(Editor’s note: UW Athletics release)
OVERLAND PARK, Kansas — The revolutionary sensor-based system that delivers real-time statistics and analytics to teams, fans and broadcast networks, today announced it has partnered with the Mountain West to provide basketball data tracking and analytics services during all conference basketball games through the 2023-24 season.
ShotTracker will install its system across 23 practice and game facilities at all 11 Mountain West schools for both men’s and women’s basketball programs. Each student-athlete will wear a ShotTracker player sensor and use the ShotTracker-enabled version of their school’s basketball provider. The sensors track player and ball movement in real time, providing Mountain West programs with 70+ unique statistics. This provides the Mountain West with access to instantaneous data that no conference has unilaterally had access to before.
The Mountain West and ShotTracker worked together during select 2018-2019 regular season basketball games and the Air Force Reserve Mountain West Men’s Basketball Championship at the Thomas & Mack Center to test the technology. That pilot program enjoyed massive success, prompting the Mountain West to become the first conference to integrate ShotTracker’s technology across men’s and women’s basketball programs for its conference games and practice facilities.
“The Mountain West prides itself on innovation and we’re proud to be the first conference to partner with ShotTracker conference-wide,” Mountain West Senior Associate Commissioner Dan Butterly said, “Our coaches understand that real-time data, analytics and reporting are going to be invaluable for improving team performance. Our student-athletes will have access to post-practice and game analytics data that can help them better understand their specific performance and help them find ways to improve. Plus, Mountain West fans will, for the first time, have access to real-time analytics to better follow their favorite teams.”
Currently the NCAA doesn’t permit the transmission of data to the bench during game play. The conference-wide partnership with ShotTracker allows the Mountain West to submit a waiver request to the NCAA competition committee to get access to ShotTracker’s data and video on the bench during every conference game via the ShotTracker app. ShotTracker has been involved in testing for teams to provide feedback to the NCAA as it relates to a possible change to this rule. Bench access to ShotTracker’s team app could be granted to visiting non-conference teams who also approve the use of the system. This partnership uniquely positions the Mountain West to help redefine the use of technology and instantaneous analytics at the NCAA level.
ShotTracker’s data is also provided to conference broadcast partners, offering commentators unparalleled opportunities to integrate these statistics into their commentary. During the 2018-19 pilot, Mountain West broadcasts featured real-time shot charts, player spacing and ball movement metrics, as well as offensive and defensive trend comparison graphics that supported the announcer’s commentary live and during replays — all with sub-second latency.
The Mountain West partnership represents the next monumental step for ShotTracker to revolutionize the sport and become as integral to basketball facilities as WiFi is to coffee shops.
“It is incredibly exciting getting to work with conferences like the Mountain West that recognize and understand ShotTracker’s vision for how it can overhaul sports,” ShotTracker president and co-founder Davyeon Ross said. “We’re proud to provide teams with unparalleled game and practice data while also giving their fans an enhanced viewing experience.”
This is the latest example of the Mountain West’s commitment to innovation. In September 2006, the Mountain West became the first conference to launch its own 24/7 linear television network, The Mountain West Sports Network, also known as The Mtn. The conference also was the first to work with DVSport to design and implement the basketball instant replay system that is now utilized in the NCAA Tournament and across the nation. In 2003, the Mountain West became one of the first college basketball conferences to sign with Precision Timing Systems.
“The Mountain West continues to stand out for being a pioneer in adopting the latest cutting-edge technologies,” Ross added. “As the sports world continues to embrace technology, ShotTracker and the Mountain West have set a new standard for what teams and fans can expect for the speed and detail of basketball player tracking data. We know other conferences will soon follow their lead to ultimately increase on-court performance through our technology.”
