Blast Motion Partners with SportsEngine

Sports software provider SportsEngine has partnered with Blast Motion to provide Blast’s motion analysis inside the SportsEngine software.

The partnership between SportsEngine, an NBC Sports Group company, and Blast Motion, a sensor-based motion capture technology that integrates analysis, coaching, communication and management tools, allows SportsEngine users to easily integrate the baseball or softball improvement solutions into existing training routines and coaching programs.

“With increased competition and participation in leading sports like baseball, softball and golf, having the tools to analyze your performance and find areas of improvement is imperative,” said Rick Ehrman, vice president of business development for SportsEngine. “This partnership with Blast Motion brings very exciting opportunities that will allow SportsEngine users to access their performance data and team, league and club informational all in the same place.”

Blast’s baseball “hitting solution,” a .3-ounce sensor attached to the end of the bat, uses an algorithm to track swing data and display the results via software. The most recent release of the Blast product expanded its baseline metrics beyond swing speed, time to contact, swing direction and power to include vertical bat angle, body rotation scores and swing plane data. Blast Vision allows players to make adjustments to their swing and see real-time results and a “cause-and-effect” view of their swing by integrating real-time motion metrics with auto-clipped video.

“Blast Motion has always been focused on player, coach and team development, by delivering objective and actionable sensor-based insights for improvement,” said Mike Woods, vice president of business development and strategic partnerships for Blast Motion. “By combining SportsEngine’s desire to provide clubs, leagues and teams with industry-leading athletic improvement solutions through their powerful online tools, this partnership was a perfect fit. The combined solution will provide more advanced opportunities for elite players to capture data to help them get recruited, while enabling players of all ages and skill levels train smarter and get better.” 

More than one million teams, leagues and clubs us SportsEngine to run their website, tournaments, leagues, online registration and mobile apps, helping them handle administration and communication. The Blast Motion addition will get incorporated into SportsEngine over the next few months.

Tim Newcomb covers gear and business for Baseball America. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.