Institute for Sport Business welcome guest lecturers from sports technology community
Last month, the Institute for Sport Business welcomed Thomas Alomes and John Persico from Sport Tech World Series and Jonathan Boase from Lityk to deliver guest lectures to our MSc Sport Analytics and Technologies students.
At the start of the 2020 academic year, MSc Sport Analytics and Technologies students were able to gain unique access to industry insights through a series of guest lectures delivered by accomplished industry professionals as part of the 'Introduction to Sport Analytics' module.
Thomas Alomes, Host of Sports Tech Feed, The Global Sports Technology Podcast, and Head of North America for the Sports Tech World Series (STWS), delivered the first guest lecture centering on the application of advanced analytics in sports with a particular focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer Vision. Thomas’ lecture also explored the revolutionary impact these technologies are having on all levels of how sports are played, administered and consumed around the world.
Speaking of the guest lecture, Thomas said:
"I was impressed by the engaged, perceptive and informed questions of the students throughout the interactive three-hour session. On a personal level, it's incredibly rewarding to contribute some of my learnings and knowledge back to the next generation of sports industry leaders. The future of sports will rely on the application of these advanced technologies and this next crop of leaders are well equipped to drive the industry's growth into the future."
The Institute were also delighted to welcome John Persico, Founder of the Sports Tech World Series (STWS), a week later to also deliver a guest lecture. John's lecture focused on the sports technology landscape and provided students with an international snapshot of the Top 30 emerging trends that will likely shape the future of jobs in the sports sector over the next decade. John discussed the technological focus on human performance, fan engagement, branding, and digital applications, and smart stadium and venue technology. and also provided a number of free tickets to students to attend the Australian Sports Tech World Series Conference which was held virtually.
Speaking of his interactions with our students, John said:
"From artificial intelligence in sports, media and broadcasting, wearables, stadium technology, coaching tech, augmented reality, blockchain, sports betting and sports digital ethics, I believe Loughborough University London students are uniquely qualified to capture meaningful career and leadership prospects in tomorrow's sports jobs marketplace. Students were alert, engaged, curious and entrepreneurial across the 3-hour interactive session - signs the future of UK and global sports innovation will be in great hands."
At the end of October, the Institute also welcomed Jonathan Boase, Founder of Lityk, to discuss his talent identification app, AiScout. His application aims to allow a direct connection between amateur footballers and professional clubs, and Jonathan described how AI allows scouts to find, analyse, score, rate, benchmark and scout players technical, athletic, cognitive, and psychometric ability. Amateur players upload videos to the application performing specific tests and then receive a ranking based on a proprietary analytical model, with players then being identified to receive trials at various clubs. The app is available for download was developed with expertise provided by Loughborough University London.
These guest lectures were enjoyed by students currently studying our MSc Sport Analytics and Technologies programme within the Institute for Sport Business. We would like to say a big thank you to our guest lecturers, Thomas, John and Jonathan.
Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.
It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2020 QS World University Rankings and top in the country for its student experience in the 2018 THE Student Experience Survey.
Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 4th in the Guardian University League Table 2020, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and 8th in The UK Complete University Guide 2020.
Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.
Specialising exclusively in postgraduate-level study, Loughborough University London is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers cutting-edge master’s and PhD degrees, as well as business collaboration, research and enterprise opportunities.
The seven specialist institutes at Loughborough University London include: Design Innovation, Digital Technologies, Diplomacy and International Governance, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International Management, Media and Creative Industries, and Sport Business. Close industry partnerships with a wealth of leading businesses and creative organisations means teaching and learning is informed by real-life challenges and driven by true industry pressures.