CHANGING THE GAME
SMT has more than 30 years of experience in designing, developing, deploying, operating, maintaining, refining, and servicing award-winning, best-in-class technology solutions for sports.
35
YEARS
60
SPORTS
70
PATENTS
20K
ANNUAL EVENTS
220
CLIENTS
33
EMMY AWARDS
Customers and Partners
Over 200 clients entrust us with their most valuable assets: their fans.
Scoring and Statistical Systems
SMT designed and developed the official timing and scoring systems for:
SOLUTIONS FOR FCFL
Tracking and Telemetry
From NASCAR to the NFL, SMT’s tracking technologies help tell stories through data visualizations via the four key forms of sports tracking technology (optical, GPS, infrared (IR), and ultra-wideband (UWB)/RFID).
SMT assists Major League Baseball, Minor League baseball and the PGA Tour with our optical tracking technology. We use computer vision to track baseballs and golf balls to within a pixel or better accuracy. SMT has tracked over 10 million pitches in baseball as well as all of the approach shots for every PGA Tour event. For NFL broadcasts, SMT’s CameraTracker provides an optical data tracking system on an aerial broadcast camera to insert live 3D virtual graphics onto the playing field. SMT’s Next Gen Tele auto render system brings impactful value with storytelling tools that show fans the route variations as plays develop.
SMT captures a plethora of GPS-generated information for motorsports, including telemetry data (speed, throttle, brakes, gears, and RPM), positioning data and camera data. The data is used to create a real-time digital record of the race that is dispersed to various systems that feed on-air graphics.
SMT’s Puck and Player Tracking technology for the NHL is based on infrared technology. We place sensors in the back collar of the player uniforms as well as sensors inside the puck to track accurately within an inch.
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) uses our Ultra-Wide Band/RFID technology to help determine punch speeds of their fighters which is then visualized throughout the fight as graphical insertions to help augment the broadcaster's storytelling efforts.
Player Statistics
SMT’s Football Intelligence Engine seamlessly integrates real-time statistical, historical and real-time data into a variety of SMT-designed graphics packages in conjunction with the NFL’s Next Gen Stats and RFID-based tracking system. This valuable real-time team and player data includes positional information (Who’s on the field?), game leaders (Who’s the fastest on the field today? Who’s had the longest plays today?) and quarterback passing grids (How has this QB fared in these zones today?). The production is made possible by SMT’s Dual-Channel SportsCG.
Clock Management / Timing Systems
As the pioneer in developing the first real-time scoring and wireless data delivery systems and the first on-air clock-and-score graphic, SMT understands the intricacies of real-time scoring as well as the effective presentation of real-time data to viewers. SMT has developed the official timing and scoring systems for the NHL, PGA Tour, Open Championship, NBA, Wimbledon, NASCAR, X Games, CrossFit Games and Dew Tour. Clients have included ESPN, ABC, NBC, and other major networks.
SMT’s clock-and-score technology is available via its dual-channel SportsCG, a turnkey graphics publishing system that allows greater autonomy via a second channel laptop that can be operated remotely. In addition to producing the score bug, the SportsCG offers real-time, in-game offensive and defensive statistics powered by SMT QB Stats, the same system SMT uses for NCAA and NFL games.
SMT’s customized virtual graphics include a unique Go Clock for the startup American Flag Football League (AFFL) that synchronized with in-stadium displays to indicate when the defense was free to rush the quarterback.
Virtual In-Game Graphics
SMT’s Emmy-winning virtual 1st & Ten line system produces virtual graphics such as the first-down line, down-and-distance line, and line of scrimmage used in NFL and NCAA broadcasts. When deployed from the SMT Camera Tracker system, the system provides the “Madden-style” play-by-play angle used during NBC Sports’ broadcasts. SMT’s customized virtual graphics include a unique Go Clock for the startup American Flag Football League (AFFL) that synchronized with in-stadium displays to indicate when the defense was free to rush the quarterback.
SMT’s Design Studio designs and implements insert and virtual graphics packages, show opens, score bugs, logos and other elements for clients, including the NFL, AFFL and XFL broadcasts.
Virtual Ads
SMT has been providing its virtual advertisement insertions since 2003, allowing our clients to sell ad space in uniquely flexible spaces such as fields of play, tennis courts, backboards behind batters, hockey rink glass, on buildings, as virtual billboards and virtual sets and more.
Dubbed V-FAB (Virtual Fans, Ads and Brands), clients such as MLB take full advantage of the technology with virtual ads that rotate with the change of each batter. Our hockey clients have used our technology to display five ads at once, in various locations around the rink. Ads can be targeted on a per-market basis for local, national and international broadcasts and are excellent options for companies to build global brand awareness.
In July 2020, SMT teamed up with Major League Soccer (MLS) to display virtual advertising and in-program enhancements for the league's national and international television broadcasts for the MLS is Back Tournament in Florida.
SMT’s V-FAB (Virtual Fans, Ads and Brands) technology provided the league’s local and national partners and advertisers with virtual graphics on and around the field. The virtual 300-by-15-foot wall on the far sideline displayed approximately 200 messages per game, with ads that were zoned for national and international broadcasts on ESPN, Fox Sports, and Univision/TUDN in the U.S. and on TSN and TVA in Canada.
Social Media Integration
SMT’s comprehensive social media integration enhances the Game Day experience by providing fans with an opportunity to interact in a collective way through social media.
SMT’s Social Media Publisher enables broadcasters to aggregate, filter, and seamlessly integrate real-time social media content into live shows. Clients can search hashtags and users, retrieve content and format that content in our other CG products/presentations in both 2D and 3D virtual.
SMT’s social media technology gives clients the ability to offer fans at home or in the stands direct, real-time access to athletes, entertainers, and the sports and entertainment events they love. Whether the best approach calls for SMT’s GOTO Boards, Social Media Walls or virtual solutions, our productions tell the unique story of every event. A select example of our social media solutions that have been implemented include the 2020 “MLS is Back Tournament” on virtual videoboards, The Miami Open via a 17-by-7-foot LED Social Media Wall, and the U.S. Open on its 50-by-8-foot LED Social Media Wall.
Commentator Information Systems (CIS)
SMT’s sports intelligence technology collects real-time data to feed a variety of our products, such as our Commentator Information System (CIS). With SMT’s commentator support, on-air talent is instructed on how best to use our off-camera information systems to deliver expert analysis. Our systems offer an array of current and historical data, statistical and real-time information, including injury reports, strategy reports, and other pertinent data -- everything an announcer needs to provide complete, real-time game and player analysis.
Giant On-Air Talent-Operated Board (GOTO)
With SMT’s GOTO Board, broadcasters can deliver compelling analyses with the interactive touch screen and interface system that combines real-time data, graphics, social media and live video integration with robust features and tools. The custom-designed, content-rich application has been utilized at events such as the Kentucky Derby, Wimbledon, and the Academy Awards.
The OASIS Platform
SMT’s approach to sports technology is embodied in our latest innovation, the OASIS (Organization of Asynchronous Sports Information Subsystems) Platform.
SMT’s patented OASIS Platform is a highly-integrated, multi-venue, time-synchronized, multilevel, data/video management system that SMT architected, designed and created to provide professional sports leagues with a platform to maintain, administer and manage centralized control over all phases of the data and video, including:
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Creation;
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Collection, Organization, Synchronization, Management, Administration, Distribution;
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Micro-authentication (user access and entitlement);
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Visualization; and,
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Monetization.
The OASIS Platform’s capabilities include:
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Organizing live and accurate tracking systems;
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Creating new and advanced statistics through its Eventing Intelligence Engine;
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Supporting commentators with live, continually updating in-game information; and
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Outputting to graphical interface systems for broadcast enhancements.
In the video that follows, you will see how all the information from the OASIS Platform comes to life for the NHL. The OASIS “Quad Split” video has four components:
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Upper right quadrant: Our tracking video allows the user to see that all players and the puck are being properly tracked and tagged.
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Lower right quadrant: One of two multipurpose and interactive portions of the video controller allows the user to see (and change between) various screens including:
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The graphical interface screen where operators can insert virtual elements in real time;
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A Commentator Information Screen (CIS);
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A data analysis screen that confirms the system is receiving data as planned and measures the real-time quality of the data being received against agreed-to protocols;
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An eventing screen that recognizes data and newly created events as they occur; and
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A script editor that allows the operator to change instructions to the system for insertion of virtual elements and/or pre-programmed instant replay scripts.
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Lower left quadrant: This quadrant is similar to the lower right hand quadrant in that it allows the operator to toggle between screens. This video clip demonstrates the real-time generation of automated events being created through the OASIS Platform’s live eventing engine.
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Upper left quadrant: Displays the real-time output of the system; this output will be highlighted in future videos showing the application.