NBA, 2020 Olympics Get the Emerging Tech Treatment

Thanks to The Lonely Island for the title. Two big tech developments are in the works in the NBA and at the 2020 Olympics.

Buy Dinwiddie

Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie considers himself "just a Tech guy with a Jumper." Last week, The Athletic reported Dinwiddie will be converting at least part of his three-year, $34-million contract extension into a digital investment vehicle. He'll get a lump sum payment upfront.

How it works: Dinwiddie is basically securitizing his Nets contract and turning it into a digital token. And by selling tokenized shares of himself and borrowing against his future salary, Dinwiddie can access more of his contract upfront. Fans (er, investors?) will be paid principal and interest from what the Nets owe Dinwiddie.

This is a first for the league. If it goes well, it could be a model for future stars. Is there a bitcoin connection? Who knows, but hours before the news broke, Dinwiddie cryptically tweeted "$btc."

Technoutopian Tokyo

The Olympics have come a long way from naked Greeks throwing spears. Toyota is pulling out all the future mobility stops for 2020, launching a nearly 90% electrified fleet of scooters, mopeds, and buses, plus a torch-bearing car with an AI interface. The host city is also providing autonomous shuttles for the Olympic Village. As the Brew's Managing Editor Neal Freyman reminds athletes: "Keep it PG in there."

What else is new? Intel, the Olympics's tech provider, announced last week it's bringing a suite of new tech features to the games, including:

• A facial recognition system that will ID some 300,000 athletes, staff, and other attendees
• VR broadcasts
• An esports tournament. If your brand isn't hosting an esports activation, are you even trying to connect with Gen Z?
• 3DAT. Who dat? 3DAT = 3D Athlete Tracking, an AI and computer vision-powered software suite that provides colorful overlays to viewers. Here's what it looks like:

Bottom line: Tech is providing players, viewers, and hosts the opportunity to experience elite athletics in new ways.