Major League Baseball approves health wearable for in-game use

Major League Baseball has approved the first biometrics-tracking wearable device that can be worn in professional sports, ESPN reported. The device is from a company called WHOOP, and it tracks sleep, recovery and strain through the use of various sensors. The product collects about 100MB of data each day. MLB players will have the option of wearing it, but it is not required.

While MLB has been plagued by steroid abuse scandals in the past, the sport has been somewhat reinvented in the era of big data. Statistical modeling helped change the way baseball teams traded and recruited players, as documented by the best-selling book and movie Moneyball. WHOOP believes its new device is equally significant to the sport. "This is Moneyball 2.0," CEO Will Ahmed told ESPN.

The WHOOP wearable costs $1,200 per athlete per year. The device is already raising privacy concerns, with people asking what players are allowed to keep private. The unique subscription-based business model of WHOOP has potential for other wearables makers, but in this case, the player and the team have equal access to the data.

In spite of concerns, this could help teams gather data that helps keep athletes healthy. It is not just limited to athletes, either. Consumers can buy a WHOOP Strap 2.0 wearable without any subscription services for $500.