PlaySight Announces $11m Investment from Verizon Ventures and Greg Norman
NEW JERSEY (June 2nd, 2017) – PlaySight (www.playsight.com) – the innovative sports technology company behind the SmartCourt – announced today a strategic investment from Verizon Ventures and legendary golfer Greg Norman to assist in its global SmartCourt expansion and roll-out of its cutting-edge technology into new sports verticals.
D5 Capital managed the early stage funding for PlaySight in 2012-2013 and advises PlaySight in its strategic development. D5 Capital CEO, Rupert Ashe, is a Director of PlaySight.
Selected in 2017 by Fast Company as one of the “10 Most Innovative Companies in Sport,” PlaySight leverages both multi-angle video and proprietary analytics to improve on-field performance and connect the next generation of athletes. The company has already achieved a dominant position in the tennis marketplace with its technology powering the leading federations, academies, clubs and over 40 NCAA tennis programs, as well as the USTA’s new National Campus and high performance facility in Lake Nona, Florida. PlaySight is also working with top teams across several other sports including the 2015 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.
“We place high value on the right strategic partners and are very excited to announce the investment from Verizon Ventures and Greg Norman as they assist in our growth and disruption in the sports world,” said Chen Shachar, PlaySight CEO. “We are connecting courts, fields, arenas and athletes all over the world through our technology and, just like our new partners, we are changing how sports are played and consumed.”
Greg Norman, through his family office and alongside his business partner David Chessler, have led the $11 million-dollar investment round with Verizon Ventures. “PlaySight is on the forefront of technology innovations in sport and I am thrilled to be a part of something so cutting-edge in the industry,” said Greg Norman. “Both PlaySight and Verizon Ventures share my vision to connect people across business, sport and culture, so this partnership is something I look forward dedicating my time to.”
“Sophisticated video, analytics and media solutions once reserved for professional athletes and teams are now becoming accessible to the masses,” said David Famolari, Director at Verizon Ventures. “By leveraging a network of intelligent cameras, PlaySight’s cloud-based video and analytics platform transforms every sports field, court and gym into a smart, connected space and helps athletes of all levels train smarter. We look forward to supporting PlaySight’s growth as the team continues to give facilities, coaches, recreational and youth athletes access to advanced sports technology.”
About PlaySight
Founded in 2013 by Israeli military veterans, PlaySight is connecting the next generation of athletes on its global sports SmartCourt platform. The technology leverages on-field multi-angle video and proprietary analytics and is powered by a cloudbased platform to enhance training and performance. PlaySight is also socializing sports and combining the physical and digital worlds of athletes within its video and analytics platform. With its system of cameras and algorithms, each SmartCourt records, streams and tracks everything that happens on court and delivers cutting-edge analysis and video tools to professional, collegiate and amateur athletes.
For more information: www.playsight.com
About Greg Norman
Arguably the most successful athlete-turned-businessman in the world, Greg Norman is known as much for his entrepreneurial spirit in the boardroom as his dominance on the golf course. The internationally renowned “Great White Shark” won more than 90 tournaments worldwide, including two Open Championships, and holds the distinction of defending his No. 1 position in the world golf rankings for 331 weeks. Greg Norman now transcends the game of golf, with over a dozen companies around the world bearing his name and the iconic shark logo as part of the Greg Norman Company, which he leads at Chairman & CEO. His internationally recognized brand boasts more than 100 golf course designs across six continents, a global real estate collection, award-winning wine, golf-inspired lifestyle apparel and a diverse investment division. For more information: www.shark.com
About Verizon Ventures
Verizon Ventures is the corporate venture capital unit of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and invests in promising entrepreneurial companies that are tackling some of today’s biggest technology challenges. With a collaborative approach to commercialization, Verizon Ventures is focused on helping companies connect financial resources with strategic, non-investment business functions necessary to deliver successful outcomes. Verizon Ventures partners with companies to help them scale substantively to impact society and lead to new markets.
