New Opportunities for Collaboration
Irish sport is changing. It is no longer just about what happens on the pitch. It is about what happens behind the scenes. Data, analytics, and digital tools are becoming as important as tactics and fitness.
This shift creates new opportunities. For sports organisations, it means better decisions, more engaged fans, and improved performance. For technology companies, it means a growing market ready for innovation. And for organisations like the Technology Ireland Innovation Forum, it means a chance to bring these two worlds together.
This article explores how digital transformation is reshaping Irish sport. It looks at real examples of collaboration and shows how your organisation can get involved.
The Digital Shift in Irish Sport
The Irish sports sector is going digital. National governing bodies, clubs, and performance organisations are all looking for new ways to use technology. They want to improve operations, understand their participants better, and stay competitive .
The numbers show why. Over 60,000 people are employed in the broader sports industry in Ireland. Around 10,000 of those work directly in SportsTech . Major international players like Flutter Entertainment, StatsPerform, and DraftKings have significant operations here. Irish startups like Kitman Labs are leading the way in performance analytics .
Keith Brock from Enterprise Ireland puts it simply: “The Irish sports tech industry has expanded rapidly over the past ten years” . It ranks first in Europe for sports tech venture capital investment on a per-capita basis . This is not a small trend. It is a major shift.
Collaboration in Action: Real Examples
The move to digital is being driven by partnerships. Organisations are not doing it alone. They are working together.
Sport Ireland and Skillnet Innovation Exchange
Sport Ireland, the authority responsible for developing sport in the country, has teamed up with Skillnet Innovation Exchange. Their Digital for Sport initiative connects sports organisations with technology companies that can solve their problems . This is not a one-off project. It is an ongoing effort to improve digital adoption across the Irish sports ecosystem, streamlining administrative processes, optimising data management, and improving understanding of participant performance and experience .
BearingPoint and Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby is working with BearingPoint to transform how they use data. The partnership has delivered a comprehensive data strategy that turns fragmented supporter information into meaningful insights. This enables personalised fan engagement and a true 360-degree view of supporter behaviour . It is a foundation for future AI-driven innovation. BearingPoint is also the Official Digital, Data & AI Partner to Tennis Ireland. They are developing a Marketing Dashboard and laying the groundwork for a future data warehouse to support broader performance and participation metrics .
TU Dublin and the SportsTech Sector
Ireland’s first Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation launched in 2025 . The programme was co-designed by TU Dublin, Technology Ireland Digital Skillnet, and SportsTech Ireland. It is built to meet the growing demands of the global sports technology sector, an estimated €650 billion a year industry . Organisations including Flutter, Stats Perform, the FAI, World Rugby, and Badminton Ireland have already signed up .
DkIT and STATSports
Dundalk Institute of Technology has signed a strategic alliance with STATSports, a leading sports technology firm. The partnership includes co-developing applied research projects, giving students access to performance monitoring technology, and fostering research links .
What This Means for You
The digital transformation of Irish sport is not finished. It is just getting started. For technology companies, this is a clear opportunity. Sports organisations are looking for solutions. They want help with fan engagement, performance analytics, and operational efficiency.
The Technology Ireland Innovation Forum is a natural home for these conversations. We bring together the right partners to turn bold ideas into reality. We support collaboration between SMEs and MNCs. We help design and implement technology roadmaps.
If you are a technology company, the question is simple. Are you ready to work with Irish sport? If you are a sports organisation, are you ready to embrace digital? The partnerships are there. The support is there. The only thing missing is you.
Getting Started
Start by exploring the existing initiatives. Skillnet Innovation Exchange is actively looking for digital solutions providers to join its marketplace . Sport Ireland is committed to a digital-first approach . And the new postgraduate programme is building a pipeline of talent for the sector.
Contact us at the Technology Ireland Innovation Forum. We can help you find the right partners and build the right strategy. The future of Irish sport is digital. Let us build it together.