Day: November 9, 2025

With Super Bowl hero Nick Foles hanging up his jersey and two-time Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan playing her final game for the San Diego Wave women’s soccer team last weekend, the ‘R’ word is in the air. It’s a time of transition that can bring with it a lot of pressure. Retiring athletes can struggle to find a sense of self outside of the sport, and if they didn’t start saving enough money to live comfortably post-career, the financial strains can be significant.

According to a study by RBC, most professional athletes retire by age 30 or earlier. For many of these athletes, it is the first time they have ever had to live off their own income. They may be forced to budget for elite training and equipment costs that can run into thousands of dollars a month. That can leave them in food stamp or credit card debt in their early post-athletic years.

Thankfully, there are plenty of nontraditional ways for retired athletes to adjust to life after the spotlight. For example, former WNBA legend Sue Bird and US women’s national team legend Megan Rapinoe are hosting podcasts that explore the intersection of sports and equality and inclusion. They are also pursuing new business ventures and acting as ambassadors for their respective athletic apparel brands.

As the sports industry shifts to attract younger fans, it’s embracing new technology to create unique experiences and deliver a more immersive experience. This includes virtual and phygital sports, emerging coaching technologies, innovations for female athletes and smart stadiums that connect people with the teams they love.

From scouting new talent to optimizing team performance, the latest technologies are transforming sports management processes and empowering coaches and players with data-driven insights to improve skills faster and increase efficiency. For example, scouting tools allow recruiters to visualize how potential teammates will perform on the field, while performance analysis platforms help analyze player statistics and develop customized training programs for a more holistic approach to athlete development.

Meanwhile, sports technology is also enhancing fan experiences and making games more accessible to disabled fans. For example, smart clothing and equipment are allowing people with physical disabilities to track their progress, interact with sports broadcasts and even enjoy immersive virtual reality experiences at home. Smart textiles like digital knitting technology are enabling the incorporation of sensors in sports clothing and footwear that can identify force distribution patterns to prevent injuries, without needing bulky data relay packs.

Accessible and affordable technology is enabling a broader range of clubs to adopt a more comprehensive, data-driven athlete development and management approach. This includes the use of wearables to monitor movement and speed, as well as training load monitoring that compares recent workload to long-term trends, identifying sudden spikes in injury risk that require a quick adjustment or additional rest.