IBM  and the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) are announcing new technologies to enhance the highly-personalized, fan experience available on Wimbledon.com and the Wimbledon apps. These enhancements will put IBM Watson, running on IBM Cloud, and hybrid cloud capabilities in the hands of millions of tennis fans around the world ahead of the start of The Championships 2021 on Monday 28th June, the first return to live tennis at SW19 since 2019.

As the Official Technology Partner of the AELTC for the past 32-years, IBM has designed, developed, and delivered innovative digital experiences to engage sports fans around the world. Leveraging the same AI and hybrid cloud technologies IBM uses with businesses across industries and around the world, Wimbledon continues to accelerate innovation and improve the digital fan experience.

New Fan Experiences
For the 2021 tournament, IBM is introducing three new fan experiences for Wimbledon fans which highlight the company's focus on data, language and automation.

IBM Power Rankings with Watson
Wimbledon brings in fans beyond the sport of tennis, and often, outside of the big names, they don't necessarily know who to pay attention to, who is in form, who is the pundits' pick to win? To help answer these questions, for the first time this year, the AELTC will leverage IBM Power Rankings with Watson, an AI-powered analysis of player performance presented as a leaderboard, that updates every day of the tournament.  IBM Power Rankings focus on a player's most recent match history, combining advanced statistical analysis, the natural language processing of IBM Watson, and the power of the IBM Cloud to analyse daily performance data, mine media commentary, and measure player momentum tournament to tournament and match to match.
From these same analyses, a series of predictive insights are generated including:

• Ones to Watch -- A pre-tournament view of players who have moved significantly up or down in the rankings.
• Upset Alerts -- Matches in which the Power Rankings favour the lower seeded player.
• Likelihood to Win -- Power Rankings assign a win probability to both players prior to the match.

IBM Power Ranking analyses both structured and unstructured data via an AI model that was built using IBM Watson Studio for Cloud Pak for Data. AutoAI in Watson Studio helps create likelihood to win scores faster and more accurately by automatically building AI models and generating candidate pipelines to drastically reduce iterations for better predictions.

IBM Pre-Match Insights with Watson
Building off the success of Match Insights with Watson which was used for the first time during the 2020 US Open, Wimbledon's digital properties will feature a Pre-Match Insights with Watson 'fact sheet' for every main draw singles match. The AI-generated content will surface player insights to better inform fans with current player performance detail ahead of each match. It will present the IBM Power Rankings and it will generate a likelihood to win prior to the match beginning, anticipating the outcome before the first serve is even struck.
The fact sheet will also feature an 'In the Media' section that leverages IBM Watson Discovery to create a custom news archive, and natural language processing (NLP) to extract key insights about each player from trusted news sources and it includes a 'By the Numbers' section that leverages open source AI technologies such as natural language generation (NLG) to translate historical match statistics into player insights, as well as IBM Decision Optimisation to select the insights to display to the fan.

Personalized Recommendations and Highlights Reels
Once a fan has worked out who to follow via the IBM Power Rankings, we have worked to provide them with additional value through a series of personalized recommendations and highlights reels. These are created through a Rules-Based Recommendation Engine integrated seamlessly across Wimbledon's digital platforms, giving fans the opportunity to engage with more personalized content. 
This will feature 'picked for you' recommended players, which enables fans to discover new players by making suggestions based on their current favourited players, the IBM Power Rankings, top players, country, and age. The recommendations will evolve over the course of the tournament and alert the fan to newly recommended players. The recommendation engine also includes smart links to other features such as the IBM Power Ranking Leaderboard and Pre-Match Insight with Watson features. In addition, if you are registered with myWimbledon, you will receive personalized highlights based on the players you are following.

Underpinned by Hybrid Cloud
Wimbledon's IBM-powered digital experience uses a combination of on-premises systems, private clouds, and IBM Cloud, the same components that make up the hybrid cloud environments in which enterprises increasingly operate. Several of the features in the Wimbledon digital experience are built as containerized apps and deployed on Red Hat OpenShift, the industry's leading enterprise Kubernetes platform, which allows them to run them across hybrid cloud environments, enabling flexibility, efficiency, and an accelerated pace of innovation.

Alexandra Willis, Head of Communications, Content and Digital, AELTC
"We are absolutely delighted to be launching these significant new innovations in partnership with IBM to further enhance the Wimbledon digital fan experience. We know how challenging tennis can be to follow and understand, especially for those who don't follow the sport year-round, and so, by creating these three new features – the IBM Power Rankings, the Pre-Match Insights, and the Personalised Recommendations and Highlights, we hope to make it easier for fans to know who to follow, and to get more value out of their experience with us. Partnering with IBM continues to be a critical part of our strategy to disrupt the traditional perceptions of Wimbledon through innovative and transformative uses of technology and deliver an incredible digital sports experience to fans around the world."

​Kevin Farrar, UK Sports Partnership Lead, IBM UKI
"For over 3 decades, IBM has helped develop and deliver innovative & engaging digital fan experiences for Wimbledon. With reduced capacity on-site at Wimbledon this year that digital engagement is more important than ever, and by leveraging AI and hybrid cloud technologies, fans can get the experiences they are used to – no matter where they watch the tournament."

Silicon Valley-based digital asset platform company AnChain.AI today announced its partnership with OmyuTech, the top Japanese baseball software and data service provider, to launch Diamond Dream, a revolutionary digital asset platform for baseball fans to collect, trade, and engage with leading amateur, semi-pro, and professional Japanese baseball players through the blockchain. AnChain.AI also announced its official entry into the Flow Early Adopter Track (FEAT) Program, dedicated to developers building on top of the Flow blockchain.

"We are extremely proud to announce this prestigious partnership with AnChain.AI, a leading company in the world of cryptocurrencies and NFTs.” said Tenki Kou, CEO of OmyuTech based in Tokyo. “We are building the largest baseball community in Japan, connecting thousands of amateur players playing at various levels with millions of fans. Teams are always looking for new ways to engage with fans, and Diamond Dream offers this unique capability, allowing fans to collect NFTs for their favorite players and moments”

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with an exceptional partner like Omyu Tech to bring Diamond Dream to Japanese baseball fans.” said Ben Wu, co-founder and COO of AnChain.AI. “Through our partnership, we will bring together the best of blockchain technology and baseball by commemorating player and teams’ highlights into NFTs to be collected by their fans, and cultivating new pathways for players to engage with fans directly”.

Diamond Dream is the NFT platform revolutionizing the sports fandom experience. Powered by smart contracts and blockchain, it revolutionizes fan engagement with the thriving semi-pro and amateur baseball scene across Japan. The platform will feature a social experience built around digital baseball cards, creating a fun, authentic, and accessible enhancement of the game day experience on blockchain. Every single one of these baseball cards is acquired as a digital collectible token, and represents a player at a specific point in their career, from career season, to highlight-reel home run, to championship. These cards can then be owned forever, gifted to loyal fans, family members, then used to compete against other players in online tournaments and leagues on-chain.
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Fans can earn cards by purchasing, attending games, participating in fan meetups, and even buying concessions. Owning a card gives a variety of benefits, such as exclusive access to autograph signings, free tickets, and free merchandise.
"The community centric vision AnChain.AI and OmyuTech are aiming to achieve with Diamond Dream is very admirable." said Weilei Yu, Product Marketing Director at Dapper Labs. "With Flow, projects like Diamond Dream can empower local communities on a global scale, benefitting from the same array of tools and features used by global brands."
Diamond Dream is currently in its beta version, with card battle, fantasy league features, and trading capabilities to follow in late 2021. Learn more at https://diamonddream.cards
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Inter Miami CF will debut a suite of major enhancements to its match-day live-streaming experience that will showcase -- among other things -- a first-of-its-kind “watch party” feature that gives fans the ability to enjoy Inter Miami’s matches while video-chatting with family and friends.
Available free within the Inter Miami mobile app beginning with the club’s Saturday, June 19, away tilt against DC United, fans within Inter Miami’s broadcast rights territory will be able to live-stream locally televised matches featuring a variety of breakthrough interactive capabilities that promise unprecedented levels of live, in-game engagement.

Among the features - available in both portrait and landscape (or “full-screen”) video modes:

• Watch Party: Industry-first “watch party” capability that enables fans to conduct a group video conversation with up to eight friends -- while simultaneously viewing live match coverage. In full-screen mode, participants’ thumbnail images “float” atop the game action, allowing fans to reposition them on-screen and in-stream -- for maximum game enjoyment.

• Live Chat: Full-featured private messaging within the live viewing experience, ensuring that fans don’t miss a second of fútbol while chatting with their friends.

• Real-Time Stats: Fans will have access to live, in-game stats, all without ever having to leave the live action on the pitch.

• Social Engagement: Acknowledging that many fans enjoy sharing and keeping up with social media chatter throughout matches, a social engagement feature will offer a non-disruptive way to stay on top of the conversation without missing a goal.
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Powered in partnership with pioneering video technology firm StreamLayer, together with data partner, Pumpjack Dataworks, these new interactive video features further build upon Inter Miami’s mobile app first approach, having introduced live-streaming of matches for the club’s international fan base during its inaugural season in 2020. This was a first for the sporting industry. 
“Inter Miami prides itself on bringing fans closer together and connecting people through fútbol and technology to enjoy the beautiful game,” said Mike Ridley, Inter Miami CF’s SVP of Brand & Marketing. “This new endeavor powered by StreamLayer and Pumpjack Dataworks is the most advanced live-streaming technology in sports, and we’re excited to invite fans to watch along with us on this dynamic new platform.”
“StreamLayer is thrilled to be partnering with Inter Miami, one of the most forward-thinking teams in all of professional sports,” said John Ganschow, CEO, StreamLayer. “Inter Miami is constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to fan engagement, so it’s fitting that they’ll lead the industry in transforming the livestreaming experience, too.”
As the 2021 season moves forward, look for Inter Miami to add new functionality to the in-app experience -- including enhancements such as gamification, e-commerce and creative sponsorship integrations.
“The addition of watch parties for Inter Miami live streaming is a perfect fit to the fan-focused strategy established by IMCF,” said Tom Tercek, Pumpjack Dataworks Co-Founder. “The mobile-first initiative prioritizes innovation and fan engagement.”

NBC Olympics,  has selected Cisco to provide the networking technology to enable the first-ever all-IP delivery for its production of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, which take place in Tokyo, Japan, from July 23 – August 8. The announcement was made today by Dan Robertson, VP NBC Olympics IT, and Jonathan Davidson, SVP and General Manager Mass-Scale Infrastructure Group, Cisco.
While the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games were the first Olympic Games televised live, these Tokyo Olympic Games will be the first all-IP International Broadcast Center operation for NBC Olympics. The ongoing relationship between NBC Olympics and Cisco for more than a decade of Olympic Games coverage has seen the partners continue to advance broadcast capabilities thanks to innovative IP and cloud technology and solutions. For the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, more than 6,700 pieces of Cisco equipment will make up the network supporting NBC Olympics’ delivery of more than 7,000 hours of coverage.
Cisco will provide new management capabilities to NBC Olympics that will help maintain network uptime and deliver an exceptional user experience. A key part of this is Cisco DNA Assurance, which uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and wireless sensors to allow for easy management of all devices and services while also helping to quickly identify, prioritize and resolve network issues. 
Additional key components of the all-IP International Broadcast Center operation include a full scope of routing, switching and security technology from Cisco’s enterprise data center and service provider portfolios.
NBC will also utilize Cisco Webex Calling to keep employees connected during the Games. The collaboration platform aids NBC Olympics by reducing host country device costs for hundreds of employees ensuring connectivity for their team. 
"NBC Olympics continues to push the boundaries of sports production on a multitude of platforms, and together we will mark another milestone during the Tokyo Olympics with the first all-IP International Broadcast Center," said Davidson. “Just as 1964 was a watershed moment to bring the experience of the Games to viewers at home, this summer will redefine how we experience the Games across any screen. This is a clear example of how Cisco, together with our customers, is redefining the Internet for the Future to do more and connect more people.”
“Cisco brings incredible value, stability, and a rock-solid delivery of services in some of the most challenging scenarios,” said Robertson. “From prestaging to integration testing the many production workflows, to the massive scale and delivery in our Tokyo and U.S. operations, Cisco helps us meet the demands of the largest sporting event in the world.”
Harry Ryan, Sr., Director Network Engineering, NBC Sports, added: “With the DNA Assurance Platform, we have better insight into how our private wireless network is performing from an end user’s perspective, which is a capability that we have not had in the past.”

The second test between England and New Zealand was the first pilot event in the second phase of the Government’s Event Research Programme, with 18,000 supporters (70% of Edgbaston’s capacity) allowed in each day. The pilot event was a landmark step forward in re-opening sports and entertainment venues, delivered through a technological lens which saw a 280% uplift in digital engagement.

PTI Digital, Edgbaston’s Technology Partner, has played a crucial role in ensuring both a seamless customer experience and a COVID-secure event. Edgbaston had only two weeks’ notice to prepare for the return of supporters at such scale. Despite this, the results exceeded expectation and set a benchmark for how an integrated data, digital and technology strategy can and should drive the customer experience at events.

First engaged in early 2019 to enable the first steps in its digital transformation vision, PTI coordinated and orchestrated Edgbaston’s technology and digital estate to ensure each component was integrated to create a multiplier effect that made the day a huge success and which should give the country confidence in re-opening further venues at the right time.

From redesigning the ticketing process – which included the requirement to consent to be a part of the pilot study and which mandated all tickets to be presented digitally – to going cashless, in-app pre-ordering and click and collect functionality, to consumer Wi-Fi and providing fans with wayfinding tools to reduce close contact in queues for toilets and bars, PTI’s strategic approach enabled a frictionless customer experience and ensured customer safety.

There were other benefits too: 

• Edgbaston reported 37,575 new mobile app downloads and a more than 314,000 engagements with the app functionality suite across the test match
  
• With the average ticket basket size being 3.8 across 48,750 total tickets issued across the first three days, Edgbaston’s new digital ticketing suite ensured the data registration of four times as many customers as would otherwise have been the case
  
• Addressable audience was further enhanced through Wi-Fi data capture points to enable personalisation, whilst Food and Beverage revenue via the mobile app stood at more than £85,000 across the first three days alone
  
• Average wait times for click and collect Food and Beverage orders were under 90-seconds
  
• Average Wi-Fi speeds across the ground often exceeded over 50MB per device (upload and download) through peak periods, enabling the digital engagement as highlighted above
  

Mike Bohndiek, Chief Executive at PTI Digital said “We were delighted to play a part in ensuring a successful pilot event for our partners at Edgbaston. Leading from strategy to execution of their integrated technology and digital transformation over the past two and a half years, we were able to demonstrate the true power of digital experience for this event. It is testament to Edgbaston’s far-reaching outlook to have invested in its digital and technology infrastructure at the start of our engagement and they are now reaping the rewards. We believe we have helped establish a template for other major events as we all look forward to full houses becoming the norm again.”

Stuart Cain, Chief Executive at Edgbaston said “Naturally we were thrilled to be asked to stage this pilot and see crowds back at Edgbaston, but we recognized that the definition of fan experience has changed over the last 628 days since we last hosted a major event. We had the technology and digital foundations in place through our long-term work with PTI, but they were able to rapidly expand our capabilities and through their operations, the results speak for themselves. We believe what we have achieved will become the minimum expectation for event goers in the future and look forward to challenging ourselves to continue innovating with PTI’s end-to-end support.”

PTI Digital is a technology, data and digital-focused business, providing world-class venue technology expertise and digital-led business transformation journeys for clients. Specialists in the sport and entertainment industries, PTI opened its first overseas office – in Australia – in early 2021 and more recently launched a presence in the MENA region, reflecting its growing global footprint.

In addition to Edgbaston, PTI Digital work with OakView Group & Co-op Live, Ashton Gate &  Bristol Sport, Norwich City, Wasps, UK Pro League and the National Basketball League &  Derwent Entertainment Centre in Australia amongst many more.

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SportVEST Holdings, Inc., the Venture Arm of the NFL Alumni Association and Major League Polo with their MLP SuperDraft on August 31, 2021, are moving quickly with their strategies, investors, and digital creative technologies in taking their innovative thinking to market. SportVEST recently acquired Major League Polo's SuperDraft NFT licensing rights for $105 million ($35 million over 3 seasons) adding to its weighty portfolio of digital assets, now valued upwards of $200+ million.

​The vision to bridge leagues with the Legends of Sport and technology enables athletes of different leagues and eras to share their respective talents. By engaging fans, we create a fun experience that will leave a lasting impression that continues through the Unique Digital Properties of NFTs. 

Kimberly Casey Carr, President & CEO of Major League Polo and Vic Bakunoff of SportVEST Holdings believe there has never been an effort to allow the Legends of Sport and technology to be this interactive. To think that one could place the NFL and Polo in the same category is remarkable. It's groundbreaking. 
There will be Legends of Sports events touting this program leading up to and including MLP's SuperDraft on August 31, 2021. MLP's World Series of Polo Championship series begins on December 26, 2021, featuring 96 matches, 2 Semi-Finals and World Cup finals, with 16 matches to be live streamed.
MLP plans to feature its own esports title tourneys in their 16 pro stadium venues and to capitalize on this new sponsorship trend. "It's a great opportunity for us to activate our fan engagement with our pro athletes, pro athletes from other sports, sponsors and our esports gaming," said Kimberly Casey Carr. "We believe our unique offering of esports tournament play alongside our live polo sport match play, especially the SuperDraft event with the Legends of Sport, will provide an incredible experience with amazing NFT asset possibilities that capture moments on and off the field," stated Ms. Carr.
SportVEST Holdings's next funding round is imminent to fuel additional NFT growth across Major League Polo and its other professional and collegiate brand monetization initiatives. The NFT sales revenue generated will ultimately benefit Legends of Sport and their journeyman teammates and their supported children charity programs. These athletes are creating groundbreaking opportunities by opening doors to more sports, esports, gaming, and entertainment experiences via the NFT marketplace. 

Today, the BIG3 announced a partnership with Microsoft for the 2021 BIG3 SuperDraft that will take place this Monday, June 14 at 5pm PT/8pm ET at the Microsoft Lounge in Los Angeles. Kicking off its partnership with the popular AI-powered social media platform, the draft will air live on Triller and FITE TV ahead of the 2021 season with SuperDraft serving as the title partner for event.
As the previous 2019 champion and runner up, Triplets and Killer 3s will bring back their entire roster as stated in league rules. The remaining ten teams will have two picks each following the lottery selections last week before the BIG3 Combine. On site at the Microsoft Lounge in Los Angeles, the draft will be hosted by Chris McGee with Commissioner Clyde Drexler announcing the draft selections aside Ice Cube. There will be additional analysis and commentary from Coaches and Players including Michael Cooper, Reggie Theus, Nick Young and Cuttino Mobley. BIG3 will also connect with Coaches, Player Captains and Draft picks around the country with Microsoft Teams.
Leveraging Microsoft Teams and Surface devices, the BIG3 will connect with Coaches, Player Captains and Draft picks around the country in a hybrid setting, with guests attending both virtually and in-person. The Microsoft Lounge will provide a sports analyst studio experience. The room will be equipped with Surface Hubs, Microsoft Teams video feeds of draft picks will be shown on a 9.5 by 32 foot LED video gallery wall, and remote attendees will join in via Microsoft Surface Duo devices.
Round 1 order:

1. Enemies
2. Tri-State
3. Power
4. Ball Hogs
5. Ghost Ballers
6. Aliens
7. 3 Headed Monsters
8. Bivouac
9. Trilogy
10. Three's Company

Round 2 order:

1. Power
2. Tri-State
3. Bivouac
4. Three's Company
5. Trilogy
6. Enemies
7. Aliens
8. 3 Headed Monsters
9. Ball Hogs
10. Ghost Ballers

"As things were rapidly changing in the world around us, BIG3 had a vision and we were determined to bring fans the overwhelming excitement of the BIG3 Draft. Our concept and tight timeline meant coming together with a partner that could help pull it off, which is why Microsoft was the ultimate choice. Between its authentic technology solutions and highly advanced Lounge, the Microsoft team came prepared to support our vision," said BIG3 CEO, Chris Hannan.
"It's our plan to deliver fans with a thrilling show next Monday as we unveil draft picks with the best technology possible. Microsoft Teams will be connecting our coaches, players and draftees around the country during the live event," said BIG3 co-founders, Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz. "We keep saying this season is going to be the biggest one yet and if you've been doubting that you're not keeping up with BIG3 news. We are here to play, and the fire is coming."
"Core to Microsoft's mission is to enable people to thrive in this new world of remote and hybrid work. This past year, Microsoft Teams has powered fashion shows, concerts, virtual fan experiences and drafts for national sports leagues – all of which gave us the learnings and technical experience we need to make this the best BIG3 SuperDraft yet. Big3 has a vision for driving entertainment, community and positive change and we are proud to be a part of it," said James Bernstrom, Director, Strategic Partnerships, Microsoft.
BIG3 is the official creator of the new global sport, FIREBALL3, and is returning for its fourth season on July 10, 2021 at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The BIG3's regular season will run in Las Vegas and New Orleans before the plays, consolation, and championship are played at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
Known as a ground-breaking league that focuses on innovation, BIG3 implemented notable rule changes following the 2019 season which included lowering the minimum age of athletes from 27 to 22 and opening the league to all nonprofessional and professional athletes that want to try out.
To watch the BIG3 SuperDraft on Triller please visit,  https://tril.co/2R74M3R or https://www.fite.tv/watch/2021-big3-superdraft/2p9js/ to view it on FITE TV. For more information on the league, please visit https://big3.com.

 ​BetMGM announced today the expansion of its market-leading sports betting app into Washington, D.C. in partnership with the Washington Nationals, making BetMGM the only mobile sports betting app available at Nationals Park.  Today's news is part of BetMGM's multi-year, exclusive partnership with the Washington Nationals, which also includes a retail BetMGM Sportsbook connected to Nationals Park, scheduled to open later this year. 

"Launching in Washington, D.C. at Nationals Park sets the stage for our plans to expand BetMGM within the region, as we've already seen great success in Virginia," said Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM. "The Washington Nationals have been a fantastic partner, committed to innovating the in-stadium fan experience and we're looking forward to opening our retail sportsbook at the stadium later this year."

The BetMGM app is now available for download on both iOS and Android in Washington, D.C. While the app can be accessed throughout the District, due to local restrictions, to successfully place mobile wagers, users will need to be within a two-block radius of Nationals Park. BetMGM's gaming platform will provide Nationals fans a unique opportunity to enhance their game day experience and bring them closer to the action on the field.

"As our official sports betting partner, BetMGM further enhances the greatest in-venue fan experience in Washington, D.C. through its state-of-the-art entertainment products and services," said Alan Gottlieb, Chief Operating Office of Lerner Sports Group. "The BetMGM mobile app will enable our fans to engage with the game in new and exciting ways, while the BetMGM sportsbook connected to Nationals Park will provide Nationals fans and the D.C. community with a first-class gathering place to celebrate their passion for sports."

BetMGM's integration with MGM Resorts' M life Rewards program allows Nationals fans the opportunity to redeem their gameplay for world-class experiences at MGM Resorts properties nationwide, including Borgata in New Jersey, Bellagio and MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and MGM National Harbor in Maryland, just across the river.

Jorge Perez, President & COO, MGM National Harbor, said, "As a leader in delivering monumental experiences, today is a very exciting day for MGM National Harbor. This becomes the first of many offerings we are developing to seamlessly connect sports and entertainment across the DMV, providing fans with unique opportunities to interact with our world-class resort and casino." 
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As BetMGM continues to expand its sports betting platforms, responsible gaming education remains a key focus. BetMGM is proud to provide resources to help customers play responsibly. For more information on BetMGM follow @BetMGM on Twitter.