By Dr. Matthew Loux and Bryce Loux | 01/05/2026
Sports technology is a wide and constantly shifting area. It involves bringing new devices, methodologies, and systems to aid an athlete’s training and improve sporting experiences, both for the athlete and the fan.
New technological innovations are redefining the sports industry. Technology in sports is influencing:
- How athletes perform
- How fans experience sporting events
- How injury prevention and athlete preparation for competition is improved
- How sports businesses operate
What Is Sports Technology?
Sports technology refers to digital technologies that monitor athletic performance and sporting events. This field includes complex digital technologies like analyses driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and systems using virtual reality (VR).
Amid increased pressure to gain a competitive advantage, athletic teams are leveraging information technology such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to make more informed decisions about recruitment, training programs, and game-day tactics. For example, integrating biometric technology with mechanized technology can improve athletic performance.
In today’s data-driven era, sports technology also increases the relevance and accessibility of sporting events. Professional sports organizations also use sports technology to increase revenue opportunities by creating immersive experiences at smart stadiums.
Sports Technology Applications
Technology developers have found many novel ways to enhance sports operations, sports performance, and even sport policy. They include:
- Wearable devices
- Data analysis
Wearable Devices
Sports teams rely on digital wearables (such as smartwatches) to gather performance-related data and fine-tune techniques, tactics, and activities during matches. Physical training monitors and smart clothing help coaches gather exercise data to hone game strategies, performance analysis, and personal training plans.
For just a few examples, professional football players use wearable technology such as global positioning satellite (GPS) vests with built-in sensors and accelerometers. These vests are used during practice sessions to track sprints, speeds, and distances covered. This data helps coaches tailor drills and monitor each player to minimize fatigue-related injuries.
In addition, endurance equipment features built-in heart rate monitors that help athletes optimize their cardiovascular performance. Similarly, elite swimmers use sensor-embedded swim caps or goggles. The sensors enable them to gain immediate feedback and improve stroke efficiency.
These high-level smart wearables used by sport businesses drive elite performance in the sports industry. Also, they empower amateur athletes to train better, track their progress, and set achievable goals.
Data Analytics
Analytics have changed the sports management field and performance analysis. Professional sports organizations apply data analysis to make strategic, data-driven decisions as they choose new players and develop game-day plans.
Sports management can build winning strategies for sports teams by applying multi-level algorithm calculations of:
- Each player’s statistics
- The opponent’s actions
- The environment of the game
The use of sports data analytics in baseball and basketball is very advanced and covers all the aspects needed for scouting and performance assessment. Video devices that analyze game sports build tactics that enable athletes to adjust and improve the techniques needed for better response in play.
Data analysis is also used beyond performance enhancement. For example:
- Real-time data and predictive analytics have contributed to the growth of fantasy sports and esports.
- Tracking algorithms in cameras and video analysis help referees see call lines to make more informed calls.
- Physiotherapists analyze motion capture and biomechanical tools to aid athletes to recover and compete faster through analytics-based, customized rehabilitation plans.
Improving Player Safety and Mental Health
Another important area of focus in sports technology is injury prevention. Wearable technology can determine early signs of fatigue and other biomechanical discrepancies that can lead to an athlete’s injury. Motion-capture techniques and force plates determine potentially dangerous movements so that players can correct their performance before an injury occurs.
In professional football, helmets with impact sensors simultaneously register an impact’s strength and the position of collisions to alert coaches to potential concussions. In winter sports, microprocessors built into ski boots and bindings can automatically adjust tension to improve a skier’s control, safety, and comfort for performance optimization.
Mental health and mental toughness are also increasingly aided by sports tech. Professional athletes can use sports apps for guided meditation, biofeedback, and virtual reality that assist them in training for mental strength in the same way athletes build physical strength. With technology, athletes can take a fully balanced approach to training that very few competitors can afford.
Sporting Equipment Development
Sports tech developments have also enhanced sports equipment designing and manufacturing. Lighter, stronger, and more responsive equipment and gear have been developed using carbon fiber, titanium, and advanced polymers.
More customized tennis rackets, golf clubs, and running shoes are much more affordable due to the new energy return they provide to athletes. Smart sports equipment, like basketballs, has sensors that record and analyze the players’ shots to assist in feedback that promotes skill enhancement.
The way to improve helmet safety for contact sports is welcoming. For example, football helmets with impact sensors register the impact strength and position of collisions at the same time to record the place of the players to assist the technicians in the moment of possible concussion and notify the coaching stuff of a possible threat.
In winter sports, microprocessor ski boots and ski bindings adjust tension and provide the perfect fit for both safety and comfort. Traditional sports like cricket and baseball have come a long way, with bats now designed using computer-aided engineering to be of optimal weight and ease ratio swing.
These changes help to enhance performance improvement. Also, these digital tools aid in minimizing injury risk and maximize athlete safety.
New Technologies and Fan Engagement
Technology in sports helps fans immerse themselves in games in new ways. Many sports enthusiasts also enjoy streaming apps so they can connect with fellow fans and access bonus content while watching live games.
Currently, an estimated 70% of U.S. sports fans use a streaming app. Multimedia technologies transform the experience of major sporting events such as the Olympics and World Cup. Computerized systems collect and analyze real-time data from thousands of cameras and sensors to broadcast to worldwide audiences.
High-definition cameras enrich the audience experience through panoramic views and augmented reality. With augmented reality (AR), fans can access dynamic content such as interactive play diagrams to deepen their involvement in game days. Augmented reality enhances broadcasts by displaying player statistics or animated lines on the field, allowing for a more immersive experience.
Similarly, virtual reality (VR) typically involves high-definition cameras that enrich the user experience. Virtual reality experiences may include seeing a game from different angles or watching a match with friends in different physical locations.
With new technologies, fans have access to digital collectibles, fantasy leagues, and immersive experiences to root for their favorite teams and players. Stadiums are also equipped with interactive kiosks, giving fans fun ways to engage through trivia, games, and other forms of entertainment.
Moral Issues with Technology Adoption
Although there are many positives to using technology in sports, there are still unanswered questions. For instance, there are few governing principles for the ethical application of technology, especially wearable technology.
The issue of inequities is a top concern. In terms of fairness, the most concerning issue is that some players in the world do not have access to technology innovations and cannot tweak their athletic performance accordingly. Performance improvement tools and other devices may amplify those disparities, giving an unfair advantage to some teams competing in amateur sports or major events in professional sports.
Data protection and data science are other areas of great concern. Although there are significant benefits to gathering big data – including the ability to make data-driven decisions – the wide amount of personal and biometric data captured by smart devices raises worries about if that data is securely stored. Athletes and fans need assurance that their data will be protected.
Moreover, the use of technology such as video-assisted refereeing in officiating sporting events has been a source of endless debate. Questions have arisen about precision and the role humans continue to play in making calls.
Technological Advancements to Watch
Sports technology continues to make remarkable advances. From game analysis to injury prediction, artificial intelligence and machine learning are set to transform sports and provide insights more quickly and accurately. Coaches will have their work cut out for them as technological tools construct individualized training programs and predict strategic frameworks.
Esports, or competitive video gaming, is another exciting field in the sporting world. Motion-controlled devices and advanced graphic engines have changed gaming experiences, especially in professional sports organizations. This phenomenon shows how technology may replace some traditional forms of sports while enticing newcomers to engage in sports in new ways.
The Future of Sports Technology
The field of sports technology is having a deep impact on every area of sports sciences. However, new challenges regarding fairness, ethics, and technology should be addressed to create solutions that work on a global scale.
The sports industry needs to participate in responsible innovation by partnering with engineers, regulators, and athletes. The sports world must ensure that fair play and inclusion are focal points in the development of emerging innovations and the digital transformation of the sporting world.
The Master of Science in Athletic Development Management at APU
For interested adult learners, American Public University (APU) provides an online Master of Science in Athletic Development Management. For this master’s degree, students can take courses in advanced exercise and sport physiology, motor learning, and optimal sports performance. Other courses include advanced biomechanics and sports marketing, promotion, and public relations.
For more details on this master’s degree, visit APU’s nursing and health sciences degree program page.
Dr. Matthew Loux is a criminal justice faculty member for the School of Security and Global Studies at American Public University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from the University of Central Missouri State, a doctoral degree in management from Colorado Technical University, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and administration from Aspen University.
Dr. Loux has been in law enforcement for more than 30 years. He has a background in fraud and criminal investigation, as well as hospital, school, and network security. Dr. Loux has researched and studied law enforcement and security best practices for the past 10 years.
