DDSports Inc. made basketball history in 2018, when the NCAA granted a waiver allowing coaches to use the company’s ShotTracker technology on the bench during the Hall of Fame Classic. The tech waiver was a first for Division I basketball.
Now, the Merriam-based sports tech company has landed a multiyear partnership with the Big 12 Conference and its men’s and women’s basketball programs to install and use ShotTracker during practices and games. The news is just the latest in a string of wins, from new strategic partnerships to millions in funding.
“The entrepreneurial journey is one of an emotional roller coaster. A lot of times you’re working uphill. It’s an uphill climb, and I think we’re starting to see the fruits of our labor,” DDSports co-founder and President Davyeon Ross told the Kansas City Business Journal. “I’m just grateful because I know the work that it’s taken to get here, and we are definitely not an overnight success.”
Several Big 12 schools already were using the ShotTracker technology during practices, including the University of Kansas. KU head coach Bill Self and other Big 12 coaches have become advocates for ShotTracker, which uses a variety of sensors to capture performance data and deliver statistics and analytics with sub-second latency. It can track aspects such as shot location, ball screens, number of passes and points per possession. DDSports also is building out a new feature that can recognize plays and analyze their success.
Using ShotTracker during practices and games equips coaches and players with a broader data set, which gives them a truer sense of performance and can help them make better decisions, Ross said. The partnership also gives broadcasters access to real-time data, which can be used to enhance the fan experience.
“I think the Big 12 is a reputable conference, and I think it’s a signal to the market that we’re going to continue to work hard and deliver on these solutions for all conferences,” Ross said. “For us, it’s a great continuous validation. You had Mountain West, you see the Power 5, and then you see the Big 12. Then you actually see the work that the NCAA is doing to allow tech on the bench – something that was tested with us first. I think these are all validation points for us as a company. …
"This is a pivotal piece of the puzzle. Our ultimate goal is to work with all Division I conferences, but you have to start somewhere. This is a critical step in our process, and we’re excited about it. This is just the beginning.”
