, and experiments help to create quality fabrics that serve, for example, at super low temperatures and windy weather. Or on the contrary, it provides maximum air permeability and sweat evaporation.
Benefits of New Technologies In Sport
One may claim that technology makes people lazier as they rely on gadgets to do certain things for them. People prefer driving cars to walking. Washing machines, vacuum cleaner robots, dishwashers, and cooking gadgets made everyday lives effortless.
However, we believe that sports and technology perfectly complement each other. Together they can increase the effectiveness of workouts. The positive effect of technology is prominent both for amateurs and professional athletes.
Amateurs
Sports technologies help to:
- Make personal training more accessible. AI-based individual workout plans are more affordable than professional personal training services, but they still bring value.
- Build a community to exercise more often. Sports apps engage in competing with friends or neighbors or even daring to compare your results with professional athletes. Some of them allow you to use the device’s camera to share selfies or stream your workout.
- Track newly gained healthy habits. Built-in mobile trackers help to track one’s activities and analyze them over time. If you want to be fit, you can set a target number of daily steps and go for it.
- Maintain individual motivation. When you commit to a goal in public or compete with other people to get an award, sports apps make it easier for you to keep your motivation high.
- Monitor progress using health data analytics. Gathering workout analytics is extremely useful for running. It allows you to track your speed and heart rate over time and build convenient workout plans.
- Make sports events attendance easier. You do not need to stand in line to get a paper ticket or endure a lengthy journey to the stadium. Now you can purchase tickets online and show up for the event in a metaverse in seconds.
Professional athletes
All of the above works for professional athletes as well. Moreover, sports technology helps them to:
- Track the results accurately and effortlessly. Various wearable devices, from smartwatches to shoe sensors and RFID chips, help professional athletes keep track of their results and improve them.
- Increase the quality of sports equipment. Custom equipment based on individual parameters gives a more pleasant experience and better performance than the ready-made one. It works both for training and professional sports events.
Using Sports Technology to Build a Healthy Community
When trying to establish sport as a new healthy habit, a supportive community is a must. At Devox software, we understand this need, which is why working on a wellness social network for one of our Australian clients was a pleasure. With this project, our experts have deepened their experience in new sports technologies and applied their creative skills.
Activeplace is a social platform that helps like-minded people to engage in groups for sports activities. You can search for events nearby, register for them and attend, and post or host them at your place. Overall, the user experience is similar to the marketplace but with social network features.
For this product, we have created the web, desktop, and mobile apps for iOS and Android. All of them were designed and built by the Devox Software dedicated team from scratch. The technical solutions used included Vue.js for the front end, Node.js for the back end, as well as Azure, Kubernetes, Docker, and Selenium.
Create a Great Sports Product with Devox Software
In this article, we’ve told you about the most promising sports technologies in 2023. Hopefully, you can choose some to use in your future product. With these and the well-shaped idea, you have the cornerstone of a successful product featuring sports technologies. The remaining piece of the puzzle is the reliable outsourcing vendor. Devox Software can be the one for you.
Have an idea for a product for the sports industry? Our specialists will help it to crystalize and come to life. Contact us, and let’s change the future of sport together!
