High-profile events and broadband capacity

The Telstar 1 was the world’s first active communications satellite and the world’s first commercial payload in space. For the first time, pictures of world events could be transmitted globally within minutes. The Telstar satellites represented a gamechanger, especially for football. Up until the 1966 World Cup, a soccer ball simply had the natural colour of the leather from which it was made. However, to aid visibility on black and white football television broadcasts this had to be changed. It resulted in a high-contrast black and white design called the Telstar (Television Star), a clear tribute to the Telstar satellite which was also spherical and dotted with solar panels.

The iconic design was celebrated with the Telstar 18, the official match ball during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Two years after the launch of the Telstar 1, the Syncom 3 became the first geostationary communications satellite. By virtue of its orbit 36 000 km above the equator, the satellite span around the Earth at the same speed as its rotation, providing a continuous service. No wider than the length of a baseball bat, weighing just 68 kg and generating a mere 29 W from its solar cells, it beamed TV pictures of the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 across the Pacific Ocean and could cope with just one TV channel. While another satellite, the Relay-1, forwarded the data from the US to Europe, landlines and air traffic were also mobilised to get the images around the globe.

Today there are hundreds of communications satellites in geostationary orbit and they all benefit from the 60 years of advances in electronics. State of the art satellites can weigh up to 6 tonnes and generate up to 20 kW of electrical power from their banks of solar cells. Their transmission power has also increased significantly, so that the signals can be received by much smaller dishes, and nowadays TV coverage can of course be directed to any portable device over the internet.

Witnessing any sporting event as it happens anywhere in the is something we have come to take for granted. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games attracted 4.7 billion viewers (70% of the world’s population at that time), the largest global TV audience ever. After last year’s postponements, the Summer 2021 is stacked with major sporting events, such as the Euro 2020 and the Olympics. In order to cover such special live events , extra bandwidth is allocated alongside regular broadcasting under what satellite operators call “occasional use transmission”.

In one of our recent reports, “A closer look into satellite-based solutions fighting Covid-19”, we emphasised the importance of satellite communications to increase broadband capacity. Due to the enormous amount of tele-education and teleworking, both during the lockdown and the recovery phase, the need for broadband capacity has rapidly increased. Satellite operators have seen a rise of up to 70% in data traffic across Europe and the Americas. Satellite communications also proved to be crucial for telemedicine, allowing healthcare professionals to help their patients through remote diagnosis and periodic checks.

Local events and global coverage

Satellite technology has become an accessible tool. Apart from major sporting events, satellite communications are also being used on a much more local level. Even in minor leagues, small and semi-professional clubs have the opportunity to broadcast their matches live via an internet service that relies on satellites.

This concept was developed under the Fullview Satellite project of the ESA Business Applications, an initiative of the European Space Agency to help the industry develop new space-based services. The initiative demonstrates that satellite communications can help broadcasters as they finalise transmission services for their programming. After being converted into bits (uplink), video footage travels via satellite signals to the teleports of a satellite operator (downlink) and can then be distributed over a fibre network and delivered to the viewer over the internet. Especially now with ongoing restrictive measures, this gives supporters the possibility to watch the matches at home or on a mobile device.Furthermore, space technologies can help filling the gaps in ground-based networks. Broadcasters need to deliver content from all sorts of locations, but sport venues, team hotels, or training camps are not always near a fibre connection. Whether it is from a densely populated area in central Europe, the rainforest in Brazil, or along the Japanese coastline, broadcasters count on satellites to secure connectivity. Owing to its inherent attributes of global coverage (reaching where terrestrial networks are not deployed), resilience (independence from terrestrial networks), security and capacity, satellite communications remain a paramount factor for broadcasters.

Satellites will also have a key role in the deployment of 5G services. The deployment of terrestrial 5G is expected to be gradual and focused on high-density population and traffic areas (large cities, venues, highways, high-speed rail networks). The Space for 5G initiative of the European Space Agency aims to integrate satellite navigation and communications into vertical market sectors such as transport, public safety, media, and entertainment.

Revolutionising society

More than ever, video, voice, and data traffic require larger amounts of bandwidth and push for the continuing development of satellite technology. Satellite communications have revolutionised society and continue to change the way global communication and economies work.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted once more the importance of satellite connectivity solutions and services supporting societal needs and the economy globally. While fibre remains the core network providing the broadband infrastructure, satellite infrastructure can provide a fully redundant solution. Satellite bandwidth remains a resilient complement to terrestrial networks for global and regional transmissions, securing also high reliable connectivity in remote and hard-to-reach areas.

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Golf performance tracking

Measuring distance to the flag, bunkers, water or any other point on a golf course can be difficult and inaccurate with just the naked eye. Golfers desire insights, precise data and analytics to make better informed on-course decisions. While there is already a wide array of golf watches, club sensors, rangefinders, and other smart golf technology available on the market, using a combination of these different tools tends to be inefficient in terms of time and money.

Shot Scope, a Scottish golf technology company, designs products and software to assist amateur and professional golfers. The Shot Scope team is currently working on a Demonstration Project within the ESA Business Applications programme to improve their smart wearable technology. As the company relies on satellite navigation and satellite imagery for its products, the involvement of ESA Business Applications represents a way to ensure the use of satellite data in a commercially sustainable way.

The Shot Scope’s Technologies Data Intellect project aims to deliver a unique software solution for golfers to automatically collect accurate performance data. Shot Scope’s newest performance tracking golf watch is an on-course device. It automatically collects  golf performance data during play with a mobile application that works in the background. As a result, golfers can have access to key insights (e.g. shot length, club use and strokes gained) to improve their strategy.

This performance tracking system uses a combination of electronic sensor technology and global positioning satellite technology (in particular GPS, Galileo and GLONASS).

A lot of information is coming through the shaft. Sensors tagged on golf clubs register the event of a shot and the club used to strike the ball. The resulting set of raw data (swing measurements, impact upon hitting the ball or the ground, putting, etc.) can then be linked with satellite navigation data to locate and qualify the different shots.

The data is processed against the Shot Scope’s course database to select the course played and generate key statistics, analytics and insightful golf performance data on both a mobile application and an online dashboard.

Golfer can collect and review personal performance data to understand and improve their game. The technology can be further employed to generate engagement among different groups of golfers; friends and club members, or to benchmark personal statistics against professional golfers.

Furthermore, golf courses are typically dotted with long grass, sand, trees, water and other obstacles, making it impossible to see every shot. This is exactly where satellite imagery comes into play. An overhead view of the golf course allows players to examine the hole for all kinds of hazards. This also allows them to display their golf shots on the course map and to measure the distance left on their approach to the hole.

The Shot Scope’s course map database includes 40 000 courses mapped metre by metre. Shot Scope does not not charge subscription fees for its platform. In order to guarantee a high level of course map accuracy the company sources satellite imagery from multiple suppliers, among which Google Maps. While these readily available data platforms do come with limited temporal resolutions, they are among the most widely-used services on the internet and allow for an easy access to high resolution satellite images free of charge.

With this on-course device, players can now learn about their strengths and weaknesses in an instant. The product has already attracted a wide customer base, from 12-year-olds to the most experienced golfer. While the device has been used by professional golfers, it has also become an accessible tool for players on all levels, with over 90 000 users in 120 different countries.

Golf course management

Satellite data is not only being used by players in the golfing community. Golf course operators are becoming increasingly aware of the potential of satellite remote sensing to save water and energy while monitoring the health and status of the grass.

The Croatian startup E2O.GREEN by 3D EMS aims to offer golf course operators a solution for energy and irrigation management. Based on their previous experience in fire management and prevention, the company combines Earth observation (EO) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) data with imagery from drones and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to generate real-time insights for golf course operators to monitor and optimise their courses’ irrigation and equipment use.

Golf courses can stretch over thousands of hectares, and maintenance of the green surface means consuming a lot of water. Turfgrass irrigation is often deemed to be wasteful, however, expansive turf areas such as golf courses can serve as a practical environmental tool to reduce fire hazard. Apart from being a fire barrier, golf has even the potential to contribute to the EU goals on biodiversity and ecosystem preservation. Still, water is a precious resource and making efficient use of it is vital for the environment. For golf course operators, saving water could also imply saving considerable costs. In recent years, satellites have caught the eye of the greenkeepers, as effective means to monitor golf courses and spot those parts that need their attention most. It has not yet become a widespread solution, but E2O.GREEN is planning to change that.

The company is developing its own proprietary Artificial Intelligence (AI), based on leaf area index. The objective is to closely monitor the state of vegetation in order to get recommendations for irrigation and mowing coupled with seasonal predictions. The resulting precision irrigation will save time, as well as water and energy.

After a successful enrolment to the Copernicus accelerator, E2O.GREEN has laid the foundation for its business case. It foresees a subscription for the app and a success fee comprising a percentage of the cost savings. The business case may also expand beyond the golf market as it could apply to any other grass surface such as football fields and urban green spaces.

Furthermore, the Croatian startup is also planning to integrate a GNSS and IoT solution to track the position of every golf player. By attaching a small device to the maintenance equipment on the course, to golf carts, and to the equipment of players, golf course operators will be able to improve their customer experience. The solution could potentially eliminate bottlenecks during play. With a reward system for players taking the most optimal route where they do not hinder other players or damage the grass.

Apart from optimising the pace of play on the course, this could also improve the golfing experience by providing real-time information on wind speed, lightning alerts, choice of plays, appropriate clubs, and other course relevant information.

Satellite data for golf players and greenkeepers

As it turns out, both satellite navigation and Earth Observation are useful on the golf course.

Thanks to navigation satellites, players can make informed on-course decisions and improve their golf game with the resulting performance data. At the same time, EO satellites offer golfers the opportunity to scan treacherous holes from above.

Green surface management also benefits from EO data. Satellite images provide an easy overview on the health state of the turf. Especially when this can be combined with AI methods, any form of stress could be detected long before this could be observed with just the naked eye. This gives greenkeepers extra time to initiate any mitigation measures, but it also leads to considerable water and energy savings for golf course operators.

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One of the most prominent examples of space data in sports is the boom in satellite-based tracking devices. After smartphones, wearables are the second most sold Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) devices. According to the European GNSS Agency (GSA) market report, GNSS wearables reached 70 million shipments in 2019 alone.

The silver economy is a key driver, mostly for health-related solutions. But also the democratisation of sports and fitness equipment for all ages plays an important role. In an earlier episode of Satellites for Sports, How satellite navigation tackles Covid-19 in sports, it was already pointed out that this technology can be an effective tool to keep both amateurs and professional athletes as fit as possible during the lockdown and return-to-play period.

While smartwatches represent the biggest share in this trend, performance tracking devices have set foot on all levels in outdoor team sport. Our recent series of success stories demonstrates how satellite tracking is being deployed in different sports and on multiple levels; from a professional women’s field hockey team in the Netherlands, and Irish amateur athletes in the Gaelic Games, to a semi-professional rugby club in the United Kingdom. In this highlight, we explain the technology behind the trend.

Wearable trackers

While services vary from one company to another, the technology to track the physical performance of players implies similar features. The most distinctive are the, low-weight and waterproof wearable devices incorporating a GNSS receiver, motion sensors (notably: accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer), and heart-rate monitoring capabilities.

Depending on the product, extra features are added to measure even more deeply physiological and activity variables, such as breathing frequency, skin temperature, and posture.

The device goes in a compression vest with a pocket located on the back, which keeps it firmly in place. The reason why the device goes on the back of the athlete is because trackers on the wrist, such as a smartwatch, are generally not allowed in competitive games. Moreover, a device placed on the back allows for better accuracy by reducing the amount of noise in variables, as it also points directly at the sky, avoiding body shadowing which can obstruct satellite signals.

JOHAN Sports, ESA BIC Noordwijk

Software and sport specific metrics

As for the software, a digital platform allows to load, store, visualise and analyse the data collected by the wearable tracking devices. Coaches can then follow the performance of their players on a digital interface such as a tablet. The data can be transmitted via Bluetooth for post training or game analysis. Some systems even allow for continuous real-time and automatic data communication through wireless connections and cloud services.

Typically, metrics can be tailor-made and dashboards customised to fit the specific needs of the user. For example, the performance indicators and mechanics in rugby, as well as the field itself, are different from those considered in hockey. Scrum events for instance, which are a means of restarting play in rugby, have been associated with a higher risk of injuries.

Several companies developed software tools (e.g. Sonra Scrum Analysis and Rugby Suite) designed to better quantify these game-specific demands. These tools enable coaches to monitor scrum load and contacts in games and training. Following post-session analysis, coaches can read datasets about scrum duration, the total impact and the peak force of the impact during engagement, the synchronisation of the engagement of each player measured in milliseconds, as well as the time it takes for a player to get back to feet.

The relevant information can be selected in a user-friendly way. The data can then be used for many different purposes, such as to optimise training, injury prevention and recovery, team tactics, scouting, and even fan engagement.

Positioning technologies

Tracking players can be done in different ways. As every system comes with its own advantages, video analysis and local positioning systems provide alternative, and even complementary options.

Video-based tracking relies on multiple cameras looking for players’ time-motion, and is an excellent tool for tactical analysis because it captures all aspects of the game. However, a lack of mobility in camera setup is one of the limitations of video analysis along with the difficulty to determine the exact point where players move from one speed category to another.

Local Positioning Systems (such as ultra-wideband or Wi-Fi) are typically used for indoor sports, or outdoor sports that are held within a defined area. Again, setting up the system (beacons plus connectivity) can cause additional barriers. On the other hand, satellite navigation does not work well on its own indoor, but when used outside it does not have these limitations. While it provides some tactical insights, satellite tracking shines out in providing in-depth data on velocity and acceleration, position, covered distance, and workload. As a result, GNSS tracking has become the primary tool to monitor physical performance in outdoor team sports.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) introduced standardisation of Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems (EPTS) in 2017. An official mark now indicates if wearable technology has been tested to meet the minimum safety requirements of the International Match Standard (IMS). This certification has further stimulated the uptake of GNSS tracking wearables in football as it allows the technology to be used in competitive play.

GNSS satellite quality in stadium environments

While satellite tracking is the most suitable solution for outdoor performance measuring, urban areas and large or semi enclosed stadiums can still lead to drop-outs, or signals can bounce off the stadium walls and get swamped by multipath errors. Moreover, the amount of electronic equipment operating in the area can disorientate data transmissions from player-worn devices.

In order to enhance positioning accuracy and reliability in these challenging environments, most sensors rely on multiple satellite systems, such as GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou, as well as on satellite-based augmentation systems, such as the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS).

According to GSA test results, GNSS devices achieve the highest possible accuracy with a multi-constellation configuration, especially when GPS satellites are used together with an additional GNSS such as Galileo. This results in high quality values (less than 0.5m error) recognised as military-accepted levels of accuracy. Such precision is required for player-tracking in team sports, as the devices must be capable of accurately recording instantaneous velocity in activities comprising frequent changes in speed and direction.

The more satellites are available, especially when they are spread evenly throughout the sky, the better positional accuracy will be. However, it is not just the number of satellites that counts, it is also about the quality of the satellite reception and signal data that determines how accurate the position and speed data will be.

Currently, there is limited research available on GNSS satellite quality in stadium environments across different sports and in different regions around the world. A study from 2020 performed in the English Premier League showed that the average satellite count for a single football match in each of the stadiums was around 18. The lowest number of satellites reported was 17, which can still be considered high enough for users to have confidence in the integrity of the data collected.

Comparison of the Average Satellite Count per Premier League stadium. © STATSports.

GeoNav IoT – THALES

In order to foster innovation and competitiveness of the European industry in satellite navigation , the European Space Agency has come up with the Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP). As part of this programme, Thales Geonav IoT was launched in 2018.

This positioning solution allows real-time outdoor and indoor precise tracking. It takes advantage of two existing positioning technologies: GNSS and ultra-wideband (UWB), based on beacons placed around the stadium. The combination of satellite and local positioning systems is designed to overcome satellite signal drop-outs and multipaths, in order to track players with the highest accuracy. In cooperation with the French Rugby Federation, the solution has been deployed inside the Stade de France for testing and qualifying the system.

In cooperation with a European consortium, Thales entered in a new European project, in which the system will be enhanced until the end of 2021 to take advantage of Galileo dual-frequency algorithms and of 5G communication. Once fully operational, both the local UWB and satellite positioning technologies will provide in-depth data about player performance and health. Through the Geonav IoT web application coaches and medical staff will receive immediate feedback on significant impacts of players, as well as accurate localisation information, such as speed or traveled distance, allowing them to improve training and optimise recovery.

Next generation technology

The use of satellite navigation for performance tracking in professional sport has increased substantially over the last two decades. As the technology becomes more affordable, its field of application is also starting to exceed the boundaries of elite sport. The spike in performance monitoring at amateur level with smartwatches and mobile apps is an indicator of the appetite for physical data among the general population nowadays. Youth academies are also seeing an increase of GNSS tracking tools. Furthermore, given the rise of smart devices and the esports trend, younger generations can be encouraged to take part in sports and fan engagement by bringing these digital aspects into the game.

Teams are increasingly adopting a data-driven way of working. The use of satellite tracking data can certainly give them a competitive edge and reassure coaches that their players will be in top condition. As such, GNSS has become an invaluable asset for athlete performance monitoring.

That is not to say that the idea of data analysis will replace all other aspects of coaching practice. The element of unpredictability in sport remains a core element, but combining the coaches’ experience and intuitions with technological advancements to make better informed decisions on training priorities, team selection, recruitment, tactics, and player well-being can result in a substantial improvement on a team performance. Finding a healthy balance between data and intuition will be key.

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Both Eurisy and EPSI are non profit networking organisations within Europe striving for a more innovation-friendly environment. EPSI focusses on the areas of physical activity related to sport, leisure, and healthy lifestyle. It works with both private and public entities operating in the field of sport to set up projects and innovative businesses with a cross sectoral focus. Eurisy raises awareness of the benefits of satellite-based applications for a diverse range of societal professional segments. It stimulates dialogue and collaboration between public institutions, SMEs, industry and academia from the space and non-space sectors, encouraging innovative uses of satellite applications to respond to today’s challenges. EPSI and Eurisy are now joining forces to boost the integration of satellite-based datasets into the sport domain at large. Both entities will provide mutual support for the benefit of the EU sports ecosystem.

Eurisy has been exploring many sectors of use of satellite applications. The association has a broad portfolio of activities related to smart cities, health and culture, among other. One of its most recent thematic areas is Space4Sports. Sport has become an important economic sector in modern society, and space has definitely a role in it. Satellite imagery can provide geographical (e.g. elevation, route conditions, sea state) and environmental (e.g. weather, air quality, temperature) information relevant for sports activities and the performance of athletes, as well as for planning, operations and condition-based maintenance of sports facilities and equipment (e.g. golf courses, ski slopes, virtual environments). Wearables relying on satellite navigation offer reliable performance data by tracking the activity of individuals, equipment, vehicles, and animals, but also support the geo-localisation of and routing to events and facilities. Satellite communication enables the provision of connectivity, e.g. live transmission of sport events and communication within or to remote and sparsely inhabited places, and securing the safety of athletes at all times even in the most remote places. Whether for active participation or passively following as a spectator of sporting events, the modern sport sector needs space data.

By building solid relations with communities new to space, Eurisy reaches to end-user communities to better understand their needs and challenges. It is in this context that Eurisy and EPSI will be working together. Both entities envisage the organisation of common events between the EPSI and Eurisy communities so as to boost SMEs development and project creation among their members.

Sport is a growing factor in Europe’s economy and society. At the same time, the collaboration between EPSI and Eurisy will not be limited to sport. Looking at the bigger picture, the two organisations will aim to support each other in several neighbouring topics. The objective of the partnership is to bring networks within the space and sport ecosystems closer together in order to boost innovative practices. Target areas will be identified according to the interest of the members and can range from tourism, education, fan engagement, regulation, safety and transport systems, to name a few.

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Flanders Classics

Flanders Classics is an official cooperation among the organisers of the traditional cycle races held in Flanders, among which the Tour of Flanders. Since its founding in 1913, the Tour of Flanders has remained a preeminent cycling race taking place every spring in the Belgian region of Flanders. This annual sporting event has gone on without missing a beat, holding the longest uninterrupted streak of any cycling classic. As one of the five “Monuments” of cycling (considered as the most prestigious and toughest one-day races), the Tour of Flanders is notorious for its cobblestone hills. Every year, cyclists from around the world look forward to tackle the treacherous terrain, which demands a high level of agility and endurance.

The challenge

The 2020 season has been a disrupted one for professional cyclists. The Cobbled Classics held in March and April are among the traditional opening races of the season. However, COVID-19 put a spoke in the wheels postponing or even cancelling most races. The Tour of Flanders was no exception being eventually rescheduled to October.

Fortunately, Flanders Classics have been working on a new project to offer amateurs a virtual edition of its famous cycling race since autumn 2019. But with the lockdown in March 2020 happening just a few weeks before the Tour of Flanders, the organisation had to pick up the pace. In an attempt to keep the event alive, Flanders Classics was looking for an innovative approach to create a virtual alternative of the race.

The satellite solution

In April 2020, Flanders Classics launched a special “Lockdown Edition” for a select peloton of professional riders. The Digital Tour of Flanders was developed in collaboration with Bkool, a Spanish indoor training company. It featured replicated real-world courses based on satellite navigation data. Virtual routes can be built with data coming from a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) enabled cycling computer. Someone rides the circuit in the real world, and the resulting data file contains all the information (distance, elevation, coordinates, etc.) needed to create the track in a virtual world. The sense of riding real-world roads and hill climbs can then be simulated with a smart trainer which constantly changes resistance according to the satellite navigation data of the terrain. While riders do not experience the cobbles, they have to push hard on their smart trainers to overcome the virtual hilly landscape and extreme gradients.

With different 3D camera angles (helicopter, motor, front, etc.), recorded real-life images of the hills, and live performance data of the riders on screen, the first edition was already impressive. However, there was not enough time to fully customise the virtual scenery, which featured a standard Mediterranean landscape of the Spanish-based Bkool app. In their pursuit for an even more realistic environment, Flanders Classics pushed for a permanent virtual cycling platform. This resulted in the Proximus Cycling eSeries, which was developed together with RGT Cycling. In order to produce realistic representations of the road and the surroundings, the virtual RGT environment goes the extra mile with street level imagery. Additionally, satellite imagery can also provide useful information to the developers about the environment, to make the 3D-generated natural and human landscape (vegetation, landmarks, housing density, etc.) more realistic. As covered in our highlight about innovative applications of satellite data in cycling, tracking the progress of riders on the real-world circuit is another great tool that comes with the use of satellite mapping services.

The results

For the first time, Flanders Classics was able to create a virtual version of the Tour of Flanders, “De Ronde 2020: The Lockdown Edition”. Streamed live on YouTube and broadcast through the country’s national television with live commentaries, thirteen world-class cyclists from eight professional teams raced against each other on their smart trainers at home over the last 32 km of the official Tour of Flanders course. This gave teams the opportunity to display their sponsors, while the organisation was also able to integrate in-game sponsorship exposure with custom avatars for team jerseys and partnership visibility on road animations, side fences and beach flags. #DeRonde2020 went viral reaching more than 50 million cycling fans worldwide.

This pioneering experience gave rise to the development of the Proximus Cycling eSeries, a free and realistic cycling environment where cyclists can take on challenges all year round. Through the virtual cycling concept, fans worldwide get the chance to get to know the roads where Flandriens provide a spectacle every year.

“The Proximus Cycling eSeries is an ambitious virtual cycling project with partners RGT Cycling, META and Proximus. We offer plenty of challenges with great prizes in the most realistic environment on the market. This allows us to collect data, to target a younger audience and to offer the typical Flemish courses to the whole world all year long. Happy to confirm our position at the front of the innovation peloton, even when it’s virtual.” – Tomas Van Den Spiegel, CEO Flanders Classics

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The Cambridge Rugby Club

The Cambridge Rugby Union Football Club is an English rugby union club currently competing in the National League 1, the third tier of the English rugby union system.

Engagement with local communities in schools and universities is core to the identity of the club. At the same time, the club has ambitions to progress to the next level of the British rugby league system.

The challenge

The players in the senior team of the club are at a semi-professional level, combining their professional careers alongside their rugby. With three sessions per week and additional strength and conditioning training away from the rugby club, players are very serious about the game.

“Combining players’ professional and sporting careers has been the biggest challenge”, says Richie Williams – Director of Rugby at Cambridge RUFC. “Some players are working nine-to-five behind a desk while others are doing manual labour on building sites. This makes it hard to understand individual fatigue levels.” Several ex-professional players have also relocated to Cambridge, where they can pursue high-level careers in sectors such as the pharmaceuticals, a thriving industry in the region, while playing rugby at a competitive level. As a forward-thinking club, the management has been looking for innovative ways to support the coaches, players and youth academy.

The satellite solution

Satellite tracking devices measuring performance in outdoor team sports have become an emerging trend, reaching beyond the boundaries of elite athlete monitoring. Nowadays, players at different levels are used to wearing a sensor underneath or within their shirt. These satellite navigation wearables allow to quantify the precise workload of players in different metrics (accelerations, covered distance, intensity, etc.).

During the 2018-2019 season, Cambridge RUFC was able to use 30 of such devices on a free trial basis thanks to a sponsorship agreement. Given the success of the tracking systems, the club decided to purchase for the following season 30 wearable devices from Quantrax, a local supplier. The devices track sport performance by relying on different Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), including the European Galileo system.

The generated data can be monitored on tablets in real time. The user-friendly software allows coaches to interpret the numbers, as well as to better manage players’ energy levels and workload. Because it is a cloud-based system, the players can keep track of their training data with an app on their phones.

The result

During the 2018-2019 season, the club had to battle until the very last game to avoid relegation, ending 13^th. The next season, when the tracking system came into play, Cambridge RUFC got eight more wins and reached the 9^th place. Meanwhile, the available data — enabling coaches and players to measure training load — allowed for a decrease in muscle injuries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the system also allows to monitor the conditioning work of players remotely.

Since some of the devices are also made available to players in the youth teams (age 16-18), the use of the technology resulted in a real benefit for the whole club and not just for the senior team. “This gives our youth team’s players a better understanding of their body, of the distance they cover, and of how they can better manage their training load. A big advantage is that the academy players based at Cambridge are able to transfer the use of the data in a classroom environment for their math and science projects. Since a lot of our younger players hope to be professionals one day, it also prepares them for what things are like on a professional level.”

The satellite tracking technology is very much in line with the club’s aspirations: playing at the next level, while preserving its strong community and player-centred philosophy. “We have an open and honest relationship with our players, and we give them responsibility on how the coaching sessions look like. One of the joys of having the satellite tracking system is that players are now able to access the information immediately.” At the same time, coaches are aware of the importance of keeping a healthy balance between coaching and the use of data. “The data supports what we are doing, but we are not slaves to the figures produced during a training session or on a match day. It is merely a tool to support our coaching.”

Younger generations crave for data accessible at their fingertips. In that sense, the app seems to be catered especially for the new generation of rugby players. However, also the older players are seeing the benefits and a number of other rugby clubs at semi-professional level are going to invest in satellite tracking devices in the future because they are also seeing the benefits.

Together with Quantrax, Cambridge RUFC aims to shape the tracking system to develop more rugby specific metrics. The management is convinced that the data will help the club to progress and eventually to achieve its target of playing professional rugby.

“A number of other clubs at our level are going to invest in these tracking devices because they have seen us as a case study, and through conversations with other coaches I spoke about the benefits of this both from a playing and training perspective.” – Richie Williams, Director of Rugby at Cambridge RUFC

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The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is more than a sport governing institution. With a geographically based pyramidal structure from club to county, the organisation acts as a social glue throughout urban and rural communities. Often referenced in its ancient myths and legends, the Gaelic Games are indigenous to Ireland. The GAA is an overarching body for these games, with Gaelic football and hurling as the most popular ones. While Gaelic football can be described as a mix of football and rugby, hurling is something between rugby and hockey. Both ball games are played with two teams of 15 players on a pitch that is approximately 40% larger than a football field. The objective is to outscore your opponents over two periods of 35 minutes by striking the ball between two posts, under the crossbar for 3 points and over the bar for 1 point.

Known as the premier county where the GAA was founded in 1884, Tipperary is a place in the South of Ireland with a rich history. The county booked most of its success in hurling, having won the All-Ireland finals three times since 2010. It is landlocked by a number of rivalrous counties such as Kilkenny and Cork, together known as “the big three” of hurling. Dr Damien Young is Performance Analyst for the Tipperary Hurlers. After a successful career of playing for his home club and the county team, Young completed his PhD at Université de Franche-Comté focusing on the match-play demands of hurling.

The challenge

The GAA has always adopted a nearly professional work and training demand whilst maintaining its amateur status. “Players train five or six times per week and they have to work in between which is a real difficulty for them. From businessmen to teachers, these are very busy players so we have to maximise our time when we get them together.”

For a long time, there was a serious lack of knowledge about the match-play demands of hurling. A loose training plan does not sufficiently prepare players for the game, resulting in poor performances and an increase in injuries. Especially with Covid-19 restrictions during the 2020 season, putting the championship on hold and postponing the All-Ireland Finals to just before Christmas, coaches had to be extra careful to avoid spiking the training load after a disrupted period.

The satellite solution

Numerous GNSS-enabled wearable devices incorporating motion and heart rate sensors are available on the athlete monitoring market. However, only a couple of companies also target the GAA. Most clubs and counties rely on STATSports or Catapult Sports, offering satellite tracking devices and performance analysing software with the ability to monitor player and team demands specific to Gaelic football and hurling. Coaches enjoy the user-friendly software to interpret the tracking data, while players are comfortable wearing the lightweight devices in a compression vest.

As part of his research to study the demands of the game, Young introduced the technology in the GAA world. “I wanted to get more reliable data, so in 2010 we were using satellite tracking which was unheard of in hurling. Only some professional football and rugby teams were using it at that time. It was really futuristic for such a traditional game.”

The results

The tracking data allows coaches to optimise training content, increasing the performance of their players. In the 2020 season, the majority of GAA teams are wearing athlete monitoring devices.

Over the years Young has been finding out more and more about the game thanks to satellite tacking data. For the Tipperary Hurlers, he now plugs that knowledge back into training.

“What is very helpful is a breakdown of the intensity of the volume of work that players are undertaking. We receive live feedback on an iPad about different metrics such as high speeds, sprint distance and peak speeds. Observing the load from session to session and keeping the training within certain limits is so valuable. It is very hard to appraise the actual results, but we have noticed a decrease in our injury rates over the last couple of years.” – Dr Damien Young, Performance Analyst at Tipperary Hurlers

Satellite tracking can be a real tool driving competition, performance and overall development of players, coaches, and fans alike. In a lot of communities in Ireland life revolves around the GAA club, and players representing the place in which they were born is what defines its unique identity. The fact that this technology has set foot even in amateur teams, indicates the boom in satellite tracking.

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Improved mapping services

Beeline is a prime example of how satellite data can encourage more people to cycle leading to a positive impact on traffic congestion, pollution and health. During a Demonstration Project within the European Space Agency’s Business Applications programme, the London-based company has developed a Bluetooth device and a mobile app allowing cyclists to easily use their smartphone location. Beeline provides a routing and mapping service enabling more pleasant rides for individual cyclists, or faster and safer tracks for bike sharing and delivery companies. Depending on the user’s needs, the app considers sources such as road elevation maps derived from Earth observing satellites, as well as data on cycle infrastructure, or accident hotspots.

Another example is the Bike Citizens app which provides a smart route calculation feature, an option to record activities and collect individual data, as well as campaigns to motivate people to cycle. With this app, Bike Citizens builds a community and connects cyclists. The user base provides statistics and heatmaps which in turn helps to promote and enhance the cycling experience. Additionally, the app stimulates cycling through gamification, rewards, and by involving its users. The gathered information on how people cycle can be analysed to get new insights, for instance on the quality of roads, popular routes, as well as to detect untapped potential. The app helps cities and governments to better plan infrastructure and prioritise improvements, resulting in more cyclists in urban areas. Bike Citizens also participates in research projects such as climate-fit.city to gain a better understanding of how climate (e.g. heat waves, floods, pollution, etc.) affects cycling. It shows urban planners which areas of their cities need specific adaptations to improve their climate resilience. Reducing cyclists’ sensitivities to weather and climate variability can play an important role in promoting cycling as a green mode of transportation.

Apart from commuting to work, people are also considering the bike more often for a physical workout. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the use of fitness apps rose significantly. In the peloton of fitness-tracking apps, Strava is one of the most popular ones. This year, the ride logging and training platform hit 60 million users. Sports practitioners, amateur and professional, can upload their satellite navigation (GNSS) data recorded by a bike computer, smartwatch, or can even track their workout directly with the app on a smartphone. Once uploaded, users can view their activity on a standard or a satellite map, with satellite imagery sourced from DigitalGlobe, NASA, and Mapbox. Even amateurs nowadays ride with bike computers and sensors, allowing them to read various parameters such as power output in watts, heart rate, speed, and distance. The app enables athletes to dive in their data to compare previous efforts and optimise their training. It also stimulates people to stay active with all kinds of challenges as well as with the competitive element of segments, marking popular stretches of a road or trail (such as your favorite local climb) linked to a leaderboard of times set by every Strava athlete who has been there before.

Apart from performance measuring, the app also features a mapping tool to create routes. Satellite imagery allows users to preview the track so that they can filter out specific types of roads according to their preference. Furthermore, the social aspect of the app includes the option to share recorded activities with photos on a feed where friends and followers can give kudos and leave comments on each other’s activities. As a social network for athletes with most features relying on satellite data, the app is an excellent example of how we benefit from space technology in everyday life. The app has always been free, although features such as the route builder, training analysis and complete leaderboards have been restricted to paying subscribers only. Earlier this year, the developers released an open letter explaining their decision. “We think that $5 a month for Strava is money well spent. But we also know, especially lately, that there are athletes struggling to make ends meet and that the free version of Strava must remain high quality and useful.” Despite the sanitary crisis, the shift towards a subscription model indicates the growing market for sports performance tracking.

The data collected on fitness-tracking apps can be utilised for a number of purposes. Relive for example, generates 3D video stories of bike rides and runs using the data collected from its users’ activity tracking apps, as well as their personal photographs. The app maps the GNSS data on satellite imagery from the ESRI World Imagery basemap, enabling athletes to share their rides via virtual 3D video tours. By combining performance tracking data with digital maps, Relive makes short 3D animation videos that exhibit the highlights from a cyclist’s trek. The animation can include the route the athlete took with metrics such as terrain elevation, the length and average speed of the ride, and it can be combined with pop-ups of photographs taken during the activity. As such, athletes can share their outdoor adventures in a one-minute video.

An immersive indoor cycling experience

Cyclists are spending more time indoors than ever. According to the 2019 Year in Sport Data Report, virtual cycling technology adoption by cyclists has nearly tripled since 2016. As virtual riding platforms continue to grow, pedaling indoors has become a convenient way to stay fit all year round. It might be surprising, but also for these indoor rides satellite data makes a difference.

There are numerous platforms offering gamified virtual courses based on iconic roads and climbs like the Mont Ventoux or the Passo dello Stelvio. GNSS data enables the replication of exact gradients and road profiles of real-world locations. When paired with a smart trainer, the resistance changes based on the terrain, simulating the way you would feel if you were actually climbing it in the real world. Some apps offer a gamified virtual world, others aim to simulate the real world as much as possible with augmented reality. An example of an indoor cycling app offering a combination of virtual reconstruction, satellite imagery, and video footage is Rouvy. It integrates with Google Earth allowing users to create custom routes by selecting a start and then dropping points on the map, in a similar way as when using a mapping software to create routes for a GNSS-enabled bike computer, but users can also upload ride videos from an action camera like a GoPro and synchronise them with these routes.

The emerging trend of online racing is partly due to the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic. With numerous races cancelled throughout the year, cycling organisations have played a major role in the rise of online racing. From the Tour of Flanders to the Tour of Swiss, major events turned towards the virtual alternative. This greatly increased the visibility of virtual cycling, leading the technology for a fun and immersive indoor cycling experience to go mainstream. As the pedal power of the athlete drives the scenic view on a screen, the technology combines social interaction with graphic elements for a realistic physical workout from home. More than any other year, this brings like-minded cyclists together.

Let’s pedal to prove our mettle

Cycling has many benefits for society and our health, especially given the ongoing pandemic. It offers an important alternative for crowded public transport and a good way for some physical exercising, even from home. While satellite-based innovations continue to improve the cycling experience for those who venture through the real world, indoor rides are also becoming more realistic and effective thanks to satellite imagery and the widespread of GNSS wearables. Often without even realising it, people are connected with the infrastructure orbiting our planet. We all use satellite data, and a large part of it originates from the European space programme. Whether commuting to work or staying fit, satellite applications enable a better cycling experience both outdoors and indoors!

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Stichtsche Cricket & Hockey Club (SCHC) is a Dutch sports club based in Utrecht. The club exists since 1906 and is best known for its field hockey department. While their men’s hockey team currently plays in the second division, the women’s team has played at the highest level since 2004 and is one of the top teams in the Netherlands.

Lucas Judge is a former field hockey international. In 2018-2020 he was the assistant coach for the Netherlands’ national women’s hockey team, the reigning world champion, and he is currently head coach of the SCHC women’s team.

The challenge

During the 2020-2021 season, the club is competing for a spot in the playoffs with the four best teams of the national league. Six players within the team are also preparing to play in the national team in the Olympics. For the club, maintaining fitness levels during the season and avoiding injuries is essential to performance. Lucas and his staff were looking for reliable ways to improve performance monitoring of their athletes that would not be perceived as stressful or invasive.

The satellite solution

Lucas is a strong supporter of performance tracking technologies. He witnessed the very early stages of GPS technology around 20 years ago, when Catapult Sports was starting up in Australia and had the opportunity of testing tracking devices during his playing days.

In 2018 the club decided to start using the JOHAN Sports tracking system. Ever since, players have been wearing a compression vest featuring a sensor between their shoulder blades. The trackers geolocate the movements of the players on the pitch with satellite navigation and provide in-depth data on a wide range of parameters including velocity, deceleration, acceleration, positioning, covered distance, and player load.

An analysis platform allows data to be stored, processed and analysed online. The coach can then see a list of statistics of all the players on a tablet, smartphone, laptop, or any other kind of digital interface. The software offers additional analytical tools to make training reports, providing quick feedback and a better overview.

The results

Better knowledge of individual player performance allows sports scientists and coaches to make informed decisions about training content and enables more accurate and tailored programme planning, for instance extra rest when a player is at risk of injury due to fatigue. The data can also be used to trigger the curiosity of players, as they are now able to verify how intensely they have trained.

While the data should not be sacred, it is a valuable source of information and when interpreted in the right way it contributes to a better training plan resulting in a fitter team. “It is hard to identify a causal relationship between the use of the trackers and a decrease in injuries, but I am convinced that it makes a positive contribution to our overall training programme as it allows us to make better informed decisions. Being able to monitor players remotely is also an asset, especially given the COVID-19 situation. Players can take a sensor with them and wear it during a workout at home.”

The trackers have become an integral part of the game for today’s top clubs. JOHAN Sports strives to make their system affordable for sports teams on all levels. At SCHC both the men’s and women’s first teams make use of the trackers and a limited number of trackers are made available to the coordinators of the youth teams.

“Personally, I consider the technology a must at the highest level and in recent years I have really seen the usage of satellite tracking technology become mainstream within most professional clubs.”

Lucas Judge, head coach of the SCHC women’s team.

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The widespread of fitness wearables

The spike in performance monitoring at amateur level with tracking devices and mobile apps is an indicator of the appetite for physical data amongst the general population nowadays. Driven by the trend of democratisation of sports and fitness equipment for all ages, fitness wearables represent the largest segment of the GNSS wearables market, reaching €13 billion in 2018 and expecting to reach 5.2% annual growth through 2023. When it comes to amateur performance monitoring, GNSS-enabled wearables comprise mainly wrist-worn devices such as watches and bracelets. An increasing number of smartphone services and fitness-related applications are compatible with these wearables. Whether you like to run in the city, cycle in the countryside, hike in the mountains, swim in the sea, or prefer any other outdoor activity, there will be a multitude of options available covering a wide variety of needs such as planning routes and calculating average speed or covered distance.

Since users can track their biometric data over time, smartwatches also operate as a digital health system. Parameters around heart rate, blood oxygen level, sleep, stress level, and movement change can alert users about a possible COVID-19 infection.

Lockdown challenges

Popular fitness apps such as Runkeeper or Strava have tens of millions users across the world. The apps are used to keep track of activity history and performance data, mostly for running and cycling. These platforms are becoming the social media of sports allowing both amateur and professional athletes to upload their recorded workouts with any GNSS enabled device, and to connect online with their friends and followers.

During the first wave of the corona breakout, the use of these apps increased drastically. According to mobile operator EE, the Strava fitness app user count and data usage tripled across the UK compared to pre-lockdown figures. While one event after another was cancelled due to COVID-19, sports enthusiasts and professional athletes turned towards online sports community platforms to keep themselves engaged. Different challenges encourage users to stay active with all kinds of rewards such as digital trophies, shopping vouchers, or charity sponsoring.

Virtual events

Online platforms even allowed for some forms of competition, since participants exercise remotely and just need to upload their GNSS data on a platform. One such online platform is Keep Moving, offering digital challenges for events that could not take place as planned.

For instance, like so many other events the Tour of Belgium – a five-day bicycle race held annually – was cancelled this year due to COVID-19. However, a virtual alternative was organised instead. For the first time, the race was open for participants across the whole country. Amateur cyclists were divided in separate teams represented by one professional rider. Ultimately, the team with the highest recorded distance would be the winner. With more than 3000 active participants keeping track of their rides, and with an average of around 200 km per person spread over 5 consecutive days, the country lived up to its cycling geek reputation.

Remote training during lockdown, social distancing and returning to contact sports

Satellite navigation also provides tools to keep professional athletes as fit as possible. Tracking systems have been highly effective during the lockdown when competitions abruptly stopped and training accommodations were closed. The data also enabled coaches to remotely track the performance of their athletes if they would exercise at home.

The COVID-19 pandemic created a unique situation where players and athletes had enforced inactivity from competition and even training during an unusual period. Although a period of inactivity allows players to recover and regenerate, the associated negative effect is detraining leading to a potential decrease of technical but also physical abilities. Moreover, some competitions had to be rushed during summer to complete the season, requiring players to come back in a very short amount of time increasing risk of injury. Monitoring technology is essential to set the objectives and to ensure that athletes are achieving according to the prescribed programme to avoid overloading or under exposure. A large body of evidence and literature in sports science building upon data generated by GNSS tracking wearables, is dedicated to how training and competition workloads relate to injuries and how loading schemes can be optimised.

As most outdoor team sports imply physical contact between players, GNSS technology and video analysis also contribute to a smooth transition towards team-based training activities in a socially distanced manner. Research such as the player proximity report by STATSports, studying the frequency of close contacts and the duration of these incursions, provides coaches more information on how to better modify trainings according to social distancing guidelines. In order to avoid as much as possible prolonged close contacts in competitive play, some companies are open to the idea of creating heat maps based on the data generated by their tracking devices to study player movements. Another idea is to introduce a shot clock, a time frame within which the game needs to be resumed especially during dead ball situations when players are packed together.

In the Bundesliga – the highest football league in Germany – players returned straight into competition without preseason friendlies following the COVID-19 lockdown. Although the league introduced additional breaks during match play and allowed more substitutions, the condensed fixture schedule to finish the season off resulted in injury spikes 2 to 4 times higher than pre-lockdown. A similar effect is expected in other leagues, as well as in other sports. Returning players to contact has particular relevance in rugby where home confinement due to the pandemic exposed athletes to unprecedented levels of detraining. While skills and running could have been provided, players were no longer exposed to a contact stimulus. Rugby is a sport where high impacts occur frequently, so players need special care after their prolonged period of inactivity to minimise the risk of injury when returning back to contact competition demands.

The GNSS data, which already shows coaches the training load of their players, can be complemented with information about how a player is feeling including sleep, stress levels, and even mood levels. Mobile apps such as the JOHAN Team Performance App or the Athlete Management System from Catapult Sports provide sports scientists and medical teams with even more indicators about player performance. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic this enabled players to upload their wellness parameters together with their training data, and coaches to detect early symptoms remotely.

Enhancing the at-home fan experience

Now that major sports competitions have finally picked up again, leveraging on generated data during the game could compromise for the lack of crowds inside the stadium and improve fan engagement through live broadcasting. Detailed stats such as covered distance, sprint speeds or heart rates during a penalty shootout, will surely captivate viewers from their homes. Satellite communications and increased broadband already increased connectivity allowing sports fans to engage with each other online, watch instant replays, or check in on other games during game down times. With additional data on player and team stats, sports-viewing technology will further improve the at-home fan experience.

Overcoming the crisis

At amateur level, satellite navigation devices have become widespread. Smartwatches or even mobile phones, in combination with sports apps gave rise to a digital sports community. Online platforms dealt with the mass cancellation of sports events and have stimulated people to stay active even when confined.

Despite the major setbacks due to the current sanitary crisis, the future of data in sports seems secure. Analysing training data has become an essential tool in a professional environment for the fine tuning of training programmes, but also for many other aspects of outdoor team sports. Recent events underlined the benefits of GNSS wearables. The trackers enabled coaches to monitor their players remotely and assisted trainers to restart group sessions while also respecting social distancing. The use of satellite navigation data in sports performance monitoring is very diverse and is used in different sports. The data even opens up new opportunities to enhance audience experience during these unprecedented times.

Satellite navigation technology is an all-round champion when it comes to sports performance monitoring!

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