The decision marks one of the first instances in professional sports of players wearing sensors during live games exclusively for use on a social platform to promote fan engagement.
In a major step forward for sports fan engagement, the EuroLeague Players’ Association has voted to support Turkish Airlines EuroLeague players wearing sensor-equipped smart shirts for HEED during live games.
The EuroLeague Players’ Association was formed in June 2018 to represent players’ rights and the voice of the players on the direction of the league. The approval of HEED’s initiative was among the firstvoting decisions of the union body, signaling the widespread support among players to leverage new technology to enhance fan engagement.
HEED, the AI and IoT platform that is transforming the way fans consume and interact with live sports, is working in partnership with EuroLeague Basketball. HEED has begun using the data captured from the smart shirts to deliver fans cutting-edge insights about live game action right to their phones in near real-time.
“This is incredible news for sports fans, as it signals that AI and IoT are imbedding themselves into the modern sports experience in a whole new way,” said HEED CEO Danna Rabin. “EuroLeague players clearly understand that this is the future and we are thrilled that they are with us as we continue to change the way fans experience their favorite sports.”
“HEED has demonstrated that they care deeply about strengthening the engagement that our fans have with what we do on the court.” said ELPA Managing Director and former EuroLeague and NBA player Bostjan Nachbar. “We couldn’t be more excited to be the first player’s union in the world to get behind wearable sensors for fan engagement.”
The majority of EuroLeague players across all teams are expected to wear the sensors, which are imbedded into athletic compression shirts worn beneath the player’s jersey.
About EuroLeague Players Association
ELPA aims to unite, represent, and assist EuroLeague players in achieving their goals, on and off the court. ELPA’s specific intention is to defend and pursue the rights of professional basketball players in the EuroLeague. Through Collective Bargaining with Euroleague Basketball and the EuroLeague clubs, ELPA will seek to achieve a higher level of protection of players’ individual and collective rights and to improve the working conditions, economic benefits, and job security of all its members.
Furthermore, ELPA engages in organizational, financial, educational, and marketing activities which will advance the economic stability and security of its members. Through charity and personal development programs, ELPA strives to connect its members with the wider community.
About HEED
HEED is a new consumer platform that is transforming the sports and entertainment experience. Using IoT analytics and AI, HEED delivers real-time stories, unique insights and a new way to visualize and engage with live events. HEED was co-founded by AGT International and Endeavor and is headquartered in New York City with offices in London and Herzliya, Israel.
HEED is downloadable now for iOS and Android.
About Euroleague Basketball
Euroleague Basketball (EB) is a global leader in the sports and entertainment business, devoted to running the top European competitions of professional basketball clubs under a unique and innovative organizational model. Owned and administered by some of the most successful and historic clubs in the world, EB manages and organizes the continent’s two premier men’s basketball competitions, the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and the 7DAYS EuroCup, as well as the sport’s premier under-18 showcase, the EB Adidas Next Generation Tournament.
The EB competitions bring the elite of European basketball to all five continents and to the entire sports community through the OTT platform EuroLeague TV. EB also organizes a series of community and educational programs. Its ground-breaking corporate social responsibility program One Team features 40 clubs that have already made a difference in the lives of over 16,000 participants. Its Sports Business MBA trains future professionals in sports management.
