Mavericks Sporting New Wearable GPS Tracking Devices

20 Sep 2013

Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, requires GPS tracking devices for all players during workouts and training.

Players of the Mavericks, the National Basketball League (NBA) team in Dallas, TX, are accustomed to Mark Cuban’s unordinary methods. He is no stranger to trying new antics in order to improve his player’s performance and win more games.

Mark Cuban, who is also an investor, philanthropist, and Shark Tank cast member, purchased the Mavericks in 2000 from Ross Perot, Jr. for $285 million. After taking over the Dallas Mavericks, they have won approximately 69 percent of their games during the regular season, reaching the playoffs each and every time.

Mark Cuban’s newest method for success uses GPS tracking technology. The technology, in a device called OptimEye, was created by Catapult Sports, based in Australia. The players are all required to wear a GPS tracking device attached to their body, that tracks various data during workouts, drills, and training. The devices will attach to player’s upper back, as to not get in the way of their game. It will be just under their jerseys and track their movement throughout the game.

Each player’s GPS tracking device will record their movement, including their heart rate, velocity and distance. It shows what their endurance and exertion rate is during practice and training, so that Cuban and other team management can analyze the data to improve their overall performance.

“We just want to be able to get smarter about our players and how to train them and how to put them in a position to succeed. So that’s just one component of a lot of different things that we’re doing,” Cuban told reporters about the devices.

The Mavericks are not the first team to use GPS tracking for their player’s performance. It was first used in the NFL, as well as other NBA teams, including the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and the Houston Rockets. The device provides a digital dashboard to owners, trainers, coaches, and players so they can see the progress of their workouts and find ways to improve their performance. It is also helping prevent player injuries and burnout, and is playing a role in monitoring player concussions.

The NBA has not approved GPS devices for seasonal games, so the Mavericks and other teams are only using it during training so far. Cuban’s team has just started for this last summer training season to get ready for their upcoming games. Already they are seeing better performance from players as they can pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. There is no word on whether or not the NBA will ever approve these tracking devices for games, but more teams will most likely be adding the technology to training and practice.


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