YinzCam is an American software company that builds mobile applications, IPTV platforms and augmented-reality experiences. It specializes in creating applications for professional sports organizations.
As of 2018, YinzCam's software had been downloaded over 55 million times and used by 170+ sports properties, including NFL clubs, NBA/WNBA teams, AFL clubs (Australia), La Liga clubs (Spain), as well as in the La Liga official league app and the NBA's G League app and the NBA2k app.
The applications generally offer
real-time
Real-time or real time describes various operations in computing or other processes that must guarantee response times within a specified time (deadline), usually a relatively short time. A real-time process is generally one that happens in defined ...
statistics,
multimedia
Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms such as text, audio, images, animations, or video into a single interactive presentation, in contrast to tradition ...
,
streaming radio
Online radio (also web radio, net radio, streaming radio, e-radio, IP radio, Internet radio) is a digital audio service transmitted via the Internet. Broadcasting on the Internet is usually referred to as webcasting since it is not transmitted ...
,
social media
Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...
.
The live video technology offering
instant replay
Instant replay or action replay is a video reproduction of something that recently occurred which was both shot and broadcast live.
The video, having already been shown live, is replayed in order for viewers to see again and analyze what had j ...
, including
NFL RedZone
''NFL RedZone'' (stylized as ''NFL RedZone from NFL Network'') is an American sports television channel owned and operated by NFL Network since 2009. As a "special" game-day exclusive, it broadcasts on Sundays during the National Football League ...
, is offered within
NFL stadiums.
YinzCam was founded by
Priya Narasimhan, a Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...
in
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
.
She is a fan of the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
and the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
.
The company is a spin-off from the university.
Narasimhan has incorporated YinzCam into her Sports Technology course at
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...
.
Official mobile apps for professional sports
The first version of YinzCam's sports app was available in 2008 in limited portions of
Civic Arena in 2008.
That version of the software allowed users to view the game, replays and real-time game statistics. With the opening of
Consol Energy Center
PPG Paints Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Pittsburgh, that serves as the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). It previously was the home of the Pittsburgh Power of the Arena Football League (2010), Aren ...
in 2010, YinzCam was made available throughout the arena. In October 2010, YinzCam released an official application for the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
.
Partnerships with the
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
and the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
followed.
By March 2012, YinzCam had added applications for 3
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
teams and more than 16 additional National Football League teams.
As of 2018, YinzCam is the developer of the official team apps for professional sports teams in the National Football League (NFL), the Australian Rules Football League (AFL), La Liga (Spain), the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as for teams in the Canadian Football League (CFL). YinzCam is also the developer of the official league apps for La Liga, National Rugby League (Australia), NBA G League, and the AFL Women's League (Australia). YinzCam also developed official venue apps for the Gillette Stadium, the Barclays Center, the
United Center
United Center is an indoor arena on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is home to the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is named ...
, CenturyLink Field, and other stadiums.
Augmented reality
YinzCam has also worked with professional sports teams to launch unique augmented-reality (AR) experiences, including a virtual pop-a-shot interactive game for basketball fans of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. Fans could play against each other on the video board inside these basketball arenas and also earn badges and other achievements for being the top scorer. The Hawthorn Hawks (AFL) also launched an interactive version of this game for footy fans, allowing them to compete against other to score goals. Other AR sports experiences developed by YinzCam include an interactive Hall of Fame for Pittsburgh Steelers fans at Heinz Field.
iBurgh
In July 2009,
Pittsburgh City Council
The Pittsburgh City Council serves as the legislative body in the City of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city ...
man
Bill Peduto
William Mark Peduto (born October 30, 1964) is an American politician who was the 60th mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 2014 until 2022. He was a Democratic member of the Pittsburgh City Council from 2002 to 2014.
Before his election to ...
, with the support of
Pittsburgh Mayor
The mayor of Pittsburgh is the chief executive of the government of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, as stipulated by the Charter of the City of Pittsburgh. This article is a listing of past (and present) mayors of Pittsburgh. ...
Luke Ravenstahl, announced their intention for the city of
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
to become the most tech-friendly city in the United States.
A number of Pittsburgh technology firms and personalities were present at the announcement, including Priya Narasimhan.
By August 2009, YinzCam had produced iBurgh, an
iPhone application to allow citizens to report complaints to the city's departments via
smartphone
A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, whic ...
.
The app sends complaints, coupled with photos and
Global Positioning System
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of the global navigation satellite sy ...
data to city departments.
It was the first
iPhone application to permit such complaints to municipal authorities.
In February 2010, YinzCam developed a follow-up program, CityZenMobile, to allow crowd-sourcing of road conditions. It was released amid the
February 9–10, 2010 North American blizzard
The February 9–10, 2010 North American blizzard was a winter and severe weather event that afflicted the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and New England regions of the United States between February 9–11, 2010, affecting some of the same regions that h ...
that left much of
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
impassable.
Notes
References
{{Pittsburgh Steelers
Mobile software
Yinz
Companies based in Pittsburgh