Spalding, a division of Russell Brands, LLC, announced a partnership with InfoMotion Sports Technologies, the developer of the 94Fifty basketball skill analysis product. The companies will commercialize a ball designed to measure and quantify basketball skills critical to success in the game.
“This exciting new product pairs best-in-class technology with a best-in-class ball,” said Gary Barfield, executive vice president, Russell Brands, LLC. “Research shows coaches and players have expressed a need for a product like this one to help them monitor and track skill development. By partnering with 94Fifty, Spalding will be able to assist players in achieving their goals of taking their games to the next level.”
The ball utilizes 94Fifty’s inertial motion sensor arrays and sophisticated, patent-pending, pattern recognition algorithms, which will be embedded to the inside of Spalding basketballs. The technology automatically counts and analyzes a player’s ability to repeat shooting and ball-handling skills at game speed, providing in-depth analysis of the player’s muscle memory. These proprietary algorithms were developed and proven using thousands of tests with players at all levels to produce the most complete, personalized, assessments of sport-specific skill available. By analyzing the ball's motion, this technology allows coaches, trainers and players to objectively measure and analyze skill, create personalized workouts, and store diagnostic results online for players and coaches.
“Our product gives players and coaches the information they need to practice more effectively, with more focus, and with better information so that they can succeed on the court,” said Michael Crowley, Founder and CEO of InfoMotion. “By joining efforts with Spalding, we are taking this product to the next level, and we are excited about working with the world’s leading basketball brand and the entire Spalding team. Their knowledge of the game and their history in the sport will allow this technology to reach a whole new audience.”
The 94Fifty Total Skill Measurement product is currently marketed and sold directly to coaches, leagues, AAU programs, and basketball clubs. Beginning in 2013, it will be co-branded under the Spalding/94Fifty name and the product line expanded to include sensor basketballs available directly to individual players.
