For decades, the only “digital tech” on a sports court was a scoreboard (and maybe a camera).
Today, the surface itself is turning into a data engine/computer.
Smart courts are one of the fastest-moving trends in sports (and are going to reshape many verticals of the industry).
Here is what you need to know 👇
What is a Smart Court?
A smart court is any playing surface upgraded with sensors, cameras, software, or tracking systems that:
- Generate video content
- Provide coaching insights
- Capture performance data
- Automate refereeing and scoring
- Create new ways to monetize participation
The easiest way to put it…
Smart Courts DIGITIZE a physical sport.
History of Smart Courts
Smart courts feel new, but after digging deeper, it’s pretty clear that the idea has been developing for almost two decades.
What started with tennis is now spreading to pickleball, padel, basketball, volleyball, and even multi-purpose gyms.
I’d say there have been three clear waves:
1. Broadcast Era (~2000 to 2015)
The earliest version of a smart court started with professional tennis.
Hawkeye introduced multi-camera systems that could triangulate a ball’s flight and determine whether it was in or out.
Hawkeye did two critical things:
- It proved that technology could outperform humans in officiating
- It conditioned fans and players to accept digital decision-making
At this stage, smart courts were expensive, heavy, and limited to pro environments.
2. Club & Academy Era (~2015 to 2020)
This is when cameras became cheaper, and cloud computing became accessible.
Companies like Playsight began installing multi-camera systems in tennis academies, padel clubs, and basketball gyms.
For the first time, clubs could offer:
- Basic analytics
- Instant replay and coaching tools
- Automated video from fixed installations
This was the moment smart courts became a product rather than a novelty (expanding beyond just the pros to amateurs).
3. Computer Vision Era (2020 to Today)
The real breakthrough came when computer vision models could understand movement in real time without sensors or chips.
This unlocked:
- Player development analytics
- Automated highlight creation
- Real-time shot and player tracking
- Automated line calling for amateurs
- Scalable installations across thousands of courts
Companies like SportsVisio and others began building consumer-ready versions that cost a fraction of the early systems.
This wave turned smart courts from “nice technology” into the future operating system of sports.
I’ll touch on where this space is going next at the end…
Why is All This Happening Now?
Three major forces are colliding…
In what I call “the 3 C’s” of smart courts:
1. Cameras got cheaper
AI sports cameras used to cost $10,000+.
Now they are sub $2,000 and getting better every month. Using a smartphone isn’t out of the equation either.
You can install them in rec centers, schools, and clubs without blowing up budgets. It also doesn’t hurt that youth sports are professionalising.
2. Computer vision became more useful
Tracking used to require chips in balls or sensors on bodies.
Now computer vision (CV) models can identify movements, lines, feet, and violations without hardware attached to athletes.
3. Content became king
Smart courts also help create more media content:
- Clips
- Highlights
- Training breakdowns
- Automated broadcasting
This unlocks a new scale of shareable moments…which helps athletes, parents, facilities, governing bodies, and event organizers.
Emerging categories within smart courts:
- Refereeing and line-calling – human refereeing is inconsistent and expensive (AI refs/systems are inevitable).
- Performance and coaching systems – this is transformational in levels outside of the pros (think ball speed, shot charting, footwork, mistakes, patterns, etc).
- Automated content creation – livestreaming is productized, clips are auto-cut…giving parents/athletes highlight reels and facilities marketing materials.
- Betting and integrity data – real-time, accurate event streams are possible with smart courts, which will eventually feed betting markets.
- Facility management – manage reservations, usage data, pricing, coaching hours, and maintenance (data-driven business model).
When looking at smart courts, I’d say there are three key business models: Hardware + installation, Software, & Media/distribution.
So who is playing in this space?
Creating market maps isn’t easy, but I took a stab at some notable companies:
Smart courts are an infrastructure layer of global sports.
Many billion-dollar businesses will be created in and around this space.
Looking Ahead
Smart courts are still early in their adoption curve (I’d say they’re like where Hudl was in 2010).
The next decade will see courts, clubs, and facilities transition from being passive environments to fully digitised systems that track, analyse, and enhance every moment of play.
My three predictions:
- The “smart facility” becomes a new category – instead of one court at a time, entire buildings will be digitized.
- Data pipelines will become standardized – recruiting, scouting, and coaching will become less fragmented thanks to this.
- Entire new revenue models will emerge – examples could include automated media rights, athlete data commerce, skill-based betting, virtual training, etc
Smart courts are the bridge between the offline and online worlds of sports.
This is a BIG opportunity for those who get it right.
