#037: How I Would Start the Ultimate Hoops League in 2024
Back in 2006 when we launched Ultimate Hoops, I couldn't have fathomed how technology would transform our league.
At that time, every recreational player, regardless of their age or skill, yearned to feel like a pro—and they still do. This unyielding passion has driven the Ultimate Hoops mission from the opening tip.
The Early Days
At the Ultimate Hoops scorer's table in 2006: myself seated beside Steve Schmidt, a league player and volunteer, donned in the staff red tee.
Eighteen years ago, delivering a pro experience every week was a monumental accomplishment. Our scorer's table was bustling, usually manned by at least two people—sometimes even needing four if we didn't have an all-star like my cousin Paul, who could capture every statistic with just pen and paper. On busy nights, our team would swell to six, all hustling like the staff at the back of a Michelin-star restaurant, with a group of volunteers [1]—often league players themselves—eagerly chipping in wherever needed.
While the early UH days were all about managing a high-energy team, the advancements of the last eighteen years have streamlined how we approach game nights.
A New Era in 2024
Here we are in 2024, and I can imagine starting the Ultimate Hoops League with just my laptop and advanced technology from SportsVisio [2] and Remedy Sports [2]. It sounds like a dream from my sleep-deprived nights in 2006, but it's our new reality.
Now, I can manage everything as a one-person band—just me, flying solo every night along with two officials. With this new reality, here's how the essentials of a league night have transformed.
League Night Essentials
Here's what a league night equipment list would look like if I were starting the league now:
Camera Setup: A fixed camera to record every game for SportsVisio’s AI, capturing all the court action.
Photography: An SLR camera to capture teams and players for our website and social media.
Game Essentials: Two top-quality basketballs, a reliable air pump, and a first aid kit.
Must-Haves: Three packs of Starburst to keep my energy levels high throughout the night.
These tools redefine my role during the games, allowing for a more efficient operation.
Streamlining Operations
I would arrive 30 minutes before the first game to set up the camera at center court and print out foul sheets. I would place these at the scorer’s table with two mechanical pencils for tracking team and personal fouls during the game.
The time I spent in 2006 ensuring our staff was set up and in place for each game is now eliminated. No more worrying about someone being out sick or missing the game due to car problems.
It’s all in my control now.
I could reallocate this time to greeting teams and players as they arrived for league night, building relationships, and gathering customer feedback. This efficiency extends into the heart of the game nights, where my focus shifts to enhancing the player experience in real time.
Transforming Game Nights
A minute before the game starts, I would walk across the court to hit record on the camera then back to the scorer’s table. During the game, I'm seated at the scorer’s table, focused on running the scoreboard and tracking fouls.
At halftime and following the game, I switch roles to photojournalist, capturing the emotions as players enter and leave the court. These candid moments mean everything—each unique face tells more of a story than any routine action shot during the game.
After the final whistle, today’s technology continues to simplify tasks, allowing me to focus on capturing the moments that matter most.
Efficiency Post-Game
After league night wraps up, there's no more late-night data entry or video editing. Thanks to SportsVisio’s AI, all the stats and highlights are processed while I finally get some rest—a change my wife Mary would deeply appreciate; no more desk light keeping her up until 2 AM every league night.
The benefits of our technological integration are not limited to game nights alone; they also significantly impact how we manage our off days.
The Off Days
On league off days, the time spent scheduling staff, managing payroll, and tirelessly searching the internet for certified officials would be eliminated. Finding referees is now as easy as booking a ride on Uber, thanks to Remedy Sports. What used to be a frantic scramble on game days is now just a few clicks away.
The ease brought by these apps on off days is just the beginning; the financial and operational benefits we reap are even more significant.
Financial and Operational Wins
Financially, the impact of adopting AI and streamlined tech would be profound. My game night costs would drop by 20%, and the operational headaches would vanish, reducing the scorer’s table team size from five to just me.
There's a common myth that integrating technology always spikes operational costs. That might be true with big tech players in the market (I couldn't have afforded a $3000 Hudl camera when I started Ultimate Hoops), but today's world offers affordable solutions that even small leagues can harness the power of AI.
These improvements are just a glimpse of what's possible. As we continue to integrate technology, the potential for enhancing our league and the experience for every player grows exponentially.
Looking to the Future
Embracing technology isn't just a plan for newcomers. For established recreational sports operators, leveraging modern technology can elevate the player experience to professional levels while optimizing costs and reducing workload.
Technology is merging the worlds of the professional athlete and the everyday player. My dream of every rec player in the world feeling like a pro is quickly becoming a reality, thanks to the precision of AI.
What an incredible era we're stepping into.
I’m forever grateful to the early volunteers in Ultimate Hoops first year to get us over the hump. Thank you, Mike Baker, Roth Sanner, Issac Vogel, Steve Schmidt, Danny Simmer, Chelsey Chandler, Quincy Young,
Full disclosure: SportsVisio and Remedy Sports are clients of Arlt Consulting Co.
