Getting aheadof the CompetitionEvert Geurtsen discusses the ways that Dynamic OnlineSports Ranking could change our sports experience, helpto promote events and improve performance monitoring.<strong>Isis</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong>: Invention 20
The number and density ofmedia channels continues to grow:high definition and 3D television,IPTV, mobile phones, YouTube, webstreaming, digital radio, iPlayer,games consoles, and socialnetworking sites to name but a few.As these outlets develop the demandfor content, preferably live andinteractive, will continue to grow.Sport seems to fit the bill and withinthis exciting market, the Universityof Oxford can now offer DynamicOnline Sports Ranking (DOSR) - anew way to convert sports statisticsinto an interactive format forprofessional and amateur athletes,fans and spectators as well as sportsclubs, associations and eventorganisers. DOSR uniquely combinessports statistics and performancetracking with interactivity and socialnetworking. It is also a great vehicleto attract web-user interest andtraffic to promote sports, enhancemajor sporting events andcompetitions, identify individuals andathletes and promote sportsproducts online.DOSR is already in the second yearof operations in the Polish runningmarket, both for recreational andperformance running, where it issponsored by PUMA. The know-howthat enables this Polish prototypehas now been assigned to <strong>Isis</strong><strong>Innovation</strong> for worldwide exploitationacross a wide range of sports.DOSR links a considerable numberof functionalities including a dynamicdatabase, online presence, rankingalgorithm, online content,inter-operability with onlinepublications and social networking.At the core of DOSR is a means ofmeasuring and normalising personalperformance and comparison withexisting records. This creates a rangeof statistics at individual or clublevel. For instance it allows a fan,agent or journalist to analyse theperformance of a particular athleteor an individual amateur sportsmanto compare his or her performanceagainst any listed professional, or aclub to track the relativeperformance of their members.Sport fansThe principal advantage for sportsupporters is the convenientpresentation of performancestatistics of athletes, both the toprecognisable athletes and those whoare up and coming. Users can tracktheir performance and compare itwith other athletes from past andpresent. With links to photographsthey can easily put a face to whatwas previously an anonymousperformance history.Professional athletes andadvertisersFor athletes and their agents it offersearly recognition as well asbranding power. For advertisers,branding is safely distributed overthe entire sport reducing the risk offocusing on one athlete.Sports federations and eventorganisersSports federations have a vestedinterest in developing their sportsboth in a traditional sense of“The principal advantagefor sport supporters is theconvenient presentation ofperformance statistics ofathletes, both the toprecognisable athletes andthe ones who are up andcoming.”charitable social enterprise, andincreasingly as a sports business thatseeks new ways of marketing. DOSRcan provide clear evidence andquantification of public interest.MediaFor journalists, editors andproducers in the media it adds a toolthat is objective and can beeasily used for creating content.Media coverage bolsters thepublic interest in, and viability of,any sport.Fusion of conceptsDOSR fuses ideas from Google, pricecomparison websites and TVreality shows to present, promoteand personalise upcoming sportscelebrities. For any portaloperator DOSR can provideconsiderable added online interestand lucrative sponsorship andadvertising opportunities. UniquelyDOSR adds a social networkingelement to sports statisticsencouraging participants to compareperformance, contribute commentsand exchange sports experiences.DOSR will enable ‘virtual’ clubs andnetworks of athletes, fans andcommentators.With research indicating that sportsfollowers are turning away from thepassive narratives of TV andnewspaper coverage towardsinteractive online statistics, DOSRprovides the means to capitalise onthis trend.IP statusThis work is the subject of copyrightand <strong>Isis</strong> would like to talk toorganisations and companiesinterested in developing commercialopportunities.For more information please contact:Evert GeurtsenT +44 (0)1865 614424E evert.geurtsen@isis.ox.ac.ukRef: 7173<strong>Isis</strong> <strong>Innovation</strong>: Invention 21