ShotTracker's 10 Milestones of 2018

In every major sport, advanced analytics have kicked the competition into high gear. Players and coaches demand detailed data to improve their performance, smartphone-armed fans to enhance their viewing experience, and broadcast commentators to offer in-depth analysis to the audience watching at home. With the global sports analytics market expected to generate revenues of $4.5 billion by 2024, the data-charged future of sports is a foregone conclusion.

ShotTracker — the revolutionary sensor-based system that instantly delivers live stats and analytics via an easy-to-use app — is leading that charge for basketball teams at every level. In the run-up to 2018, top college programs such as Kansas and Oklahoma had already installed ShotTracker in their practice gyms and arenas. The last twelve months were something else: an evolutionary leap, in which the Kansas City-based company showed how stats and analytics enhance every single aspect of the game.

Here are ten major milestones that ShotTracker established in 2018.

TECH ON THE BENCH

For the first time in history, the NCAA granted a waiver allowing the four participating teams in November’s Hall of Fame Classic tournament to access real-time stats and analytics during a game. Swapping clipboards for iPads, the coaching staffs of Texas Tech, USC, Missouri State and Nebraska used ShotTracker to design game-winning plays and stingy defensive strategies.

INNOVATION REWARDED

ShotTracker unveiled its custom Rechargeable Ball Rack — a completely wireless charging solution for its sensor-enabled basketballs. Capable of charging 20 balls at the same time in less than two hours, this first-of-its-kind charging solution was named a CES 2019 Innovation Awards honoree, thus confirming ShotTracker’s hard-earned rep as a company that never stops innovating.

FIRST NATIONAL ADS

The Hall of Fame Classic wasn’t just the first time NCAA games were powered by live stats - it also served as the platform for ShotTracker’s first two national spots. Airing on ESPN during breaks in the action, the ads provided fans across the country with a glimpse at how ShotTracker’s changing the game.

NBA SHOW & TELL

ShotTracker was invited to the first annual NBA Sports & Science Expo in Las Vegas, where it showcased its industry-leading tech for NBA teams and execs who’d flown into town for Summer League. This marked the first time that most of these NBA movers and shakers got to see why investors Magic Johnson and former commissioner David Stern have such high hopes for ShotTracker. Plus, cofounders Bruce Ianni and Davyeon Ross hung out with The Commish Himself, Adam Silver. Pics or it didn’t happen.

70+ Countries. 32 Teams. 1 Champion

Bringing together youth from all over the world, the first-ever Jr. NBA World Championships partnered with ShotTracker to bring the power of elite-level analytics to coaches and players, as well as fans across the globe. Held in August at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World® Resort, the tournament proved that amateurs stand to benefit from ShotTracker just as much as college players and pros.

SETTING THE PACE

With so many new companies flooding the sports analytics space, ShotTracker stands out as a veteran presence. This year, the Kansas City-based company celebrated its 5th Anniversary — and, if nothing else, this list of accolades and accomplishments proves that ShotTracker is setting the pace. The team, which has grown to 30+ members, is leveraging their mix of passion, dedication and diligence to make elite-level analytics accessible to everyone.

EVERY SHOT COUNTS

Over the course of 2018, dozens of new programs installed ShotTracker in their practice gyms and arenas, including Kansas State and Oklahoma State (the fifth and sixth Big 12 teams to sign on) and LSU (the first in the SEC). When they got back from summer break, ShotTracker’s clients put up a whopping total of one million shots in 45 days.

THE CROWD GOES WILD

In the Apple App Store, ShotTracker’s Fan App went from un-ranked to #68 in the sports app category over the course of just two days, racking up 30k impressions in the process. Installs for iOS and Android increased by a factor of 10, with users averaging 3-4 minutes in the app per session. When it comes to following along on your phone, no other sports app out there can compete.

THE PROOF IS IN THE RANKING

Not only does ShotTracker now have clients in all five power conferences, but also programs that use the system are starting to climb the Top 25 polls. As of December 17th, ShotTracker boasts six men’s teams and three women’s teams getting votes in the Top 25. Ask these coaches and they’ll all tell you: stats don’t lie.

THE WORD IS OUT

Still don’t believe that ShotTracker had an outstanding 2018? Do a Google search — the company was featured in more than 100 articles this year that touted everything from its $10.4 million financing round to its NCAA debut. ShotTracker’s own Davyeon Ross penned one of the best: a story about how one HBCU is using data to change the game for black students and athletes alike. Read all about it, then try it out for yourself.