ICC cutting-edge tech Next In hackathon

Article posted by Coliseum, August 23^rd, 2023

Image: ICC

The International Cricket Council (ICC) (UAE), together with the official fintech infrastructure partner and leading realtime global payments platform Nium, recently invited all cricket-loving technologists to revolutionize the sport through cutting-edge innovation as part of the second edition of the Next In hackathon.

‘ICC’ stated that the ‘Next In’ hackathon is a unique platform that brings together technologists from around the world who share a passion for cricket. The second edition promises to be bigger and better offering participants the chance to showcase their skills, collaborate with like-minded individuals and contribute to the evolution of cricket in a digital age, culminating in the hackathon final in India in early November during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

Dubai (UAE)-based the International Cricket Council (ICC) is the global governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from Australia, England and South Africa. It was renamed as the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1987.

Apply for membership

Nium is a Singapore-headquartered cross-border payments company. Initially founded by Prajit Nanu and Michael Bermingham, and launched as consumer-remittance platform Instarem in 2014.

The Cricket World Cup, officially known as the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, is the international championship of One Day International (ODI) cricket. The event is organized by the sport’s governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), every four years, with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament. The tournament is one of the world’s most viewed sporting events and is considered the “flagship event of the international cricket calendar” by the ICC.

The 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will be the 13^th edition of the Cricket World Cup, a quadrennial One Day International (ODI) cricket tournament contested by the men’s national teams and organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It is scheduled to be hosted in India from October 5^th-November 19^th, 2023.

‘ICC’ further stated that through the above platform, technologists will have the opportunity to develop innovative solutions that can elevate high performance training, enhance fan engagement and encourage mass participation in the sport.

This is an opportunity for the global community of sports and technology innovators, to create new and improved fan engagement experiences and facilitate the growth of cricket. Through the ICC’s vision for more players, more fans and more nations enjoying cricket, the hackathon provides a great opportunity to create more opportunities for fans to engage and access the sport.

The three tracks for the participants to focus on are:

Enhancing team/athlete training experience;
Fan experience – in stadium and at home; and
Growing participation in the sport.

There will be no limit to how many technologies are used for each track, but at least one of the below listed technologies must be utilized within the derived applications for the above tracks:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) /machine learning;
Fintech;
Augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR);
Web3;
Blockchain; and
Data Science.

To register to be a part of the hackathon click here and express your interest by September 29^th. A shortlist of teams will be invited to build and present their creations to a panel of prestigious judges including the hackathon Ambassador, Anil Kumble (Indian former cricketer), at an exclusive event in India in early November during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. As part of the process there will be knowledge sessions with mentors and meetups in Singapore, Mumbai (India) and San Francisco (US).

Enthused Finn Bradshaw, ICC Head of Digital, “I’m thrilled to continue our journey with Nium as we drive the intersection between invention and a collective passion for cricket. Our focus on three pivotal tracks – High Performance, Fan Engagement and Grassroots Participation – propels us into an exciting phase. With innovation as our driving force, we’re geared up to enhance cricketing experiences at the highest level, foster stronger connections with fans and nurture budding talent. We’re excited about the path ahead and look forward to engaging with the brightest and most passionate minds.”

Added Jeremiah Glodoveza, Senior Vice-President and Head of Global Marketing and Communications at Nium, “The Next-In hackathon has become the showcase for the world’s best technologists to share new experiences that will advance the game we love. We’re proud to celebrate innovation in all forms, whether it’s on the pitch or off. We look forward to seeing how fans are envisioning the future of cricket, in what will no doubt be an amazing hackathon in November.”

Exulted Anil Kumble, hackathon Ambassador, “I am delighted to be the Next In hackathon Ambassador for its second edition. I believe there are many new ways of integrating technology into the sport, with data being a key part in how it will shape cricket moving forward. There were some fascinating innovations as part of the inaugural hackathon connecting technology and cricket together and I can’t wait to see what ideas will be presented to us this time around to help make the game more accessible and engaging for the fans and the cricketers alike.”

The first ever Next In hackathon saw 9,550 teams from 113 countries involved, including 1,000 registrants from the United States with the winning idea presented by team ‘Fanisko’. Their solution offered an enhanced live cricket viewing experience through 3D Augmented Reality, allowing users to play the game in realtime from the comfort of their homes. The team’s solution was based on the WebAR technology, which was integrated within the ICC app and offered in-depth player insights, bringing cricket spectators closer to the action.

The augmented reality (AR) is a technology that overlays real-world environments with 3D virtual objects by using an AR device (i.e., one’s phone or AR glasses) in realtime. In practice, this means that through one’s phone, one can see extended reality with objects which are not there.

The WebAR, previously known as the Augmented Web, is a Web technology that allows for augmented reality functionality within a Web browser.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the intelligence of machines or software, as opposed to the intelligence of human beings or animals.

Fintech, a portmanteau of ‘financial technology’, refers to firms using new technology to compete with the traditional financial methods in the delivery of financial services. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and big data are regarded as the ‘ABCD’ of fintech.

The virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. The applications of virtual reality include entertainment, education and business.

The Web3 is an idea for a new iteration of the World Wide Web which incorporates concepts such as decentralization, blockchain technologies and token-based economics.

A blockchain is a “distributed database that maintains a continuously growing list of ordered records, called blocks”. These blocks “are linked using cryptography. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, a timestamp and transaction data”.

The Data Science is an interdisciplinary academic field that uses statistics, scientific computing, scientific methods, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract or extrapolate knowledge and insights from noisy, structured and unstructured data.

Continue to follow Coliseum for latest updates on venues business news. Coliseum is dedicated towards building the best global community of sports and entertainment venue executives and professionals creating better and more profitable venues.

Become a member of the only Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and experts from around the world. Apply for membership at coliseum-online.com/alliance and make use of the 365Coliseum Business.

Watch 250 member-exclusive videos with valuable tips for your venue