Systems and methods for tracking a sports ball assembly in real time during a sporting event are disclosed. A structure of the sports ball assembly is also disclosed. The sports ball assembly comprises at least one electronic circuit embedded or attached to a sports ball. The sports ball assembly is in network communication with a server processor via at least two receivers within a sports arena. The sports ball assembly generates and transmits UWB data packets comprising movement-related data for the sports ball assembly in real time at a predetermined rate. The at least two receivers receive the UWB data packets and transmit to the server processor with time stamps. The server processor is operable to determine a movement of the sports ball assembly based on the UWB data packets and the time stamps received from the at least two receivers.

A system for providing full scale participant practice and instruction by at least one self-propelling drone including a control platform incorporating a first processor. A second processor is incorporated into the drone which is in operative communication with the control platform, the second processor receiving a stream of instructions for operating a powered drive chassis incorporated into the drone for traversing the drone upon a practice surface during a training iteration. The stream of instructions includes at least one algorithmic protocol for instructing the drive chassis to execute a progression of movements either mimicking or responding to physical movements of a physical participant engaged in the training iteration.

A sports ball may include a bladder having one or more inserts attached to or imbedded therein. The inserts may include a battery, a charging element, one or more microprocessors/sensors, memory and/or a speaker. The bladder may include pockets formed into the bladder either extending from the outside into the bladder and/or pockets disposed on the inside of the bladder. A hub for communicating with several balls and/or display devices may also be included.

An impact diffusing system for protecting a user's head includes a headpiece cage coupled to a thoracic framework. In one aspect, the headpiece cage includes at least two support bars, a plurality of rigid bars surrounding at least a portion of the forehead, top, and sides of the head, and a face mask that encloses at least a portion the user's face. The thoracic framework covers at least a portion of a chest, upper back, and shoulders of the user, and the thoracic framework is attached to the support bars of the headpiece cage in a manner that prevents movement of the headpiece cage relative to the thoracic framework. In another aspect, the system includes a helmet component (formed of e.g., carbon fiber) coupled to a thoracic cage, wherein the helmet component is a solid, unitary piece that surrounds the top, back, and sides of the user's head.

An American-style football having a major longitudinal dimension extending about a longitudinal axis and including an inflatable prolate spheroidal shaped bladder, a lining positioned about the bladder, a cover assembly, a lacing and a thin electronic tag. The cover assembly includes at least first, second, third and fourth cover panels collectively positioned over the bladder and the lining. The lacing extends along a longitudinal plane extending through the longitudinal axis and is coupled to the first and fourth cover panels. The tag is positioned between the lining and the cover assembly. The tag is covered by at least one of the first and fourth cover panels but not covered by the second and third cover panels. The tag is configured to enable at least one characteristic of the football to be monitored during use. In another example implementation, the tag is positioned between the lining and the bladder.

A system and method for recording and broadcasting motion of a sports ball and individual players includes a sports ball with cameras embedded within for recording trajectory and locomotion, a sensor module for storing video footage and telemetry metadata, and cameras mounted on the sports equipment of individual players. The sensor module includes an Inertia Measuring Unit, a transceiver, a memory, a power source, and a processor, all operatively connected to one another. The sports ball sends data to a wireless data transmission grid mounted under a sports pitch and/or to antennas for transfer to a data processing server which determines a real ball direction thereafter sent to a stadium camera system that generates further 360 degree action-focused broadcasting data. The data is sent to the processing server which processes the raw footage received from the sports ball and individual players to produce clean footage for various applications.

A first list of available players is provided to each individual user who then selects a first fantasy lineup, where selections by another individual user does not preclude other individual users from also selecting the same player. First fantasy lineups are received from each individual user, the fantasy lineups comprising one or more players selected from the first list of available players. Each individual user may provide a replacement lineup prior to the end of a game. A subsequent list of available players is provided to each user and does not include players from the first fantasy lineup. Subsequent fantasy lineups from each individual user are received comprising only players selected from the subsequent list of available players. None of the players of the first fantasy lineup for an individual user is included in any subsequent fantasy lineup of the individual user.

A universal athleticism rating system and related athletic performance measuring systems for accurately detecting and recording athletic performance are disclosed. The athleticism rating system evaluates individual athletes against a common, standardized, set of athletic performance tests. Each athlete performs the athletic tests and his or her scores in the individual tests are entered into a standardized calculation to produce a single athletic performance score. The related performance measuring system is preferably a timing system that ensures quick, easy, and accurate collection of athletic event timing related data without the need for the athlete to wear any special detection devices or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the performance measuring system integrates with the rating system to provide seamless athletic data collection and rating of athletes.

It is sometimes difficult for a sports coach to get his training drills and techniques across to the team. It is especially difficult to explain the right time to carry out a certain skill like passing a ball. To aid his description of what he would like his players to do and more specifically when he would like them to carry out certain actions like passing the ball, some help is needed.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is a training ball system comprising a training ball including a receiver for receiving a wireless signal from a remote location, the training ball further comprising a vibration module for providing a sensory indication to a user carrying the training ball, an input device physically separate from the training ball including a transmitter for enabling transmission of a wireless signal to the receiver; the system configured such that the vibration module vibrates in response to transmission of a wireless signal from the input device to the receiver.

An inflatable sports training ball made as an inflatable exterior surface formed of an air tight flexible outer casing which, when inflated, defines an exterior surface; an interior air pocket surrounded by an interior liner defining a bladder, the interior liner made of an air tight and water tight rubber; an inflation and fill valve; and a variable amount of solution filling a portion of the bladder, the solution being substantially heavier than air and occupying an amount of said interior volume wherein a pre-determined amount of the solution is forced into the interior air chamber of the sports ball with a pump and the resulting partially solution filled sports ball provides a variable inertia system used in training sports enthusiasts a better ball control technique and other drills.