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.
Rick is joined in this episode by Glenn Johnson, the Carolina Hurricanes’ vice president of information technology, and Kevin Wittnebert, Extreme Networks associate director of sports and entertainment to talk about what fans want in arenas and stadiums- fast Wi-fi.
Today’s consumers expect to be able to text, post to Instagram, send a Snapchat, stream a video, check their sports apps and browse the internet without any delay or lag.
So what happens when an arena that can hold up to 20,000 people lacks a speedy network for attendees to connect to? The IT team at PNC Arena – home to the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State’s men’s basketball team – asked themselves this exact question when they started receiving poor feedback on the arena’s Wi-Fi experience. As the go-to venue for more than 150 annual events, and challenged with an IT team of only four people with 770,000 square feet to cover, they looked to Extreme Networks to partner and deploy its end-to-end Wi-Fi solution.
Together, the Carolina Hurricanes and Extreme Networks overhauled the Wi-Fi network ahead of the 2017 season. As a result of the deployment, the venue has seen a significant uptick in fan usage of the Wi-Fi network – posting to social, streaming videos and interacting with team centric content – in the 2017 season. Here are a few highlights:
Average unique Wi-Fi users grew from 18% in 2016 to 29% in 2017 to 35% so far in 2018.
Concurrent Wi-Fi users on the network grew from 22% in 2016 to 28% in 2017 to 30% so far in 2018.
Peak data transferred in 2016 averaged 587 GBs. That number grew to over 2 TB of data in 2017.
Have a listen as Rick talks with Glenn and Kevin about the latest in “fan experience.”
The big talk this week in legalizing gambling what a literal game changer it is for the sports industry. What this means is that not only legalized gambling will become a reality, it will change the operation and include new revenue streams for teams and leagues and will also increase the value of those teams.”
Rick is joined on this episode by Dave Torromeo, who has served as the head of the Sport Business Management Program at Manhattanville College since its inception in July 2006.
He has over 28 years of experience in sports business, including serving as VP of the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame, (NFF), 15 years in collegiate athletics and as an industry consultant. He has worked in nearly every capacity of the sports world, from a minor league team, to a D-I athletic program and the Football Foundation. He is also a consultant to the sports industry and the founder of Future Sports Business Executives (www.fsbe.org).
As the architect of the graduate sport business management program, he assembled the entire curriculum, hired all adjunct professors from the sport business field and installed a top-notch advisory board with senior executives from the sports industry. He devised and implemented a graduate level internship program, brought in outstanding guest speakers including senior executives from the sports world, provided on site field study at major sports venues and created a solid mission.
At the NFF he played a crucial role in awarding Jackie Robinson the Gold Medal Award, the highest honor that Foundation bestows. He was instrumental in spearheading the program that allowed athletes from colleges other than major college football entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame (players from Divisions I-AA, II, III and the NAIA) and was a catalyst behind the Foundation’s “PLAY IT SMART” program; an educational program that works to turn football teams from inner city environments into learning teams, while overseeing the scholar athlete program (and a 10M endowment) that honored players from all levels and included people such as Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, Tiki Barber, Josh Bloom, Peyton Manning and many others.
Before joining the NFF, Torromeo served as a Sports Information Director (SID) and Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, Marketing, Promotions and Fund Raising for over 10 years including six at Iona College where he also received a Master’s Degree. He earned his undergraduate degree(s) from the University of Rhode Island and lives in New Canaan, CT with his wife Laurie and their two children, Stephanie a Junior at Colgate University and Jarrett a Senior at New Canaan High School.
(He is a lifelong New York Mets, Jets, Knicks and Islanders fan–but don’t hold that against him–it just proves he is loyal!)
Dave talks with Rick about the Supreme Court decision, who the decision will impact and the ever-changing world of sports.
Rick is joined by personal trainer, Chris Caso, this week on Tech of Sports. Caso, a certified personal trainer at OneLife Fitness Atlanta is here to provide a wealth of valuable tips for those who are training for Peachtree (or any other race, for that matter).
Chris is here to help and talks with Rick about:
How does one start training for a 10k?
What is the first thing you should do when you go out for a run?
What are some tips for someone to stay healthy over the next 12 weeks leading up to Peachtree?
What are some exercises that can be added to a workout routine to make someone a better runner?
Tens of thousands of Georgians are scrambling to get in shape for the biggest 10k in the United States, many will be doing so without a plan, which could lead to discouragement, or worse, injury.
About Chris Caso:
NSCA-CSCS certified strength and conditioning coach
USA Weightlifting Level Sports Performance Coach
West Virginia Undergrad- Track scholarship
Masters in Sports Health Science from Life University
Strength Coach jobs at Georgia State U. Football. Rugby and track Strength Coach at Life U.
Rick is joined by a great guest this week, Mike Yagley, Director of Innovation, Research and Testing at Cobra PUMA Golf.
Cobra PUMA Golf makes some of the finest golf clubs in the world, but a new partnership with Arccos Golf has everyone paying attention to the unique technology one will find in the KING F8 line of irons.
Yagley talks about experiencing seamless COBRA CONNECT™ embedded sensor technology and automatic shot tracking Powered by Arccos®. The complete line of KING® F8 clubs pair with the Arccos 360® app for full bag shot tracking and the KING F8 Drivers pair with the Arccos Driver® app for driver shot tracking. Download the appropriate app from the Apple App Store or Google Play and get connected.
“Arccos is invested in building and refining the sensor technology, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence platforms that we’ve brought to consumers through Cobra Connect technology in the grip of our Cobra KING products. We believe the insights players gain about their games through this technology will make them smarter, better golfers,” said Mike Yagley, Sr. Director of Innovation / AI at Cobra Golf.
Rick is using the clubs and of course, enjoying all the data and shot tracking. have a listen to Rick and Mike talk about this unique technology and how it can help your golf game.
Going out of the world of sports a little this week, but couldn’t pass up the chance to talk to actor, Michael Gross. The longtime Hollywood actor is really one of the nice guys in Hollywood and he’s reprized his role in the new Tremors movie, and he’s wearing a Cubs hat.
We talk about the new movie, new technology in making movies and Michael’s love and obsession collecting everything trains and railroad.
Tremors: A Cold Day In Hell is available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, Digital and On Demand May 1st
⦁ Michael Gross reprises his iconic role as Burt Gummer along with Jamie Kennedy as Burt’s son Travis Welker
⦁ Tremors: A Cold Day In Hell is the sixth installment in the popular cult-classic franchise
⦁ Includes never-before-seen bonus content including;
⦁ Footage of the making of the film
⦁ An up-close look at the very first underwater Graboid attack
⦁ The recreation of Chang’s Market
⦁ Commentary from the filmmakers
⦁ Tremors: The Complete Collection including all six movies will also be available on DVD May 1st
Film Synopsis:
Burt Gummer (Gross) and his son Travis Welker (Kennedy) find themselves up to their ears in Graboids and Ass-Blasters when they head to Canada to investigate a series of deadly giant worm attacks. Arriving at a remote research facility in the arctic tundra, Burt begins to suspect that Graboids are secretly being weaponized, but before he can prove his theory, he is sidelined by Graboid venom. With just 48 hours to live, the only hope is to create an antidote from fresh venom — but to do that, someone will have to figure out how to milk a Graboid!
Michael Gross, perhaps best known for his portrayal of father Steven Keaton on NBC’s award-winning Family Ties, has most recently been seen as River Baldwin in CBS’s daytime drama, The Young and the Restless.During his thirty-five year professional career, Michael has portrayed a remarkable range of characters, including recurring roles on both the Drew Cary Show, as well as on NBC’s acclaimed series, ER. He has appeared on the original Law & Order as well as its popular spin-offs, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Other appearances include The Outer Limits, Ally Macbeal, CSI: New York, How I Met Your Mother, Boston Legal, and Medium. He guest-starred with Family Ties veteran Michael J. Fox in Michael’s farewell episode of Spin City.
He married casting director Elza Bergeron in 1984. They have two children, Theodore and Katharine. Daughter Katie is the mother of Michael’s two grandchildren, Nicholas and Allison. Michael and his wife divide their time among homes in Southern California, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.His hobbies include reading, writing, yoga, thumbing through unremarkable screenplays, and devoting himself to an endless variety of obsessive-compulsive activities. As a grandson and great-grandson of railroaders, he is a life-long railroad fan, particularly of the former Santa Fe Railway. He is an amateur railway historian, photographer, and award-winning railroad modeler. He and Elza also collect Santa Fe dining car china, silver, and other memorabilia. One of their great joys is riding trains together, wherever they can find them; and, partly to ensure they will always have a train to ride, Michael and Elza are part owners of the Santa Fe Southern Railway, an eighteen-mile freight and passenger carrier headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Raycon, is the new celeb-led CE company co-founded by Ray J, the charismatic young entrepreneur, who “cruised” in to the tech world on the Scoot-e-bike e-bicycle he introduced in 2016 and recently sealed a $31 million deal with distributor Cowboy Electronics for a full-scale CE lifestyle brand. Raycon pulled back the curtain on its introductory line-up at CES and it was great to see and talk to Ray J.
Ray J has teamed up with the CE lifestyle leaders at Cowboy to launch the Raycon line of gear, which marries sleek style, the latest technology – and accessibly for everyone. The introductory Raycon line features attractive, on-trend designs in hot colors and matte finishes. From rose gold wireless headphones and eye-catching digital smartwatches to portable cannon-style speakers and wireless sound bars, the new collection stands apart from the pack by delivering aspirational high-quality CE without steep price tags.
Among its assortment of products in the most sought-after categories, Raycon is rolling out head-turning electronic bikes and scooters – poised to be the “it” items for 2018. The company’s debut 100% electric, “green” offerings include the Hyper Flight SB-2 Electric Bike, a brand-new model of the Scoot-E Bike that Ray J first introduced in 2016 as a precursor to today’s Raycon range. Fans of the incredible electric bike include Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg (who also happens to be Ray J’s first cousin!) and Diddy, among others. Also set to make tracks as part of the new assortment is the Hyper Flight Electric Scooter.
Whether it’s commuting to work, working-out or hanging out and listening to their favorite tracks, Raycon products seamlessly deliver style and function for users every day.
Below are some highlights of the Raycon collection, many for the active set!
Icon Smartwatch – Users need not sacrifice style for performance with the Icon! The Raycon watch is optimized for maximum readability with a 1.3” round IPS full-color screen that delivers critical information for daily adventures with its built-in pedometer and weather app. Featuring an appealing, slim profile, the Icon is the perfect way for tech lovers to complete their look for any occasion – whether it’s hitting the gym or the red carpet. Available in black, silver and gold. SRP $99.99
Wireless Sound Bar S2 – Users can bring the party with them wherever they go with this new bass-powered sound bar. Packing 6 watts of power, the debut Raycon sound bar can connect to multiple music sources via Bluetooth, memory card and AUX. Available in luxurious black, white and gold matte finishes. SRP $49.99
Wireless Earphones E30 – This take on wireless earphones gives audiophiles the freedom to listen to their favorite music, podcasts and more without wires getting in the way. The E30 supports calling, skip songs and pause features and includes a metal charging capsule case that lets users charge the earphones on the go. Available in black, white, rose gold, blue, and red. SRP $49.99
Wireless Earphones E60 – These super-compact earphones are designed to be taken everywhere and fit comfortably in ears and pockets. They store neatly in their very own diminutive charging capsule, so users will always be ready to rock out anywhere, anytime. Available in white. SRP $99.99
Wireless Turbo Cannon XL – The ultimate speaker in the Raycon Sound Cannon collection! With its handy shoulder strap, the Turbo Cannon XL is the perfectly portable way to get the party started. The new unit supports outstanding Bluetooth range and is equipped with a 5.25 subwoofer. Available in black, red and blue. SRP $75.
Hyper Flight Electric Scooter – The Hyper Flight ushers in an exciting new generation of electric scooters. Featuring two large, heavy-duty, shock-absorbing wheels and intuitive controls, the Raycon Hyper Flight scooter is ready for any adventure – including nighttime jaunts, with its front headlight. Features an ergonomic fold-up design for easy storage and transport. Available in black and white. SRP $499.99
Hyper Flight SB-2 Electric Bike – This must-have electric bike based on the famous Scoot-E-Bike that inspired the Raycon collection, has been re-engineered for an even better 100% electric-powered ride. With enhanced cruise control, a top speed of 20 miles per hour and a range of up to 30 miles per charge, the new Raycon Electric Bike is raring to hit the road! Features a durable and comfortable leather seat for a smooth ride, a front headlight, an LED dashboard that displays critical data such as battery level and speed, plus an ultra-convenient fold-up design. Available in green, white, black, and red. SRP $1,200.
