Sportvision
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports broadcast technology |
| Founded | January 1998 |
| Founder | Bill Squadron, Stan Honey, Jerry Gepner |
| Defunct | October 4, 2016 |
| Fate | Acquired by SMT |
Key people | Bill Squadron (CEO), Stan Honey (CTO), Jerry Gepner (COO) |
| Products | 1st & Ten, K Zone, RACEf/x, PITCHf/x, FoxTrax puck |
| Parent | SMT (from 2016) |
| Website | www |
Sportvision was a privately held enterprise established in January 1998, specializing in enhancing television broadcasts for prominent professional sports leagues such as the NFL, NBA, NASCAR, NHL, MLB, PGA Tour, and college football. The company was co-founded by CEO Bill Squadron, CTO Stan Honey, and COO Jerry Gepner, all of whom previously held executive roles at Fox Sports and News Corporation. Sportvision became a pioneer in developing innovative broadcast technologies.
Among its key achievements, Sportvision created the Emmy-winning 1st & Ten system, which projects a yellow first down line during football games, and the K Zone pitch-tracking technology for baseball broadcasts—both developed through collaboration with ESPN. These advancements played a crucial role in integrating sophisticated technology into sports media coverage.
The company’s roots date back to 1996 when Rick Cavallaro, working under Stan Honey at Etak (a Fox/News America subsidiary), developed the FoxTrax puck featuring a distinctive blue halo to aid viewers in following hockey pucks on screen. Although this particular product did not achieve commercial success, it paved the way for Sportvision’s establishment and the subsequent 1998 release of the 1st & Ten system. This innovation quickly became a staple for professional and collegiate football broadcasts after its initial appearance during the Super Bowl.
Additional significant offerings from Sportvision include RACEf/x for NASCAR, which superimposes virtual flags above vehicles to enrich the viewing experience, and PITCHf/x for Major League Baseball. PITCHf/x provided comprehensive pitch analytics to platforms such as MLB.com GameDay and Fox broadcasts until it was superseded by Statcast in 2017.
In the realm of hockey, Sportvision experimented with a player-tracking solution that utilized computer chip technology during the 2015 NHL All-Star weekend to enhance data accuracy and consistency.
On October 4, 2016, Sportvision was purchased by SMT, thereby broadening SMT’s holdings within the sports technology sector.
See also
External links
- Technology companies established in 1998
- Technology companies disestablished in 2016
- Mass media companies established in 1998
- Mass media companies disestablished in 2016
- American companies established in 1998
- American companies disestablished in 2016
- 2016 mergers and acquisitions
- Sports television technology
- Visual effects companies