Sage brings expertise in data and insights to global sport via partnership with Sportable
ATLANTA, Feb. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sage, the leader in accounting, financial, HR and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses, is partnering with Sportable, a global data collection and analytics platform, to bring deeper, AI-led insights to the biggest sports in North America and beyond.
The strategic marketing partnership follows Sage’s role as ‘Official’ and ‘Insights’ Partner to well-known brands, including Major League Baseball, and builds on its commitment to unleash potential through data, as it does every day for millions of SMB customers.
Sage and Sportable will develop a global sports index, bringing together millions of AI-led insights generated across the sports world by Sportable technology. It will provide open access for anyone to identify trends and better understand key indicators of high performance and game strategy. The first index to be launched will be rugby focused, with future versions planned for soccer, American football and more.
Sportable specializes in advanced technology that tracks balls and players across a number of sports, including rugby, Australian rules football, American football and soccer. Its proprietary hardware is underpinned by AI and Machine Learning, which turn thousands of data points into real-time, automated insights on how players and the ball move during a game and in practice.
The Gilbert x Sportable Smart Ball, for example, used in elite professional level rugby games since 2022, works with wireless beacons around the field to show live game data, such as how far the ball is kicked or passed, and how much territory a team gains as they attack. The technology helps players, coaches and teams use these insights to make performance improvement, tactical and recruitment decisions, while broadcasters and fans benefit from immediate game analysis.
Sage will present the vast amount of data gathered by Sportable’s expanding presence in the sports world and add to its existing portfolio of sports brands, as it helps to deliver business and sports analytics at scale.
Cath Keers, Chief Marketing Officer of Sage said: “Every day, Sage surfaces insights for customers that help them make the best business decisions. We know sporting success relies on the same blend of insight and instinct, so we’re excited about the potential of this partnership. Our brand scale and Sportable’s AI data expertise is a great combination and we look forward to collectively bringing new insights to life across the sports world.”
Commenting on the partnership with Sage, Dugald Macdonald, Co-Founder and CEO of Sportable, said: “We are proud to announce this collaboration between Sportable and Sage. We first worked with Sage in 2022 after deploying the Smart Ball with our partners at Six Nations Rugby, which Sage went on to present during the 2022 Autumn Nations Series and beyond. The Sportable team has created a fantastic, applied technology product that is proven to bring new levels of insight into elite sport both from a performance and fan engagement perspective. To have an opportunity to further bring that to life in partnership with an organisation like Sage, and usher in an accelerated period of growth and learning as a result, is truly exciting.”
Media contact:
Ally Edge
Sage
ally.edge@sage.com
AxiCom
SAGEUSTEAM@axicom.com
About Sage
Sage exists to knock down barriers so everyone can thrive, starting with the millions of Small and Mid-Sized Businesses served by us, our partners and accountants. Customers trust our finance, HR and payroll software to make work and money flow. By digitising business processes and relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, banks and governments, our digital network connects SMBs, removing friction and delivering insights. Knocking down barriers also means we use our time, technology and experience to tackle digital inequality, economic inequality and the climate crisis.
