Technology from Zoom will form the backbone of a new collaboration with Major League Baseball.
The video conferencing app will become the Official Unified Communications Platform of MLB and Presenting Partner of MLB Replay Review – think VAR for baseball.
The Zoom Contact Center is intended to deliver “unprecedented transparency” to fans and enhanced communications between front office staff, umpires, and league officials.
MLB Chief Operations & Strategy Officer Chris Marinak, said: “We are always looking for innovative ways to leverage best-in-class technology to advance the MLB experience and deliver more to our fans. Partnering with Zoom, a category leader that reinvented the way we connect, was a natural next step for us. We are excited to integrate Zoom Contact Center and other Zoom platform technology into our gameday operations and continue to modernize experiences in a secure, reliable, and innovative way.”
Zoom Chief Marketing Officer, Janine Pelosi added: “MLB brings together tens of millions of passionate fans every season. Zoom’s rapid pace of innovation and obsession with making human connection easier and better, is crucial to help MLB evolve its experience and deliver unprecedented transparency and access to its fans. With MLB leveraging Zoom Contact Center and Zoom’s all-in-one collaboration platform, we are able to truly show the world how a historical brand can continue to innovate and unlock new possibilities.”
In the 2022 MLB season, there were more than 1,400 replay reviews. Historically, the league’s replay review was reliant on disparate technology and audio-only communication with umpires on the field, resulting in fans being disconnected from the decision-making process.
From the 2023 Season, the Crew Chief, the most senior member of the four-man umpire crew, will connect to the Zoom Replay Operations Center using Zoom’s Contact Center solution during any replay review. During broadcasts on MLB Network and Apple TV+, fans will also see the Zoom Replay Operations Center in action live during replay reviews and hear from an expert rules analyst who will discuss replay reviews with the broadcast team. MLB’s goal with the new setup is to create a more transparent and engaging review process.
