Modern Technologies Shaping the Global Basketball Market

Modern active technologies influence competitive sports, especially basketball, in terms of vision of the game, perception of performance, improvement of results, and so on. They help bet on basketball matches in a few clicks, gain access to detailed analytics, and enjoy your favorite teams playing from anywhere on the go.

In many ways, such opportunities are due to a huge audience of millions of basketball fans worldwide and sufficient financial opportunities to implement technologies. The numbers speak for themselves: during the 2021/22 season, all 30 NBA teams could generate a total income of more than 10 billion U.S. dollars.

VU Sport Cameras

This technology is based on a deep analysis of lighting conditions and movement in the field of view. The picture can be improved using IR or white light illumination, depending on the results obtained. In addition, VU sports cameras help better track players, their movements, ball throws, referee positions, etc.

Advanced software processes video 25 times per second, resulting in about 1,000,000 new recordings that are stored in the database. Using VU technology, the work of referees who do not need to supervise the game constantly is significantly simplified. As for basketball players, this is an excellent way to study in detail the strategy of their opponents and prepare countermeasures.

Wireless Devices

Basketball is a sport where physical condition (along with strategy and teamwork) plays a key role. Basketball players actively use devices such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and various biometric sensors to maximise their potential and increase productivity.

With their help, you can track your heart rate, respiration rate, number of steps, sleep time, body temperature, etc. This is valuable information for the players and coaches who change the training program based on this info. Such data gives a better understanding of avoiding injuries, adjusting the workload, balancing jumps – acceleration, and so on.

Augmented and Virtual Reality

AR/VR technology is especially popular in the NBA, where it is used to hone strategies, improve compliance between team members, and even create a culture of relationship with fans. A prime example of this is the Washington Wizards, where VR headsets are used to simulate various psychological aspects of the game.

As for basketball, the 360 Portals app is of particular interest. It has been available since 2017 for Android and iPhone devices. With this technology, you can “open” the virtual door to any match through your smartphone or tablet and enjoy the atmosphere of a noisy stadium, cheerleaders entertaining the crowd, and more.

Artificial Intelligence

AI is mostly implemented in smartwatches, AR/VR devices, cameras and other features that were mentioned above. However, some tools are designed for the specific tasks of training basketball players. One of them is the Noah Shooting System. As the name suggests, the main emphasis of this tool is on practising throws.

Currently, it is effectively used by 26 out of 30 NBA teams. In fact, this is the first technological solution that can boast such a high level of penetration within the NBA. Noah Basketball company has developed an AI model called NoahLytics that can analyze shots in detail, provide data on missed throws and overall player performance. Data on the analysis of arcs and the speed of ball rotation allows players to adjust the shape and rhythm of shots.