Major League Baseball (MLB) will utilize the Zoom Contact Center to support games and broadcasts.
In doing so, it will aid communications between umpires, league officials, and staff - alongside Zoom Events and Zoom’s collaboration platform.
These technologies will also provide greater transparency for fans.
The new alliance sees Zoom adopt the title of ‘Official Unified Communications Platform of Major League Baseball’ in a "first-of-its-kind" collaboration.
Chris Marinak, MLB Chief Operations & Strategy Officer, 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."
How Will the Solutions Work Together?
From the start of the 2023 season, the Zoom Contact Center will be utilized by the head of the four-man umpire crew, known as the ‘Crew Chief’, to connect to Zoom’s Replay Operations Center for all replay reviews.
Fans will also be able to use the Replay Operations Center live during replay reviews on Apple TV+ and MLB Network. This will provide them with access to expert analysts who will give their insights to broadcasters.
By adding this functionality, MLB is hoping to increase transparency and engagement with the review process.
In the 2022 season, there were over 1,400 replay reviews in MLB, but the audio-only technology deployed created a blind spot for viewers.
Zoom’s collaboration platform will be deployed to communicate sensitive information on Day One of the 2023 MLB Draft, one of the most prestigious events in MLB. The platform will also be used by a number of MLB clubs, platforms, and broadcasters.