Squash tries to monetize heart rate data

In recent years, as data analysis has been conducted in the sports world, various indicators and data are measured for baseball and soccer, and fans can enjoy using indicators and data in addition to games and scores. The Pro Squash Association PSA, a professional squash organization, is attempting to measure and monetize players’ heart rate during matches.

In December 2019, PSA began exploring attempts to generate revenue for athletes’ physiological data through strategic investments in Sports Data Labs. Athletes who agree to this attempt are said to be able to obtain financial incentives instead of disclosing the measured heart rate data to the spectators and TV broadcasts on the court by wearing a measuring strap during the match. PSA believes that heart rate data can entertain audiences and help attract more fans.

Of course, squash has a relatively narrow court and the player’s heart rate is easy to increase in squash, where the batting speed for advanced players can reach 200 km/h. The intensity of exercise is twice that of tennis, and in some cases the heart rate exceeds 200 beats per minute. Heart rate data can be a clue to squash beginners knowing that the player is exhausted and the speed of the game is increasing.

In addition, when the data analysis hand is grafted into the squash court, indicators such as the player and sighting batting speed, the total mileage, the shortest and maximum average rally duration of 30 seconds or the number of rally per minute can be measured. These indicators can enable audiences to view sports in completely different ways.

It’s not just the audience watching the game with detailed game-related indicators and data helpful. The player himself is likely to be able to pay attention to subtle indicators and improve play. However, the level of understanding or spirit of the game cannot be measured. It is pointed out that good squash players are adapting their excellent parts to squash, so some indicators are not necessarily good squash players. Related information can be found here.