Sports Technology and Innovation Group – call for submissions

The Sports Technology and Innovation Group has been formed by the UK Government to explore solutions to get fans back into venues. The Group is currently seeking submissions for technologies and innovations that can assist in delivering safe events, while also building fan confidence to return to elite sporting events.

The Sports Technology and Innovation Group is made up of sport, health and tech experts who will work with sport bodies to support the return of fans to sports events as soon as possible. The Group is looking for submissions which provide solutions to any of the following issues being faced:

Ticketing and venue capacity

• How can we increase capacities whilst maintaining social distancing in venues?
• How can we build fan confidence to attend sporting events?

Pre-event and build-up

• How can we use pre-event interactions to promote key safety messages?
• How can we ensure fans take on responsibility for their individual, peer and community safety?

Travelling to the venue

• How can we minimise transmission risk from fans travelling to and from grounds?
• How can we reduce the impact on public transport for sports grounds in urban areas?

Zone Ex (last mile) and entry

• How can we avoid crowded bottlenecks at entry, exit and within venues?

Inside the venue

• How can we ensure fans can circulate safely within the ground? Especially when buying food and drink.

Departure and post-event

• What role can technology, such as smart phones, play in reducing transmission risk across the fan journey?
• How can we maintain socially responsible behaviours after the event?

Companies are able to submit solutions via an online portal at www.sgsa.org.uk/fanreturnsolutions.

Culture Secretary kick starts expert taskforce to work on fans’ return to elite sports venues

An independent team of sport, health and tech experts have been brought together to explore a range of high-tech solutions so that fans can be back in elite sports venues when it is safe to do so, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has announced.

Chaired by David Ross, co-founder of Carphone Warehouse and Non Executive Director of the British Olympic Association, the Sports Technology and Innovation Group (STIG) met for the first time on September 24, 2020. It was also attended by Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, who played an integral role in producing Government guidance around the safe return of elite and grassroots sport, alongside representatives from the Premier League, Microsoft, Innovate Finance and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), amongst others.

The group will work closely with sports bodies and the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) to explore the whole ‘fan journey’ – from home to venue – such as fans’ travelling to and from stadiums, as well as reducing crowding both inside and outside those venues. It will recommend technical solutions to the government that could help bring crowds back into elite sporting venues when it is safe to do so.

The announcement follows the Prime Minister announcing that the planned socially distanced return of fans to sports stadia from 1 October has been postponed, due to the rise in coronavirus infection rates across the country.

Following test events across football, rugby union cricket, snooker and basketball, the pilot programme for the return of spectators to sporting events has also been postponed. The Government is now working at pace with sports to understand the issues faced by organisations facing the most challenging circumstances and what support they may require.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said:

Due to rapidly rising transmission rates we were not able to proceed with the return of fans from the start of October, and are therefore looking at support to help sports through. But I will not give up on finding ways to get fans back safely. The STIG will be working through innovative ideas and technology which could help get fans back where they belong, in stadia and grounds, more quickly. This is vital work that will continue apace.

Sports Technology and Innovation Group Chair, David Ross, said:

We need to do all we can to get fans back into sports grounds and cheering on their heroes as soon as we can safely do so. This group of sport, health and tech experts will work at pace to identify any smart innovations that can help speed up the process of allowing supporters back into stadiums. We know how crucial sport is to the social fabric of our communities as well as the local businesses who rely on it for income in towns and cities across the country. This group of experts will do all it can to come up with solutions that can help bring back live sport for the millions of fans who are missing it as much as we do.

The Government continues to work closely with the sport sector amongst others on a range of innovative solutions to return to business as usual, including through the Government’s ambition to deliver rapid mass testing across the UK, which would support the return of spectators on a significant scale when it is deemed safe to do so. The Sports Technology and Innovation Group will report its recommendations to the Culture Secretary in due course.

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The upcoming ‘hybrid’ edition of ALSD International – Europe’s leading event for the Premium Seat & Sports Hospitality sector – will focus on increasing revenue via new builds, renovations, service expansions & technology, and reopening with confidence. The physical event – being hosted at Liverpool FC’s Anfield Stadium and powered by Ungerboeck – will be fully virtualised, welcoming in-person and remote attendees.

ALSD International will feature a high-level conference, with all sessions being streamed, an exhibition hall (physical & virtual), behind-the-scenes tours of Anfield, Goodison Park and M&S Bank Arena (physical & virtual) and networking events (physical & virtual) ensuring optimised opportunities to knowledge-share, network and do business.

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