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MLB teams could use cameras to detect fans who don't wear masks
According to a Bloomberg report the MLB has been investigating the use of cameras that could scan fans and spot individuals who are either not wearing masks or are using them improperly.
UK soccer stars may sue betting companies over player data profits
Can a team of UK-based footballers get money for their athletic data?
Amazon won't stream any Yankees games during the 2020 season
Amazon will no longer stream Yankees games for the 2020 season, and the pandemic isn't the only reason.
AI predicts a Dodgers World Series win after a COVID-shortened season
Major League Baseball is entering uncharted waters with the start of its COVID-abridged season today. Nobody’s really sure if the 60-game season will even be able to get through the World Series without disruption by the pandemic’s spread. The folks at Unanimous AI have been making high profile predictions like these since 2016, when their UNU platform correctly figured 11 of 15 winners for that year’s Academy Awards.
Pro baseball players will compete in an online 'MLB The Show' league
Starting today, you'll be able to cheer for your favorite MLB team as they compete in Sony's MLB The Show 20. The top eight players will advance to the postseason. The MLB, MLB Players Association and Sony will donate $5,000 on behalf of each player to their team's local Boys and Girls Club affiliate.
Recommended Reading: The internet sleuths who caught the Astros cheating
How the internet helped crack the Astros' sign-stealing case Joon Lee, ESPN One of the biggest sports stories of the year has already broke, and it's barely mid-January. If you haven't heard, Major League Baseball determined the Houston Astros used various methods, including video feeds, to steal signs from the opposition during the team's 2017 championship season -- including the World Series. MLB found that it continued to do so during the 2018 season, too. So far, three managers have lost their jobs due to their involvement. ESPN explains how internet detectives examined footage for clues over the last several months, and how that work helped blow the case wide open.
A machine-learning system may have predicted the World Series winner
The 2019 MLB postseason has been a wild one. The Dodgers imploded in the first round, clearing the way for the Washington Nationals to rout a listless Cardinals team and win their first NLCS since 1933. Back East, the Astros won out against the Yankees for American League dominance and a ticket to the World Series. All of these upsets have made the postseason a joy for fans but a nightmare for the gambling community. However, one company thinks it has the answer: Combine the collective wisdom of crowds with modern machine-learning methods into a symbiotic sports-betting hive mind.
Adidas made a Snapchat game to drop limited, 8-bit-themed baseball cleats
Adidas is teaming up with Snapchat on a unique way to launch a product. The sportswear giant has created an 8-bit game you can play in Snapchat, called Baseball's Next Level, where you'll have the chance to buy its new 8-bit-themed baseball cleats. Produced in partnership with developer AvatarLabs, Baseball's Next Level is a home run derby, old-school style title that will let you play as some of Adidas' Major League Baseball athletes. That includes Aaron Judge (Yankees), Carlos Correa (Astros), Alex Bregman (Astros), Justin Turner (Dodgers) and Kiké Hernandez (Dodgers), all of whom have their own Adizero or Icon V cleats in the Adidas 8-bit collection, which you can buy directly from the game.
Fox Sports will stream ALCS games in 4K HDR for the first time
Want to watch the American League Championship Series in the best possible quality? You'll need to stream it. Fox Sports is keeping up its recent habits by streaming 2019 ALCS games in 4K HDR through its namesake app and Fox Now. The same caveats still apply. You'll need a 4K-capable Roku device or an Apple TV 4K to watch. And this is technically an upconverted 1080p signal rather than true 4K -- you might not see every dirt smudge on player's uniforms. This could nonetheless be the best view you get, and you can tune into the non-HDR 4K feed using FuboTV and conventional broadcasters.
You can now order Postmates at Yankee Stadium
The days of gnawing on rubbery hot dogs or peanuts during a baseball game are long over. From Fenway Park to Camden Yards, most MLB stadiums are packed with a wide range of food options. But for the Yankees fan with a craving for something different, Postmates today has announced an exclusive partnership with Yankee Stadium. The food delivery app already has a similar partnership in place with the Dodger Stadium.
YouTube's exclusive MLB coverage begins streaming today
Earlier this year YouTube announced an exclusive 13-game streaming deal with Major League Baseball -- and it's starting today. If you're in the USA, Canada or Puerto Rico you'll be able to watch a live MLB game of the week, every week of the regular season, no fees or sign-in required. And you won't be able to watch these games anywhere else. Today's game -- Dodgers vs Phillies -- starts at 12:30pm ET / 09:30am PT. Head over to YouTube's MLB channel to watch it live.
'Robot umpire' helps call balls and strikes in Atlantic League All-Star Game
If you're tired of watching baseball's umpires blow ball and strike calls, we have some good news for you. Last night, a "robot" umpire called the Atlantic League All-Star game, and soon all eight teams in the league will use the system for all their games for the remainder of the system. The plan to try this tracking technology was first announced back in March, and after a half-season of testing the radar-powered system from TrackMan, it was deemed ready to go for the All-Star game. It's an experiment done in partnership with Major League Baseball, and it was a precursor of something that could come to the big leagues in the future.
Recommended Reading: The music streaming payday won't go to artists
The record industry expects a windfall. Where will the money go? Marc Hogan, Pitchfork It's no secret the music industry is booming on the back of streaming services. However, it seems like not much will change in terms of where all the money goes. Pitchfork explains that much of the revenue will stay in the "upper echelon" of the industry rather than going to most of the people actually making music. "And yet, just as it's been throughout the history of recorded music, most of the money will not go to artists," Marc Hogan writes.
YouTube will exclusively stream 13 MLB games this season
YouTube has just made another major push with its sports broadcasting agenda, announcing a deal with Major League Baseball (MLB) that will give it exclusive rights to 13 games during the 2019 season. The games will be livestreamed for viewers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico for free on MLB's official YouTube channel, and on a forthcoming dedicated channel on YouTube TV.
The Athletic expands its sports news subscription with over 20 podcasts
The Athletic plans on delivering over 20 new podcasts focused on hyper-local and national sports coverage to its over 100,000 paid subscribers. The paywalled sports outlet launched its new podcast venture on Tuesday, featuring shows that focus on the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB and fantasy sports. The company is also planning on adding a total of 15 podcasts that focus on local sports in the Bay Area and Toronto.
Facebook will only stream six MLB games this season
Facebook will broadcast live Major League Baseball games once again this season. However, it will offer far fewer games than last year. Under the latest one-year deal, Facebook will stream six non-exclusive games on Watch, one per month during the regular season. That's a big step down from the 25 exclusive games Facebook aired last year.
Sling TV adds MLB Network just in time for Opening Day
Baseball fans can now watch MLB games on Sling TV, just as the new season gets underway. Sling TV announced on Thursday the addition of two new channels exclusively for baseball; MLB Network and MLB Strike Zone. MLB Network will feature live regular season and postseason game telecasts and a nightly news program, "MLB Tonight". Strike Zone will feature highlights, updates and more when live games air on Tuesday and Friday evenings.
MLB considers pitch tracking system to assist home plate umpires
The next target for automation: baseball umpires. The Atlantic League, an independent baseball league, announced today that it will use tracking technology to assist umps in calling balls and strikes during the 2019 season in partnership with Major League Baseball. If the experiment goes well, MLB will consider implementing a similarly automated system for its future seasons.
MLB cracks down on high-tech sign stealing
Major League Baseball (MLB) has a sign stealing problem and it believes cameras and technology are to blame. According to Sports Illustrated, the league is banning all cameras that aren't used for broadcasting and cracking down on in-stadium video used by teams. If any squad is found to be in violation of the new anti-tech rules, they'll be forced to forfeit draft picks and spending money designated for international players.
Sports service DAZN lets you stream four games at once
Sports streaming platform DAZN offers a wide variety of live and on-demand matches across several sports. To help you catch as much of the action as possible, it's adding a multiview option that lets you watch up to four streams at once.
