Respondology: Blocking the negative social media noise

Keerthi Shanggar
Image credit: RoBird / Shutterstock.com

From what started out as a simple solution to a tirade of hate messages against sporting icon Serena Williams during the 2019 US Open, Respondology’s software has now become inherent across many business and sporting sectors.

After noticing the issue, the idea sparked behind Respondology’s main drive that is to eradicate online hate. They focused mainly on businesses as it erased unnecessary online bullying that was hindering the company’s success. Respondology provides a technology that is crucial for any social media presence today where cruel and unwanted messages are directed towards many up and coming sporting companies without any repercussions – it allows all these gruelling comments to be filtered out as soon as it pops up.

The technology uses a moderation system in which detection of any harmful content aimed at minority communities within the team or sports business are immediately muted, hence bettering the safety of the business as a whole. 

The company focuses on athletes, influencers, celebrities and brands under varying sectors to clear hate comments in order to promote a kinder social environment for both the influencer and their audience. A main facet of the company are the moderators as before the technology that sparks the filtration system, they evaluate the messages that choose which comments should be hidden. This halts the reliance on artificial intelligence as the differentiation between supportive messages and unhelpful ones are more clear with the presence of a moderator. In addition, the software stems across all social media platforms and matches accordingly with the timing of posts as well as real time analytics of all comments coming in with every new post. 

The main question underlying this software is why there is a demand for it and that is to understand the power of comments on the sporting community such as the players, teams or coaches. Many teams are victims of a slew of online attacks whether it be during a game loss or from rival supporters. This not only harbours a negative space within the online communities but could pose threats to the security to all the actors involved in these spaces. Safety within these communities online are a priority as it reflects that of the safety in real life during actual matches and how they interact socially. Technology such as Respondology acts as a protection against harmful comments that could affect the brand’s character.  

If these comments were to go unnoticed and left unmoderated, it could lead to a negative stance on the brand’s identity. Especially, in regards to comments that are racist, homophobic or sexist; these are simply not situations brands would want to be associated with. Furthermore, they would not want to be connected with ignoring these spiteful messaging as well. From a moral standpoint, Respondology is doing its part to protect the perception of a plethora of sporting clubs but also preventing the normalisation of a negative space within the supporters of these teams that can only occur if derogatory comments are stopped immediately as they appear. It does not even allow for these hateful activities to prosper. 

In terms of business, many brands could lose sponsorship opportunities due to connections with abusive online spaces. As a result, the brand’s revenue will be at stake. Additionally, when comments go unchecked, it perpetuates spam comments which could lead to illegal streaming and ticket scamming sites. These are all issues that are simply flushing money down the drain for most brands. However, by taking precautionary measures, with the likes of Respondology lessens the likelihood of burning money through unlikely means such as online comments. 

Evidently, the use of Respondology covers all the bases that comes with having an online presence; the barrage of hate and toxicity. With this slowly being stopped by this newfound technology, many businesses will continue to thrive without unnecessary harm to their business identity or their company revenue as a whole.

Check out Respondology’s features in full here: https://respondology.com/

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How Musco Lighting is Transforming the Game

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Image Credit: Musco Lighting

Lighting quality, uniformity, and control are three of the most important elements a football venue must master. Done well, they elevate the standard of play, enhance the fan experience, and ensure world-class broadcasts. 

Modern football demands more than just traditional floodlights. From community fields to elite stadiums, facilities need solutions that combine performance, efficiency, and reliability.

Musco Lighting believes their systems, which are engineered LED technologies, modular mini-pitch packages, and advanced control platforms are the key to achieving these goals.

Musco’s “Projects Made Simple” approach offers complete, tailored lighting solutions designed for every level of the game. Central to this is Total Light Control for LED, a system that provides precise light distribution while reducing glare and minimising environmental spill.

Complementing Total Light Control for LED is Musco’s Mini-Pitch System, developed in the U.S. Soccer Foundation. These compact, all-in-one facilities combine fencing, goals, benches, storage, and integrated lighting, transforming underused spaces into safe, vibrant football environments.

Features of Musco’s lighting include; uniform illumination across the pitch, therefore eliminating dark zones; advanced glare reduction, which ensures comfort for players, spectators and surrounding areas of the pitch; and smart monitoring, which allows operators to remotely control and schedule the lighting. The lighting company also uses sustainable practices with the ability to have energy savings of up to 60%. 

Musco’s systems have already been used by some of the biggest names in football.

At Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal FC, the installation of Musco’s SportsCluster Green LED system has been transformative according to Arsenal’s Stadium and Facilities Director, John Beattie.

“It is important for both players and fans alike that we have top-quality lighting for the club’s evening fixtures and Musco’s new floodlights provide just that.” he said. 

AFC Bournemouth faced the challenge of upgrading their facilities following promotion to the Premier League in 2015 but Club General Manager Liz Finney said the company’s product was crucial.

“We needed to install a new pitch lighting system to meet the requirements of both the club and the Premier League in a fairly short space of time. Musco delivered on all counts.” Finney said. 

Elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Audi Field in Washington D.C. have reported improved player visibility, enhanced broadcast quality, and major energy savings following their adoption of Musco’s technology.

Australia’s football landscape presents unique challenges. Facilities often serve multiple sports, grassroots participation is rapidly expanding, and professional leagues increasingly demand higher broadcast standards.

Musco’s systems offer important benefits to help with this development, these include mini-pitch installations, which could expand access to safe well lit spaces in urban areas, which would help to support grassroots growth.

Another benefit could be that elite stadiums could meet higher broadcast standards to match international scale games. Finally, using Musco would create energy savings and have a reduced environmental aspect.

Musco’s football lighting solutions are much more than a technical upgrade, they also represent a shift in how football is played, viewed, and experienced. By pairing innovation with reliability, they support the game from grassroots fields to international arenas.

As Australia looks to strengthen its football infrastructure, Musco’s proven effective technology could help bridge the gap between community play and world-class competition.

Overall, the use of Musco Lighting systems could greatly improve football in Australia, whether you are playing or watching the game.

GIS Industry Masterclass highlights pathways for women’s sport.

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Image Credit: Soccerscene

This month, the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) held an industry masterclass with guest speakers discussing the future of development in women’s sport.

The masterclass panel had two key speakers:

  • Chantella Perera, General Manager of Sport at KOJO.
  • Yael Reed, a sports marketing consultant who has worked with Newcastle Jets, Football Australia and Netball NSW.

These two industry experts, representing different areas of the women’s sporting world, delved into answering the event’s important goal of growth and sponsorship in women’s sport.

The role that media and commercial partners have in elevating women’s sport was a key point. Discussion was centred around the importance of encouraging broadcasters to invest in women’s sport directly and not just through male sport avenues.

Yael Reed spoke about the importance of media revenue being invested into women’s sports.

“Media partners with broadcast and commercial revenue is ultimately what is invested in the sport, and you need to invest to grow,” she said.

“Broadcast and commercial revenue also contributes to paying the players

“Media and coverage revenue is what is invested into the sport and their support is needed to help sports to grow, but also to benefit from, Women’s sport is no longer the steak knives.”

Chantella Perera, a former professional sportsperson and with KOJO a big leader in women’s sports events, outlined the position of women’s sports:

“From grassroots we see more equity with facilities and infrastructure for girls now. From my field in the event world lens, the investment from clubs and leagues is improving year on year. The disparity is still huge,” Perera said.

“There must be money invested to grow it. Yes, it is changing—a lot more females can do it as a job.

“But I feel we are still talking a lot but not doing a lot. People can make action, and it doesn’t have to be huge actions. Making those small steps towards that change is where we move forward.

“The Matildas’ success at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has sparked a rise in interest towards women’s football in the country.”

Perera, however, commented on the slow impact it has produced:

“It did have an impact with the eyes and traction, but we are still waiting for the influx of cash,”

“I’d challenge the effect and ask: two years on, have we seen enough from it? I just want to see if we can get more from it.”

A key point regarding investing in women’s sport and central to the discussion was how to invest in the differences between men’s and women’s sport.

Reed expressed her key ways in which this step can be tackled:

“It’s important for brands to consider Who they are trying to connect with? The benefit of women’s sport is it’s fresh and new (compared to men’s sport). There’s a lot to be unexpected. There are amazing people playing the sport and their story needs to be told,”

“I think when you can connect with athletes, with clubs, and harness that promotion and opportunity that’s there with women’s sport.

“The opportunity in women’s sport is to expect the unexpected.” Reed highlighted.

The important question of brand alignment became central to the discussion, with the equation for branding being relevance multiplied by emotion equals impact.

To harness the sponsor’s relevance to the team and the sport, harnessing that emotion and being relevant to the fans and showing up for them and having an impact promotes any brand.

An example presented by Reed was the Suzuki partnership with the Swifts:

“By putting players in their content and in the car the swift has been really positive,”

“The business case is there. We now have a greater asset in women’s sport to take your brands to the next level

“To have a women’s demographic is such a good asset for business branding.”

Women’s sport has faced challenges in gaining support and funding to expand and delve into the ever-growing popularity of the women’s game.

Sponsorships and businesses trying to grow their portfolio and market shouldn’t underestimate the power that women’s sport and football have.

It is unique and it is unexpected, as was discussed centrally in this masterclass.

The ways to grow women’s sport are there, and the benefits are evident. Sponsors need to take the necessary step and will undoubtedly reap the rewards if they do so.

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