OC&C advises Sony on acquisition of STATSports

Sony has acquired a majority stake in STATSports. OC&C Strategy Consultants advised Sony on the purchase of the Irish-based producer of wearable performance tracking technology.

In recent years, the number of elite athletes sporting wearable performance-trackers has noticeably boomed. One of the leading firms at the crest of that wave is STATSports – which offers solutions that empower over 800 of the world’s top sports clubs including Arsenal FC, Liverpool FC, and PSG, national football teams such as England and Portugal, New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa Springboks in international rugby, as well as NFL’s Washington Commanders and MLB’s LA Dodgers.

Founded in 2008, STATSports also provides a range of products to grassroots clubs and individual athletes. With its active tracking technologies including wearable devices with GPS, heart rate and accelerometer sensors, STATSports’ range of solutions provides more than 70 real-time metrics processed on-board for immediate feedback.

The acquisition forms part of Sony’s growing footprint in sports technology. It complements existing investments in Kitman Labs, Hawk-Eye Innovations and KinaTrax, and supports Sony’s ambition to offer a comprehensive suite of wearable and optical tracking solutions to elite sports organisations globally.

Speaking on the deal, Rufus Hack, CEO of Hawk-Eye, Pulselive, Beyond Sports and KinaTrax stated, “This acquisition is a powerful step in our journey to build the ultimate sports data and analytics engine, by integrating STATSports’ state-of-the-art wearable technology with our existing optical solutions. This opens up a path for new applications in performance analysis, as well as officiating, and fan engagement, which enables us to deliver a more complete and valuable solution to our partners and the entire sports community.”

Sony’s sports businesses leverage sports data, to deliver trusted solutions and insights for teams, athletes, and fans. The products include trusted officiating services and new forms of entertainment content by visualization technology of Beyond Sports, also a Sony group company. The latest deal is said to pave the way for a comprehensive optical and wearable tracking solution for teams and clubs across major sports, creating new opportunities for Sony’s sports businesses to leverage sports data in the performance analysis space, as well as to expand into new markets.

Alan Clarke, CEO and co-founder of STATSports, added, "This is a landmark moment for STATSports. Since 2008, our mission has been to help teams and athletes reach their full potential through performance monitoring technology. Partnering with Sony allows us to accelerate that mission by integrating our wearable technology with Sony’s world-leading solutions. Together, we can set new standards in performance analysis, athlete development, and injury prevention, while also offering audiences new ways to engage with their favourite sports teams."

A team from OC&C Strategy Consultants provided M&A support to Sony in connection with this transaction. The professionals included Thomas Charlick, James George, and Kim Chua.

OC&C Managing Partner Jeremy Barker commented via LinkedIn, “Fantastic to see my OC&C Strategy Consultants colleagues supporting this marquee transaction in the wearable sports tech sector.”