From the shoes we wear on our feet to the high definition televisions in our living room, wearable devices, the sports universe is a breeding ground for technology. Writer and Photographer Rick Limpert will examine this each week on The Tech of Sports – With guests which include athletes, inventors and journalists that cover the intersection of sports and technology.
Talking everything travel, Las Vegas and wagering this week with Mark Frissora, former CEO and President of Caesars Entertainment.
Mark P. Frissora was previously the Chief Executive Officer and President of Caesars Entertainment. He also has served as the chair and CEO of two Fortune 500 companies, Hertz Global Holdings, and Tenneco, Inc. With over 42 years of business experience, Mr. Frissora’s expertise spans across all levels of managerial and functional roles. He is known especially for consistently generating stakeholder/shareholder value at highly leveraged companies in both private equity and public markets, and successfully leading companies out of bankruptcy. Mr. Frissora credits his success to a strong work culture that focuses on customer-centricity, diversity, and employee engagement.
Great talking with Mark as he has his finger on the pulse of so many things.
Rick is joined by Olympian, Scott Shipley this week to talk about a new exciting whitewater facility in Montgomery, Alabama.
The center, currently under construction in Montgomery, AL, is the future training ground of Olympians.
Easily accessible from 1-85 and 1-65 exits, the Montgomery Whitewater Center is a world-class outdoor activities center within walking distance of the city’s burgeoning downtown. The development, which broke ground in June 2021 and is scheduled to be completed in 2023, will be anchored by an Olympic-standard recirculating whitewater course, which will allow users of all ages and skillsets to participate at difficulty levels ranging from beginner to expert. The Montgomery Whitewater Center will also include a variety of dry-side outdoor activities such as climbing areas, ziplines, ropes courses and trails for hiking and biking with the idea that visitors can have a great day with or without ever getting in the water.
Construction of the Montgomery Whitewater Project is expected to employ 640 people and have an economic impact of $39.8 million.
Shipley brings a varied background to the table. Scott Shipley is among the best-known American kayakers in the world today. A veteran of three Olympic games (’92, ’96, ’00) and holder of four world titles, Shipley has more than 25 years experience as a whitewater competitor. Scott also holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from top-ranked Georgia Institute of Technology.
Shipley’s combined expertise in both Whitewater and Engineering Design has made him the go-to designer for some of the world’s most demanding whitewater design projects. Shipley has been credited with driving innovation in the whitewater park industry by pushing the design envelope. Shipley’s innovations include a patented Whitewater Terrain Park system that redefines whitewater recreation and a patented moveable obstacle system that is the world’s first three-dimensional modular obstacle allowing for complete reconfiguration of an existing whitewater park.
Grip MD is a revolutionary new unique training device developed by two former collegiate tennis stars with the goal to aid players of all levels how to perfect the proper volley, serve, and slice grip.
Grip MD is the creation of former ATP World Tour doubles No. 38 and NCAA Champion Mark Merklein and former Notre Dame No. 1 Matt Daly. The device simply slips on to the handle of the racket, allowing the player to feel the perfect Continental grip. The Continental grip is used for the slice, serve and volleys in tennis and is vital to a player’s development.
Rick is joined by Merklein this week.
“Having worked with players of all levels from beginners to pros, I have found that teaching the correct grip is the most important part of any player’s technical development,” said Daly, Co-Founder of GripMD. “It is also extremely hard to teach and commonly misunderstood. This device greatly simplifies the process, allowing players to find the perfect grip in a short period of time.”
Merklein appears in several information YouTube videos demonstrating how to master the slice, volley and second serve using Grip MD.
Take advantage of a special offer now. Get three Grip MD products for the low price of $99. Or buy one for $39.95. To purchase and for more information or to purchase GripMD, visit at: https://www.thegripmd.com.
Chris Clarey joins Rick this week to talk a little tennis and his new book on Roger Federer.
There have been other biographies of Roger Federer, but never one with this kind of access to the man himself, his support team, and the most prominent figures in the game, including such rivals as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Roddick. In THE MASTER: The Brilliant Career of Roger Federer (Twelve, August 24, 2021), New York Times correspondent Christopher Clarey sits down with Federer and those closest to him to tell the story of the greatest player in men’s tennis.
THE MASTER tells the story of Federer’s life and career on both an intimate and grand scale, in a way no one else could possibly do. Fantastic timing as Federer is in the news that he will not play again in 2021.
Great to talk to Chris leading up to the US Open and a great read!
Sports collecting has reached a fever pitch, and Chris Ivy of Heritage Auctions is here to talk with Rick.
Lots to talk about.
$20 million worth of sports history will be up for grabs when Dallas-based Heritage Auctions conducts its star-studded Summer Platinum Auction which is underway and continues through August 21-22. The event features a treasure-trove of sports memorabilia including a vintage Babe Ruth rookie trading card worth more than $1 million, the finest known baseball signed by Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe, Magic Johnson’s title-clinching jersey from his rookie season with the Lakers, another $1 million artifact, and the collection of San Francisco Giants beloved icon Willie McCovey.
In May, 24% of respondents said they planned to travel immediately, and 31% in the next one to three months. The takeaway? 55% are ready to roam in time for Independence Day.
Stars, Stripes…and Shots: Over 3/4 (77%) of North American consumers said a COVID-19 vaccination is very or somewhat important in giving them the peace of mind to travel; almost 1/5 (18%) will not get on a plane until they are fully vaccinated.
Rentals Reduce Travel Anxiety: 54% of travelers said they plan to stay at a short-term rental property (such as an Airbnb) in the next twelve months, with 43% of that group citing the ability to stay socially distanced and minimize COVID-19 risk.
Can’t Touch This: Consumers want pandemic-era upgrades to stay the norm. 67% want hotels to maintain more frequent cleaning and disinfecting procedures; 55% want to see guest areas/public spaces continue to be arranged for social distancing; 11% plan to dine solely via room service to minimize contact.
Alex leads Oracle’s vertical software business that serves the hospitality, casino, and cruise industries. Dedicating most of his career to hospitality with experience as an operator and a technology provider, Alex joined Oracle in November 2019 to lead the technical, operational, and cultural transformation of the industry’s leading provider of property management, point of sale, distribution, analytics, and loyalty solutions. With more than 20 years in the travel and hospitality industries, Alex spearheaded global development and strategy for renowned luxury operator Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, led Sabre’s Hospitality Solutions business, and served industry clients as a consultant with McKinsey & Company. Alex earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BBA from the University of Texas.
