Sports Technology Alliance Summit
The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) attended the Sports Technology Alliance Summit in London’s stunning Australia House on Wednesday 31 July, with over 70 industry professionals in attendance for a day of discussion, learning and demonstration of what is possible through technology and best practice.
The Technology Alliance was formed to create a community within a community. A group of organisations who have the sports best interests firmly at heart, with a passion for innovation and best in class technology solutions.
We heard from an expert panel consisting of Jonny Turner and Alex Burrows, representatives of WSA partners Sport:80 and ActiveXChange respectively, as well as Paul Whapham, CEO of WSA member Hoci Cymru. The discussions centred around leveraging data to generate additional revenue for sports organisations, bringing commercial brands closer to sporting bodies so organisations are less reliant on government funding and have greater resources to develop further.
There is an exciting pilot project underway in Wales – so colleagues please watch this space in the coming months!
There was also a thoughtful discussion on the importance of safeguarding in sport and the case management platforms organisations deploy. It was really interesting to hear from the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, the British Equestrian Federation and Yorkshire Cricket on this topic. The WSA was also in a position to discuss its not-for-profit DBS checking service for the sector, which adds significant value and reduces costs for colleagues across the sector.
Tom Sharp, WSA Commercial Manager, commented:
“It was a really enjoyable and thought-provoking event, with some useful hints and tips on managing your technology stack and how to build stronger communities online. It was also an opportunity to challenge the norms and to look to do things differently – that’s why this new pilot project taking place in Wales is so exciting!
“Thank you to the Sports Technology Alliance for a fantastic event, we look forward to welcoming colleagues from the Alliance to Wales very soon!”
English