Sports technology is changing the business landscape, transforming the game itself and also the management of diverse operations and fan engagement.

Today, the integration of sophisticated data analytics and hybrid cloud solutions, such as HPE GreenLake, is at the forefront of this change. These advancements are making organizations more agile and efficient, driving growth and elevating customer experiences beyond traditional boundaries. This tech-driven approach is reshaping the sports industry, highlighting the critical role of technology in achieving competitive advantage and operational excellence.

Dallas Cowboys’ Matt Messick and HPE’s Bryan Thompson talk to theCUBE about sports technology.

“We just had a great AI workshop HPE led, and we were actually targeting more of the football operations side,” said Matt Messick (pictured, left), chief information officer of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. “We were creating all of these plans and use cases of what exactly we’re going to do. There’s so much data, all your fan engagement, all the data that we’re sharing with the league that we’re getting back. It’s being able to act on all of that data.”

Messick was joined by Bryan Thompson (right), vice president of product management, HPE GreenLake cloud services, at HPE, as they spoke with theCUBE’s Dave Vellante and Rebecca Knight at HPE Discover, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed how the Dallas Cowboys leverage HPE GreenLake and advanced technology to enhance the team’s diverse business operations, improve fan engagement and maintain a competitive edge through data analytics and AI-driven insights. (* Disclosure below.)

The Dallas Cowboys: A business beyond football

Messick and Thompson shed light on the extensive business operations behind the iconic Dallas Cowboys NFL team. Contrary to the common perception of the Cowboys as merely a football team, with a business empire extending across various industries, showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit of owner Jerry Jones.

“Jerry Jones is an entrepreneur. He has ideas, and on the technology side you just have to make it happen,” Messick said. “Whenever you have to position yourself, it’s very difficult to look forward … to three years when an idea can just come out of nowhere that you have not planned for and you have to react.”

The scope of the Cowboys’ operations, which include medical imaging facilities, retail stores, construction projects and even eSports ventures, is vast. This diversification necessitates an adaptable technological infrastructure. The Cowboys’ ability to pivot quickly and embrace new business opportunities is supported by the team’s reliance on HPE GreenLake, a hybrid cloud platform that offers the flexibility and scalability needed to manage its diverse portfolio effectively, according to Thompson.

“It’s all about being nimble,” he said. “That’s really where GreenLake has continued to evolve.”

Leveraging sports technology for a competitive advantage

The Cowboys utilize massive amounts of video data for player scouting, game analysis and strategic planning. This data-driven approach improves on-field performance and enhances the overall fan experience. By leveraging AI and advanced analytics, the Cowboys can offer more personalized and engaging content to fans, both in-stadium and through digital platforms.

“Video is everything to coaches, players. That’s where you do your studying; you’re studying the opponent, picking your draft, your players,” Messick said. “When you have that much video … everything has to be fast. They want to know where their data is living and it’s protected underneath our umbrella in our private cloud.”

The collaborative spirit within the sports industry is a key driver of innovation. Teams and organizations frequently share best practices and technological advancements. This collaboration extends beyond the NFL, with interactions and knowledge sharing occurring globally across various sports disciplines, according to Messick.

“The NFL does a great job of bringing all of the technology teams together to do that, to brainstorm, to share information. It’s a club,” he said. “And not just the NFL, it’s all sports … it is like community spread around the world. We’re just sharing and … it’s fun and you want to raise the boat, you want to raise that experience across the globe, because all the fans, it doesn’t matter what sport, they’re asking for it.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE Research’s coverage of HPE Discover:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for HPE Discover. Neither Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. and Intel Corp., the primary sponsors of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE