A Basingstoke-based British sports technology company, owned by Sony, behind the ball-tracking and line-calling systems used in tennis, cricket and football.
Hawk-Eye Innovations makes the camera-and-computer technology that sports use to decide close calls and to show them to viewers. Its own site describes it as a global leader in live sports, driving change in broadcast production, officiating and performance through advanced technology. Its products fall into four groups: officiating, data and insights (including HawkAR and iHawk), biomechanics (including the KinaTrax Lab) and broadcast (including HawkREPLAY, HawkNEST and HawkVISION). If you have seen a tennis line-call challenge or a cricket review, you have probably seen its work.
The technology was developed in 2000 by engineers at Roke Manor Research in Romsey, Hampshire, then part of Siemens, with Paul Hawkins credited as its original developer, according to Wikipedia. It was spun off as Hawk-Eye Innovations Ltd and first used on Channel 4's cricket coverage on 21 May 2001 during a Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's. Tennis line-call challenges began in 2006, starting with the US Open; the 2021 Australian Open became the first Grand Slam to use Hawk-Eye Live instead of line judges; and Wimbledon announced electronic line calling for 2025. Cricket's Decision Review System has used it since 2009, and it is a FIFA-licensed goal-line system, used in the Premier League from 2013-14. Sony bought the company in March 2011. The company's stated vision is to "pioneer change in sport by combining creativity, technology and innovation".
Hawk-Eye's headquarters is in Basingstoke, Hampshire, at Sony Business Europe on Jays Close (RG22 4SB), according to its own About page. It also lists offices in Atlanta in the United States and Melbourne in Australia. The same page says it has over 1,000 team members across offices and remote centres in 43 countries and that it has been in the sports industry for more than 20 years. Wikipedia's account places the company's early base in Winchester, so the Basingstoke address appears to be the more recent one. It is part of the Sony family alongside Pulselive and Beyond Sports.
The company's values, in its own words, are "Be brave. Be owners. Be inclusive." It describes bold problem-solving, entrepreneurial leadership and a united, diverse community. Its About page lists a leadership team that includes chief executive Ben Crossing and technical director Mat Richards. These are claims from the company itself and not something we have checked.
The work needs software engineers, computer-vision and data specialists, hardware and camera engineers, operators who set up and run the systems at live events, broadcast graphics and production staff, sports scientists in the biomechanics side, and sales, finance and people teams. Maths, physics, computing, engineering and sport science are natural starting points. Events work also needs people who are comfortable travelling. The company's own website lists current openings.
Website: hawkeyeinnovations.com
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