The National Soccer Hall of Fame Wins GOLD Muse Award for Research and Innovation

NEC and National Soccer Hall of Fame are the first to use facial recognition technology to individualize a guest’s experience in a sports and entertainment venue

Frisco, TX (May 21, 2019) – The National Soccer Hall of Fame’s facial recognition technology got some recognition of its own.

The American Alliance of Museums Media and Technology Network’s awarded the National Soccer Hall of Fame the Gold Muse Award for Research and Innovation for its “Facial Recognition Personalization Software” on Monday night. FC Dallas President Dan Hunt and Mark Ikeno, CEO of NEC Corporation of America, accepted the award at AAM’s Media & Technology MUSE Awards in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“It’s an honor to have the National Soccer Hall of Fame recognized amongst some of the most influential and forward-thinking institutions in the industry, both domestic and international,” National Soccer Hall of Fame Executive Director Djorn Buchholz said. “There are many partners who worked collaboratively to bring this first of its kind personalization system to life and we are thrilled to share this award with all of them.”

“To be a part of the great institutions recognized is really special – not only to win our category, but because we were the only sports venue winner,” Hunt said. “It’s a culmination of bringing our facial recognition software and doing something that nobody else has done in the entire world. Our partners at Cortina Productions and HealyKohler Design took what NEC can do, and made it forward-facing and integrated it to the museum experience. We’re proud to lead the way at the National Soccer Hall of Fame.”

Powered by NEC and its NeoFace® facial recognition software, National Soccer Hall of Fame guests experience a custom-tailored tour unlike anything they’ve experienced in a sports setting. NEC and the National Soccer Hall of Fame are the first to use facial recognition technology to individualize a guest’s experience in a sports and entertainment venue.

During registration, visitors create a profile by selecting their favorite teams, position on the pitch and level of soccer fandom. The National Soccer Hall of Fame’s 15 interactive exhibits incorporate the facial recognition technology to recognize guests as they approach and tailor the content to the visitor’s taste. Through the interactives, visitors can build their dream US National Team, design their own MLS kits, create a scarf that can be printed on-site and test their soccer skills with gesture-based technology and virtual reality.
About the National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame was originally founded in 1950 by the Philadelphia Old-Timers Association to recognize individuals for their outstanding contributions to American soccer. In 1979, the National Soccer Museum, as a physical entity, was established in Oneonta, NY. It was officially recognized as the National Soccer Hall of Fame by the U.S. Soccer Federation in 1983.

In June of 1999, the National Soccer Hall of Fame opened a 30,000 square-foot museum in Oneonta where it housed a collection of more than 80,000 items. The facility closed in February of 2010.

In 2013 FC Dallas owners, Clark and Dan Hunt, launched a campaign to bring the Hall of Fame to Frisco, TX. Their late father, Lamar Hunt, was inducted in the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1982. In 1999, he received the Hall’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor. He remains one of only three individuals to have won the award.

The National Soccer Hall of Fame at Toyota Stadium opened to the public on November 2, 2018.

The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame (NPASHF) announced today Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN is the recipient of the organization’s newly-originated Tony Kubek Media Award.

Wojnarowski will be the inaugural recipient of the NPASHF’s Tony Kubek Media Award, presented to a Polish-American media member for outstanding contributions to any form of sports media, including but not limited to, print, broadcast, and internet media. He will be recognized at the NPASHF’s Annual Induction Banquet on Thursday, June 20, in Troy, Michigan.

Wojnarowski (nicknamed “Woj” by his legion of followers) is proud of his Polish heritage.  He was born in Hartford, Connecticut. Grew up in Bristol where he went to Bristol Central HS. then  graduated from St. Bonaventure University. His media career has included stops with the Hartford Courant, Fresno Bee, The Record, Yahoo Sports, and since 2017, with ESPN where he is widely recognized as the top NBA insider and news breaker. Wojnarowski is integral to  ESPN’s multimedia coverage of the NBA covering the league, its teams, players, free agency, the NBA Draft, the NBA Summer League and more. His social media  following is one of the highest of any U.S. media member. In 2006, Wojnarowski authored the New York Times best-seller , “The Miracle of St. Anthony: A Season with Coach Bob Hurley and Basketball’s Most Improbable Dynasty (Gotham Books.)

Tony Kubek is also a proud Polish-American. He was a former New York Yankees shortstop (1957-1965), a 4-time All-Star, 3-time World Series Champion and the 1957 American League Rookie of the Year. Following his on-field career, Kubek became perhaps the most famous network television baseball analyst, working alongside greats like Jim Simpson, Curt Gowdy, Joe Garagiola and Bob Costas on NBC Sports coverage of Major League Baseball. Kubek also worked games for Canada’s CTV and CSN, and Madison Square Garden Network. Kubek was awarded the Ford C. Frick award in 2009 for broadcast excellence by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. He was enshrined into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.

The 47th Annual Induction Banquet will be Thursday, June 20, 2019, at the American Polish Cultural Center in Troy, Michigan.  Tickets for the banquet, which begins at 5:30 p.m., are $125 and can be ordered by calling (248) 259-3428.

The International Sports Heritage Association (ISHA) is a non-profit membership organization established in 1971. The mission of ISHA is to educate, promote and support organizations and individuals engaged in the celebration of sports heritage.

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