News

With just a week until the 2021 Conference, we are gearing up for one of our favorite aspects of SSAC: career development.  We recently sat down with John Carter, CEO Of Noah Basketball, to hear about his firsthand experience at SSAC and how it supported the growth of Noah Basketball led to Noah’s growth.

What is Noah Basketball? ‍

Noah Basketball is a shot tracking system that leverages computer vision and machine learning to provide instant audio feedback and analysis on key metrics to machine vision technology that can help players improve their shooting percentage at every level.

Tell me about Noah Basketball’s Sloan Sports Analytics conference experience? ‍

Noah Basketball presented and won the 2017 SSAC startup contest which served as a catalyst for connection with teams across the NBA. Noah’s poster contest fueled some initial interest from teams but having the ability to demo in the startup competition was a huge success that allowed them to connect with nearly every NBA team throughout the course of the conference. The event served as a catalyst for their partnerships across the NBA, collegiate and high school level. Since then, Noah has expanded its production across half of the NBA and is backed by research of over 300 million shots that have been tracked through their Noahlytics system.‍

How has Covid-19 Impacted your business?

While the effects of COVID-19 impacted every facet of the business, the limitations on travel created the largest hurdle for Noah. Traveling to potential clients for product demos and installations are primary components for generating revenue. When travel stopped, Noah sought ways to adapt, implementing virtual solutions for demoing products and communicating with key partners. Noah crafted new messages to share that highlighted less recognized benefits such as productive isolated practices and more efficient player performance evaluation. ‍

What would you recommend to someone who is hoping to launch their own company at SSAC? ‍

The first thing I would recommend to someone who is launching their company through SSAC, is to ensure that they have the best possible understanding of the market (Collect as much data as possible).  Does your product or service address a problem and will it be seen as a solution? Building key relationships are paramount to getting a business off the ground.

Where do you see Noah Basketball in the future/ what projects do you have on the horizon now?

Noah Basketball recently began offering their shot tracking technology not only for player improvement and team evaluation, but also for broadcasting and fan engagement. In March of 2019, Noah Basketball and the Pac-12 Network reached a partnership to display the shot charts on air during conference games and the conference tournament. During these matchups, broadcasters rely frequently on Noah’s 3D Shot Charts and Rim Maps to analyze player and team shooting performance, ultimately enhancing the experience for at-home viewers as they learn more about players’ shots. Noah has on-going conversations with broadcast partners and future plans to increase the use of Noahlytics across national broadcasts.

‍

‍