We've heard of Fin-Tech, but Sports-Tech?

Looking back on the world of sports in 2018, the FIFA World Cup in Russia leaves a strong impression. The Japanese team progressed through the tournament and interest among Japanese people skyrocketed. In the match where Japan struggled to make it into the quarterfinals, I could hear huge cheers from outside my house despite the pre-dawn hours, and the excitement could be felt at a visceral level.

In addition to television images, I think data and its analysis also played a role in this rise in interest. For instance, on the smartphone app provided by NHK, users could watch match footage from multiple angles, and match data such as the number of shots and running distances were delivered in real-time. On Twitter, people were using that data to exchange ideas back and forth as if they were coaches coming up with strategies.

As typified by Fin-Tech as a fusion of finance and IT, the use of IT in various fields has given rise to the "XXX-tech" buzzword. The world of sport is no exception. Close attention is being paid to Sports-Tech businesses around the world. For its part, the Japanese government positioned Sports-Tech businesses as one of the pillars of the Japan Revitalization Strategy 2016, with the size of the market expected to expand from 5.5 trillion yen in 2015 to 15 trillion yen in 2025.

Given all this, how exactly will IT be utilized? According to the NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting Inc., it will be split into four areas: "watch," "support," "do," and "create." We saw the example of "watch" in relation to World Cup data analysis, and we can envision the application of "support" in professional sports to improve individual and team performance. Meanwhile, the possibilities for the application of IT in the sports industry will continue to broaden in terms of "do" allowing general people to enjoy sports, and phenomena like e-sports competing over the Internet challenging the conventional definition of "create."

Naturally, industry is also waiting for opportunities to enter the market, and Ricoh for its part has embarked on various endeavors. To use "watch" as an example, smartphones are being utilized for spectators at sporting venues. Ricoh has developed technologies for many spectators to light up their smartphone screens at once or change colors when a goal is scored to create a sense of unity in the crowd.

In terms of "support," Ricoh's proprietary indoor positioning technology is being applied. As well as issuing alerts through indoor speakers in the event of an emergency, this technology makes it possible to provide guidance on the best evacuation route direct to spectators' smartphones. The guidance can be displayed in multiple languages and is being looked at for utilization at international sporting events.

Approximately 200 people including persons with disabilities took part in demonstration testing conducted at Musashino Forest Sports Plaza (Chofu, Tokyo) on November 6, 2018. With smartphones continually flashing vividly along with music and announcements inside the venue, the excitement reached its peak. Participants offered positive feedback about the evacuation guidance also, such as "it would be reassuring to be provided with this kind of information" and "this is absolutely necessary.

Providing guidance on evacuation routes to smartphones during an emergency (conceptual image)
Photo by writer, using the RICOH GR II

On another front, Ricoh has begun even more in-depth and practical utilization through the Ricoh BlackRams, a team competing in the Japan Rugby Top League. Ricoh developed a dedicated BlackRams app based on RICOH Clickable Paper, which utilizes unique image recognition technology. When the app is downloaded to a smartphone, a spectator can go through a stamp rally inside the venue and take part in a slot-style lucky draw. If a user collects the designated number of stamps or wins at the slot game, they can receive BlackRams merchandise such as a replica T-shirt or a cap.

The dedicated BlackRams app (conceptual image)
Images courtesy of Ricoh Digital Business Group

Active efforts are also underway to improve the performance of teams and players by utilizing IT. Information such as distance run, routes taken and top speed during practice or matches are acquired through GPS from special devices attached to the body. This can also be used for positioning and correcting decisions during matches.

GPS device attached to the back of a player
Photo by writer, using the PENTAX K-50

Since footage shot from above using a drone allows plays to be checked point-by-point during practice, "we can build a consensus among the players and deepen their understanding of our strategies," says coaching staff and analyst Shuhei Kato. Meanwhile, specific daily or weekly thresholds are set based on GPS data in an effort to prevent players from overworking themselves. This rugby version of "workstyle reform" has paid off, as the rate of injuries except contact plays appears to have declined.

Video recording with a drone during practice
Photo by writer, using the PENTAX K-50

As a team gets stronger, it attracts more fans, which also leads to an increase in the number of app users. During the 2017-2018 season of the Top League, the BlackRams reached a best-ever sixth place, and in the 2018-2019 season, the team advanced to the play-offs and posted a good result for the second consecutive season.

Additionally, since the team began its efforts to utilize IT in 2015, the number of supporters has increased by more than 10%, and the number of app users grows by more than 1,000 each year. In another sign that the effects of Sports-Tech are steadily emerging, for the 2016-2017 season the team was awarded the Best Fan Service Award established by the league.

Yasuhisa Asakawa from the Ricoh Digital Business Group, which developed the dedicated BlackRams app, is pursuing the new value that Sports-Tech can bring. "We want to look into improving services based on the data gained from things like the stamp rally," he says.

How will Sports-Tech evolve moving forward? If only looked at from the viewpoint of a spectator, being provided with footage from the perspective of players on the field could make watching even more enjoyable, because you could experience a sense of being there as if you were actually playing.

Japan is due to host a number of major sporting events with the upcoming 2019 Rugby World Cup and Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2020. When these take place, I hope that through Sports-Tech we can discover the appeal of sports in new ways and share in the excitement across generational lines.