San Francisco Unicorns are embracing AI.
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When pressed if he would be interested in investing in Australia’s Big Bash League, San Francisco Unicorns co-owner Anand Rajaraman was slightly more subdued than some of his Major League Cricket counterparts.
While the owners of the franchises in Seattle and Washington were notably enthusiastic of the prospect, Rajaraman wasn’t quite sure if he and fellow Unicorns co-owner Venky Harinarayan wanted to expand their portfolio of T20 teams like others.
“One of our biggest focus areas is on technology and AI as it relates to cricket, so we may rather focus on that space rather than owning a lot of teams,” Rajaraman told me in a recent interview.
“But we have a close relationship with Cricket Victoria and we’ll definitely give it a hard look if they (Cricket Australia) go down that route (of privatization).”
Rajaraman and Harinarayan are venture capitalists. They were founding partners of early ecommerce company Junglee, which was acquired by Amazon in 1998 for $250 million. They also later founded Kosmix, which was acquired by Walmart, and were early investors in Facebook.
Venky Harinarayan (L) Anand Rajaraman have a long partnership in business (Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)
2011 Bloomberg Finance LP
With Unicorns embracing its Silicon Valley roots, the owners have been utilizing their skills and knowledge by developing cutting edge AI technology specifically designed to help improve the San Francisco franchise.
As is the case almost everywhere, AI is starting to be used in cricket, challenging traditional thinking particularly in regards to selecting an XI. In a prime example, then England women’s coach Jon Lewis credited the technology with helping his side draw last year’s Ashes series.
“We’ve been working hard at developing it this season,” Rajaraman said. “We use it with the assistance of the coaches in terms of selecting the team and some of our strategies that we use during the season.
“I’m hoping that next season, we’ll use it even more. I hope it will be used not just in MLC, but through our partnership with Cricket Victoria and the Big Bash.
“Franchises all over the world are talking about implementing AI and what data can be used from it, how to use it properly.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of other teams also start investing in this space. It’s extremely interesting.”
The Unicorns played home games at Oakland Coliseum (Photo by Arjun Singh / Sportzpics for MLC)
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Even though the Unicorns fell short of winning a first MLC title, they enjoyed a momentous season after hosting games at the iconic Oakland Coliseum, with the initial one-season arrangement hoped to extend.
Playing at home for the first time – following the MLC’s first two seasons being played in Dallas and Morrisville, North Carolina – has helped lay a platform for Unicorns to start building a brand in the Bay Arena.
It looms as a busy off-season for Unicorns, particularly for their India-born owners who are getting a kick out of mixing their passions of technology and cricket.
“When I first became owner, I thought it was going to be a chill thing. Just buy the team, then let Cricket Victoria run the cricket side,” Rajaraman said.
“It’s actually been hard, way harder, but it’s enjoyable. It’s taken far more time and attention that I thought.
“But it’s time into things I enjoy doing like developing the AI. I hope to leave a lasting imprint on cricket and enhance the enjoyment of the game through AI.
“Not just at the Unicorns but well beyond.”