Baseball nerds, start your … right hemispheres? MLB’s new all-encompassing tracking software, Statcast, is finally ready for primetime. The much-anticipated technology will be on display in all its glory during tonight’s MLB Network broadcast of the St. Louis Cardinals v. Washington Nationals bout.

Statcast has been a hot topic in the world of baseball analysis, as it promises unparalleled ability to track almost everything that happens on the field — from baserunning efficiency and batted ball speed to outfield and infield defensive examination, the great StatCast machine looks at it all.

The greatest part of Statcast is also its scariest feature — there is going to be so much data preserved per game. While we don’t know how that will shake out for our brethren at FanGraphs, those of us that like fancy graphics and pretty colors should be perfectly content watching StatCast features on television.

In fairness, this is how MLB is going to gain the most attention to the baseball-watching public. While statistical analysis is certainly making strides these days, many fans don’t know much about it or choose to ignore it. Seeing graphical representation of the numbers and figures stats analysts are looking for will not only create a more engaged fan, it may just help convert a few people into paying more attention to the underlying numbers.

Either way, it should be fun to see how MLB plans to feature Statcast data in real-time, and should give us a look into what all the technology is capturing. The broadcast begins at 7 p.m. ET. For a primer on StatCast, check here.

(Image via MLB.com)

Everyone involved with cable television knows that a la carte programming is coming, but it appears ESPN, the network most responsible for inflating sports cable bubble, isn’t going down without a fight.

Verizon FiOS, a new fiber optic television and internet offering from Verizon, made their cable packages available to the customers yesterday, which included pared down options that makes ESPN’s channels an option, rather than a necessary part of the pay television experience.

Their basic package includes major broadcasters and other basic cable channels like CNN and AMC, but makes ESPN and ESPN 2 part of a separate “sports” tier. The Walt Disney Company, who owns ESPN, made statement last Friday stating:  “Media reports about Verizon’s new contemplated bundles describe packages that would not be authorized by our existing agreements. Among other issues, our contracts clearly provide that neither ESPN nor ESPN2 may be distributed in a separate sports package.”

The reason why Disney is protesting Verizon’s new offering is because ESPN makes $6.5 billion, roughly two-thirds of their revenue, from cable and satellite affiliate fees. If ESPN begins to be relegated to optional tiers by cable companies, those fees would undoubtedly decrease the next time they meet at the negotiating table. This is a position ESPN can ill afford to end up in as they have billions of dollars in rights fees guaranteed to most of the major US pro sports leagues for years to come.

With cord-cutting slowly gaining steam and many Millennials not even buying into cable television at all, cable operators are grudgingly realizing that changing their business model is the only way to retain the next generation of television viewers, hence Dish Networks’s Sling TV and now Verizon FiOS.

However, the deflation of the sports bubble will probably take years to begin deflating, as ESPN has over 100 million subscribers via cable providers and cord-cutting isn’t increasing at the rates initially projected. Most likely, it will come, as Hemingway wrote in The Sun Also Rises, “Two ways, gradually and then suddenly.” Consider these new cable offerings the first shot across the bow.

HBO, despite attempts to draw a larger consumer base via the still-new HBO Now streaming platform, seem set on alienating some of those very same new consumers. As stated in the terms of service, HBO NOW is available and designed strictly for United States residents, though numerous Canadians, European countries and Australia have circumvented the geo-locking HBO has placed on their product. At least until a few days ago, when The Sydney Morning Herald reported receiving emails from HBO warning of the potential for service to be cut off as soon as tomorrow. Rather than get payment in exchange for a service — a pretty basic concept — HBO seems to prefer receiving nothing.

From the above link, the following is an email sent to an Australian HBO Now user:

Using a virtual private network (VPN) to trick the HBO NOW service into believing the the customer is located within the U.S. is apparently akin to pirating. If HBO is threatening to punish people who already pay for their service, it is curious to see them complain about online leaks when they take away a viable option for people to lawfully watch their shows.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Netflix, who also has strict terms of service regarding location, but is yet to actively target consumers. The streaming giant did limit the mobile — specifically Android — based geo-locking tricks, however Netflix spokesman Cliff Edwards said as long as the consumer can be verified in the correct location, they company will not block legitimate VPN usage. In an email Edwards wrote “There’s been no change to our VPN policy.” In a separate appearance, Edwards claimed “Detecting VPN usage is like playing a game of whack-a-mole.By their very nature, it’s difficult to tell how many people are bypassing geofilters.”

HBO NOW’s launch was disappointing even before this with their initial exclusive Apple partnership, but to see them go after paying customers, despite being out of the country, is shocking. If a foreign cord cutter isn’t allowed to pay for the standalone HBO programming, only one option remains and it involves the consumer getting what they want with HBO receiving zero payment.

(Image via HBO)

As TechGraphs reported in February, MLB Trade Rumors planned a redesign of its web site to provide a more mobile-friendly experience. Thanks to a nudge from Google, that timeline sped up faster than the Milenium Falcon dodging a couple of TIE fighters.

According to a post today at the site, Google’s decision to downrank mobile-unfriendly sites starting Tuesday led owner Tim Dierkes to update the site, which was originally planned for later in the year, immediately. Dierkes wrote:

Some of you have protested the change, saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  We can debate whether the pinch-and-zoom non-mobile-friendly MLBTR experience was broken, but Google definitely thought it was, and will be docking all mobile-unfriendly sites in their search results starting Tuesday.  So while we were planning to go mobile-friendly this year, the Google issue forced our hand to do it now.

Dierkes told me in February that 43 percent of its readers were from mobile devices. MLBTR updated its app just before Spring Training, and the newly design reflects a similar feel to the Trade Rumors app.

So why is Google changing its algorithm? It wants to provide its users with the best results for users. And for mobile users, Google has decided it wants to showcase those sites that load quickly, feature scrollable content easy-to-read buttons for those smaller screens. Google disclosed its plans two months ago and created a guide and test tool to help web developers prepare for the change. For those curious, TechGraphs is mobile-friendly, per Google. Yay us.

Dierkes is still catering to his loyal readers, though. At the bottom of the mobile site is a desktop option, which will allow users to switch back to the old mobile site, as seen below.

Dierkes says he still plans to change its commenting system, which utilizes Disqus currently.

“I don’t trust a third party owning everyone’s comments long-term” Dierkes commented on his post today. “I can’t control if they go out of business, or any number of things that could happen with them. I also have no ability to customize or add features to the comment system or deal with bugs. It really just needs to be under our control, even if there are growing pains.”

Once the new commenting system is in place, comments will be integrated in to the Trade Rumors app, which does not feature the Disqus comments at this time.

“I think it would allow for better customization, better page load speed and also the content would be under our roof,” Dierkes told me.

This year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to be the grandest Women’s sporting event of all time. Today FIFA boasted a number of major technological advances to be unveiled upon kickoff, such as broadcasting 10 matches — including the final — in 8K Ultra HD format. The press release also announced each game will feature no less than 20 cameras and as many as 22 trained on the field, a step up from the 16 camera setup in 2011’s Women’s Cup.

The use of goal-line technology (GLT) is being revamped as well. Rather than stick with the GoalControl system used in the men’s World Cup in Brazil last year, FIFA has decided to go with the Hawk-eye system in Canada. Both employ seven cameras focused on each goal and will be called upon for a ruling if a goal or no goal situation arrises.

FIFA has noticed the rise in second screening demands as well, and the presser specifically indicates a team of producers with a focus on mobile, tablet and laptop users. In order to view every game you’ll need a television package, as the matches will be split up between Fox and Fox Sports 1 for the English broadcast and NBC-owned Telemundo for Spanish. Nicolas Ericson, FIFA Director of TV, stated:

This is the biggest broadcast production we have invested in so far for a women’s football tournament. This supports FIFA’s commitment to develop and promote women’s football and it reflects the huge momentum and interest in women’s football around the world today.

Via Statista and using previous Women’s World Cups as the bar, nothing has come particularly close as far as live spectators since the 1999 Cup.

On the other hand, 2011 saw ESPN have its highest rated soccer game of all time in the 2011 final between Japan and the United States. Television audiences were up around the world in 2011 compared the 2007 Women’s World Cup as well.

This year offers a good blend time zone friendly starts — the early afternoon games are perfect for Europe — new programming and embracing the fans with second screen options for what is shaping up to be the biggest Women’s World Cup yet.

(Header image via FIFA)

WrestleMania XXXI already broke the attendance record at Levi’s Stadium — the home of the San Francisco 49ers. This is a factor of, well, it being WrestleMania and all, as well as the fact the comparatively diminutive size of a wrestling ring allows for a LOT of seats to be placed on field level. Another, much nerdier record was also broken during that event. The record WiFi usage at Levi’s Stadium, previously set at 3.3 terabytes during the 49ers 2014 home opener, was choke-slammed into oblivion. According to 49ers officials, WrestleMania attendees sucked down 4.5 terabytes of data during the event in early April.

As Mobile Sports Report mentions, this record did not come without a conscious effort to beef up infrastructure. Since the stadium was not built to handle that kind of traffic from users on the actual field of play, 69 additional access points were temporarily installed to accommodate fans. Extra WiFi coverage was also added to the temporary seating areas that were added for the massive outdoor event.

I want to reiterate that these numbers were for WiFi alone, and do not reflect traffic over standard cellular signals. That is not only a massive amount of data, it signifies a massive amount of users that connected to the stadium WiFi. Think of how many Tweets and Facebook posts it would take to comprise 4.5 terabytes of data — it’s staggering.

Being in a technology epicenter certainly put pressure on stadium workers to make sure the pipes were big enough to handle all the traffic. But there are other factors in play as well. Levi’s Stadium is the site for Super Bowl 50 in February. No offense to the WWE, but if any event warrants the need for flawless and high-powered Internet access, it’s the biggest event in sports. We saw that six terabytes of data were consumed during the college football championship. While that’s a big event in and of itself, it’s still not the Super Bowl. I imagine that WrestleMania acted as a bit of a test run for those in charge of Levi’s Stadium’s bits and bytes. According to the 49ers, the stress tests went smoothly. We’ll see how it really shakes out in 10 months, but at least WWE fans were able to post all the photos and video of ring entrances and belt hoisting that they required.

(Image via Andrew Beckman)

Yesterday the Google Chrome team launched Chrome 42. The latest version of the popular browser has made some noteworthy changes to the behind-the-scenes things we take for granted. Arguably the biggest change is what will work with Chrome 42 in the near future, as Google plans to phase out old Netscape Plugin Application Programs Interfaces (NPAPI) such as Java and Silverlight extension compatibility entirely by September of this year.

Back in 2013 Google whitelisted many existing NPAPI extensions, meaning they continued usage and compatibility, though they did drop the whitelist of approved NPAPI’s in January of this year. While not blocked yet, the older NPAPI’s were no longer on by default in Chrome. To quote Google:

“In fact, many modern web platform features—including video and audio support—first saw mainstream deployment through NPAPI-based plug-ins. But the web has evolved. Today’s browsers are speedier, safer, and more capable than their ancestors. Meanwhile, NPAPI’s 90s-era architecture has become a leading cause of hangs, crashes, security incidents, and code complexity. Because of this, Chrome will be phasing out NPAPI support over the coming year.”

Google is a company that takes change seriously, as they have a developer timeline and clearly want to stick to it . Unfortunately for the consumer, many major websites still require use of Java or Silverlight for graphics or videos. For example the NBA website specifically recommends Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox.

MLB is no different as it lists Java as a needed plugin, however at least baseball does cite Chrome in its recommended browsers.

Similarly, the NFL initially lists only Explorer and Foxfire for their Game Rewind subscription service, though some digging did reveal Chrome 12 is listed as a minimum requirement.

Even watching a movie or show on Amazon Prime’s streaming service pops up a recommendation to stop using Chrome and switch browsers.

Google is recommending users and developers switch over to a HTML5 or proprietary system such as their Native Client to load graphics packages. As previously noted, HTML5 is far superior to GIFs in quality and size, as well as loading time. Additionally, HTML 5 is friendly on mobile operating system browsers such as Android,  Safari on iOS, Silk on Fire OS and more. While it does seem like Google is bullying websites and consumers alike, it is being done in the name of progress. The ends don’t justify the means, but the rapidly changing pace of technology requires companies, developers and consumers to push forward. A specific quote from Brad Pitt while portraying Billy Beane in Moneyball comes to mind.

(Header image via Wikipedia)

The Dodgers have been on the forefront of a few of the biggest changes in baseball, namely the great western migration of baseball and the integration of the league. More recently, the new(ish) ownership of the club has combined their garish amounts of money with a push toward analytics and put together a team that many expect to compete for the NL pennant in 2015. But their emphasis on innovation does not stop on the diamond, as the Dodgers have announced a partnership with advertising firm R/GA to start a startup accelerator for sports-minded technology and media companies.

The idea is fairly straight forward as far as accelerators go. Various companies in various stages of development apply to be part of the program. If accepted, these companies get a little capital ($120,000 each) as well as access to numerous mentors and strategic partners — including R/GA, of course — to help grow their visions and get their products to market.

What the Dodgers’ interest is in starting such a project remains to be seen. It could be merely for some good PR. They could be interested in buying up any of the companies that impress during the accelerator. Or they could be interested in investing in particularly interesting ideas. The ownership group of the Dodgers are mainly investors, after all.

Say a company in the accelerator puts together a great piece of technology that lets fans check their phones to see how long the bathroom lines are (weird example, I know. This is why I’m not applying). The Dodgers love the idea and have the means and wherewithal to snatch up that company and test their product in Dodger Stadium. It’s a massive hit, and fans of all the other teams are demanding the technology in their favorite ballparks. Bing, bang, boom — the Giants (and every other team) have to pay the Dodgers a handsome licensing fee. The Dodgers make even more money, and parlay that into 18 straight World Series championships.

I got a little carried away there, but you see the point. The Dodgers are a baseball team, yes, but they are also an entertainment company. They operate in a market that is pulling consumers in a thousand different directions. They compete with other high-profile and very wealthy sports teams in their market and a World Series winner not far up the road. It seems silly to think that such a rich baseball team might need a competitive edge, but it’s not. This accelerator proves that the Dodgers are still working to make a competitive team and a competitive business.

The deadline to apply for the program is June 29th. Application instructions and all necessary info can be found on the Dodgers Accelerator web site.

(image via woolenium)

Orlando City Soccer Club, one of Major League Soccer’s newest expansions, has signed an exclusive deal with internet and communications company Bright House Networks. Set to provide in-house high definition video, phone service and managed Wi-Fi as well as dedicated internet, Orlando City SC joins other MLS stadiums such as Sporting Kansas City and Vancouver Whitecaps FC among others to offer free Wi-Fi.

Phil Rawlins, President and Founder of Orlando City SC, believes this partnership will benefit the fans and club alike, stating

“As a club that is passionate about innovation and prides itself on constantly looking for ways to enhance our supporters’ experience, we are excited to partner with Bright House Networks. Through this partnership, we will offer our supporters a way to stay connected at our stadiums and enjoy interacting with each other during games.”

Fans using an immense amount of data at a sporting event is nothing new, though the usage of phones and tablets while at live game isn’t for everyone. Last year PSV Eindhoven, a perennial powerhouse in the top Dutch league, Eredivisie, had extremely vocal fans come out against the implementation of Wi-Fi in their home stadium (warning: language). As the linked article notes, Manchester United — arguably the most recognized name in soccer — banned iPads and tablets from its home stadium last year.

On this side of the Atlantic, it’s hard to imagine a sports fan base being hostile towards in-stadium Wi-Fi, if anything, the opposite is true: fans are beginning to wish for more connectivity. The difference in opinion could be cultural, or based on the differences in mobile phone billing between here and Europe. Phone and tablet subsidies aren’t a thing in Europe, and thus the monthly bill is much lower than in North America. Regardless of the reasons, Wi-Fi and devices are gaining ground in stadiums here, but not so much abroad.

Home field advantage on the soccer pitch, something that is somewhat quantified in a study for the Premier League, reached a point where a rule was involved across multi-league events back in the 1960s. Since the introduction of the Away goals rule in UEFA, not conceding goals at home is very important, and fans tend to believe they can help their team. Be it through signs, chants and songs or general participation, it isn’t hard to see why certain groups of fans would respond negatively to something they perceive as taking away from their home field advantage.

(Header image via Wikipedia)

There might finally be a protective baseball cap that doesn’t look ridiculously goofy.

ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reported yesterday that Chicago White Sox pitcher Hector Noesi and Esmil Rogers of the New York Yankees are wearing inserts under their hats made partially of Kevlar, the material used within the military and law enforcement for bullet-proof vests. The three-milimeter thin pad combines an elastomer with Kevlar to absorb, disperse and dissipate energy to reduce the extent of injury upon impact, which in most cases is a line drive off a pitcher’s dome. Unequal Technologies, which developed this product, aptly named the insert “Dome”.

An elastomer is a rubbery material made of long chain-like molecules (polymers) that can return to their original shape after extending.

I watched Rogers pitch in relief during that Red Sox/Yankees marathon game Friday night and never noticed anything wonky about his hat. So either he wasn’t wearing the insert during that appearance, or it really looks a whole lot better than the hat Alex Torres wore last year.

It’s worth noting that while not MLB approved, pitchers are allowed to wear protective gear of their choice as long as it doesn’t offer any interference with play or MLB licensing agreements.

Rob Vito, CEO of Unequal Technologies, told ESPN that the padding is 5 1/2 ounces. He said he’s done his own independent testing and will seek MLB approval. But he won’t make any claims about protecting against certain speeds off the bat. Just that it’ll protect pitchers against line drives.

Jen Lada, a reporter for Comcast Sports Net Chicago, highlighted the Dome prior to the White Sox home opener on Friday.

Unequal Technologies also sells the Gyro for football helmets, which can be trimmed to customize fits. It’s approved by the National Federation of High School Associations and is being piloted in Pop Warner football programs.

The Dome is available for purchase for $59.95.

(Image via Unequal Technologies)