DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SMT (SportsMEDIA Technology), the US-based industry leader in providing seamless real-time data integration, graphics presentation, and video enhancement solutions to high-end live sports telecasts and to high-end live sports venue productions, today announced it is establishing a United Kingdom office from which to address its growing UK and European client base.
SMT’s broad suite of well-established products and services will soon be available directly to clients in the UK and Europe from SMT’s UK base. SMT has built a reputation in the United States as a pioneer in the field of live sports graphics enhancements and is at the forefront of the real-time application of object tracking technology in live sports. In addition, SMT designed, developed and supports the official scoring systems, the official statistics systems, and the official on-site live presentation systems for the NBA, the NHL, The PGA TOUR, NASCAR, the Crossfit Games, all four majors in tennis and golf: The US Open, The Masters, the US Open, The Open Championship; and Wimbledon, Roland Garros, the US Open, and the Australian Open.
SMT’s data and visual graphics platforms, systems, and products can:
(1) track any sports entity in real time, including tracking ball position and player position;
(2) assist officials with line calling; and,
(3) provide officials with tools needed to efficiently and effectively review video to make official rulings.
True to SMT’s history of innovation, SMT plans to launch its next generation computer-vision platform, called “Eden”, from its UK office. Under development for the past 30 months, SMT’s Eden technology will provide TV broadcasters with a reliable option for covering full broadcast sports action using only unmanned camera positions. SMT’ Eden platform uses SMT’s state-of-the-art computer-vision engine and computer-decision algorithms to intelligently control camera and lens servos to automatically track and capture all relevant sports action without the need for dedicated camera operators.
“Opening this office in the U.K. represents a vital and exciting step in fulfilling SMT’s broader global expansion strategy,” said SMT founder and CEO Gerard J. Hall. “For years, SMT’s European-based clients have shown keen interest in having direct access to SMT’s products and services from within the convenience of their own geography. SMT London will allow SMT to work in much closer proximity to our European clients as we continue to develop ways to enhance, refine, and improve the overall viewing experience offered to European sports broadcast consumers.”
“With our longstanding and deep relationships with several major golf and tennis events in the UK and on the continent, it makes proper business sense for SMT to establish a real physical year-round presence in Europe” said Rallis Pappas, President of SMTs Jacksonville office
SMT plans to ramp up the UK office to 20 full-time staff by year-end and currently is in the final stages of negotiating with key market segment insiders for executive management positions. “Significant hiring announcements are expected within the next 60 days,” said Hall. “This is a very exciting time in SMT’s history.”
About SMT
SMT’s products and services have a 25 year history of enhancing the telecasts of the world’s biggest broadcast networks – of enriching the presentations of the world’s biggest sporting event productions – and, for performing flawlessly on the world’s biggest stages; including: The Super Bowl, The World Cup, The Tour de France, The Indianapolis 500, The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness, The Belmont (Triple Crown), The Mayweather-Pacquiao Fight, The Masters, Daytona 500, The Stanley Cup Finals, WTA Championships, The PLAYERS Championship, BNP Paribas Open, Wimbledon, US Open Golf and Tennis Championships, The Open Championship, NYC Marathon, and the CrossFit Games, among many other world-class telecasts and productions. The 20-time Emmy Award-winning company continues to revolutionize how sports are produced and consumed. SMT is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, USA; with additional offices in Jacksonville, Florida and London, England, UK.
For more information, visit smt.com.
