With the event fast approaching, we got in touch with our headline sponsor Air IT to give you a taste of what you can expect on the day.
How is technology changing the sport and recreation landscape?
The sport and recreation sector is constantly evolving and this is in no small part thanks to technology, which affects all areas from athlete performance to business efficiency. The pandemic has impacted the sector massively but technologies like cloud computing have been a game-changer for enabling organisations to adapt to remote work and even allowing them to create interactive experiences for people to enjoy at home.
Technology also provides huge opportunities to optimise performance both on and off the pitch – there is now a wealth of data available to scrutinise, from individual athletes all the way up to entire organisations, which can be analysed to identify improvement and provide insights never before realised.
The sports sector’s rapid adoption of technology does also mean that cyber security risks have become a big concern, so this is rightfully a top priority for many organisations.
What are the benefits of sport and recreation organisations adopting certain technologies?
Sport and recreation organisations have complex needs and ambitions, from staying connected to athletes and spectators, to keeping sensitive information secure, to optimising business operations. All of these can be made easier through the use of technologies such as Microsoft 365 and Teams for continuity and collaboration, business intelligence for monitoring and improving performance and operations, and password management for protecting critical data.
What are you working on at the moment and which Alliance members are you currently working with?
We currently work with over 20 Alliance members from across the country and in all areas of the sector, including charities, governing bodies, national athletics and sports organisations.
Our primary offering is Managed Support but, as a Managed Service Provider (MSP), we offer a comprehensive range of services including Communications, Cyber Security, Business Intelligence and Cloud Computing. So, we are working on a variety of projects and services at any one time.
We also work with many sports organisations outside of the Alliance, from Premier League football clubs and motorsport governing bodies to amateur-level sports trusts and charities.
What will attendees learn from visiting you at Fit for the Future?
Along with representatives from Microsoft, Datto and IASME, we’ll share our insights into the relationship between sport/recreation and technology, the latest industry trends and updates, and how organisations can ensure they are equipped to adopt new technologies and use them to their advantage.
Attendees will be able to find out about the advantages of Business Intelligence, an increasingly popular service that takes data from all business areas and transforms it into actionable insights, enabling all users to make informed decisions with confidence.
There will also be a big focus on cyber security – we’ll be demonstrating the latest threats for individuals and businesses, identifying the areas that pose the biggest threat to organisations, and explaining what you can put in place to reduce the risk.
What are your hopes for the event?
Air IT’s mission is to empower people to succeed through technology, so we hope that attendees will come away from the event feeling informed about the latest industry developments and equipped with the knowledge and confidence to help their organisation make the most of the technology available to them.
We’re really looking forward to catching up with some of our clients at the event, as well as making new connections with organisations and leaders who are just as passionate about technology as we are.
