The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced Meta as its first official fan technology partner as part of a multi-faceted deal.
The multi-year agreement will see Meta’s technology platforms, services and products harnessed by UFC to enhance the fan and viewing experience. The deal covers Meta AI, Meta Glasses, Meta Quest, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads.
Meta will also become the official AI glasses partner of UFC and will work closely with the promotion to use the glasses in “compelling ways” at UFC events. Meta will also benefit from brand exposure at events and during broadcasts.
The NFL has announced that Sony’s Hawk-Eye technology will be used from the 2025 season to measure the distance between the spotted ball and the line to gain.
The technology was tested extensively last season and is designed to bring a new level of precision to officiating in the NFL. The virtual measurement technology will serve as an alternative to the process of walking chains onto the field and manually measuring whether 10 yards have been met after the official has spotted the ball.
Hawk-Eye will be fitted across all 30 NFL stadiums, as well as international venues hosting games. It will consist of six 8K cameras for optical tracking of the ball position.
The Premier League has confirmed that semi-automated offside technology will be used from April 12.
The technology has undergone non-live testing by the Premier League and was also in live operation during FA Cup matches this season. It will provide more efficient placement of the virtual offside line by using optical player tracking to generate virtual graphics.
The Premier League has worked with sports data and technology company Genius Sports to develop the semi-automated system.
The Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team has partnered with global technology solutions provider Diversified to upgrade the production control room at T-Mobile Park.
The new setup enables the Mariners to present games and players in “dynamic new ways”. The control room design will prepare the Mariners for future upgrades at T-Mobile Park, with the space featuring a state-of-the-art IP-based system with a new router orchestration from Imagine Communications.
The room will also feature a video switcher, cameras, graphics machines, control panels and Riedel intercoms. Expanded camera gear will also allow for more dynamic coverage.
