As sports continues its rapid evolution into the digital age, Caribbean students and stakeholders were urged to embrace risk, drive innovation, and bridge the technological gap during a thought-provoking lecture hosted by the University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Sport this week through their UWI/FIFA/CIES Diploma in Sport Management.
The keynote speaker, Leonardo Neira Rubio, founder and director of global sports data agency Doble Cinco, challenged participants to rethink the role of technology in transforming sports across performance, commercial, and fan engagement fronts.
Neira Rubio referenced tools that leverage AI and data analytics to redefine how sports organisations connect with fans and measure success.
Addressing the oft-cited concern that advanced technology may be out of reach for smaller or less-resourced nations, Neira Rubio stressed that the real barrier isn’t cost but awareness and decision-making.
Neira Rubio emphasised the need for proactive leadership in Caribbean sporting bodies.
When asked what advice he would give to students looking to pursue careers at the intersection of sports and technology, Neira Rubio was unequivocal.
The audience, made up largely of students from the UWI/FIFA/CIES programme, engaged candidly with the session. Stephan Theophilus, a local student, expressed both concern and cautious optimism about Trinidad and Tobago’s trajectory.
However, he sees a potential turning point with the newly elected government’s formation of a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence.
Reflecting on the session, Theophilus admitted it altered his perspective.
According to Dr. Anand Rampersad, Head of the Academy of Sport at UWI St. Augustine, the session was deliberately curated to drive home the importance of technology both on and off the field.
Rampersad hopes the knowledge shared will have ripple effects across the Caribbean and beyond.