Sportable and Gilbert Announce New Partnership with Major League Rugby

Sportable, the smart-tracking technology company, together with Gilbert, a global provider of top-quality rugby equipment, continues its global expansion with a ground breaking partnership announcement with Major League Rugby (MLR) in North America. Today, the companies announce their collaboration with MLR as the tournament integrates the Gilbert x Sportable Smart Rugby ball.

Renowned for representing the highest level of competition in North-American rugby, Sportable and Gilbert aim to provide Major League Rugby coaches, players, and viewers with the data and insights needed to elevate the tournament to the next level. 

The smart ball offers real-time information across various metrics, including speed and distance travelled, enabling better decision-making for teams and officials. Additionally, it provides unique perspectives that will enhance media and broadcast coverage, ultimately elevating the experience for both new and existing MLR fans.

“This partnership with Gilbert and Sportable is a first in American professional rugby demonstrating our commitment to unlocking the potential of technology in our matches,” commented Nic Benson, CEO of MLR. “The Gilbert x Sportable Smart Ball will provide unparalleled data findings in real time to deliver to our fans new engaging insights on the game, while holding future potential to enhance team training and referee assessments. We are thrilled that Major League Rugby is at the forefront of this movement.”

Throughout 2023, Sportable built a strong reputation in rugby through its involvement in prestigious tournaments  such as the Six Nations and Autumn Internationals, World Rugby U20 Championship, and various summer test matches in Australia, Expanding its presence and introducing its innovative capabilities to the North American market is one Sportable’s  many initial steps in the USA, as the business continues to extend its ball and player tracking technology  into other sports.

Sportable CEO, Dugald Macdonald, added, “We are delighted to be partnering with Major League Rugby with the exciting introduction of the Gilbert x Sportable Smart Ball this season. The Smart Balls and associated analytics will bring a new level of innovation and insight for rugby fans, and we're proud to be taking that step with the MLR. Having successfully introduced the Smart Ball in leading leagues and tournaments around the world, it's the right time for MLR and Sportable to join forces to bring new insights to such a data-hungry fan base in the US.”

“We are excited to see the Smart Ball data come to life across multiple platforms, where our goal is to offer a deeper understanding and appreciation of the game. In doing so, we hope to deliver more value to Major League Rugby, their partners, participating teams, and the fans.”

Gilbert is synonymous with the sport of rugby, serving as the official ball of both the Rugby World Cup and the game’s return to the Olympics. Founded in the 1800s, Gilbert remains a family-owned business in the United Kingdom and is the leader in the rugby market for apparel and equipment.

“Having been working exclusively with Sportable as our technology partners for over five years in the development of this revolutionary new ball, we are delighted that the Gilbert x Sportable Smart Ball has now been chosen to feature in Major League Rugby,” Gilbert Rugby commercial CEO, Richard Gray added. “We look forward to bringing sports fans closer to the game with new exciting and engaging insights offered by the real-time data from the ball. We are pleased to support the continued growth of Rugby in the USA and help to engage new audiences as the game builds towards America hosting its first ever Rugby World Cup in 2031.“

This is the latest innovative trend from MLR as it seeks to grow the game of rugby in North America in advance of the 2031 Rugby World Cup. The league already is the only one in the US that outfits its referees with microphones and has a dedicated live feed that captures full audio from each match. Earlier this year, MLR named Globant, a global technology leader, as an official partner, working with the company to overhaul and relaunch The Rugby Network, its OTT platform that streams league matches and other national and international rugby content.