• Loading stock data...
Monday, March 23, 2026

Wearables Offer New Type of Athlete-Fan Connection

  • WHOOP is creating new types of athlete-fan connections by publishing athlete biometrics, including during a PGA Tour broadcast.
  • The company is part of the increasingly competitive wearables market.
person_wearing_whoop_bracelet
WHOOP/Design: Alex Brooks

Most fans will never have a heart-to-heart conversation with NFL star Patrick Mahomes, but at least they can now compare heart rates.

Mahomes wears a WHOOP bracelet that tracks heart rate, movement, respiratory rate, and other metrics. The company also calculates metrics on sleep quality, recovery, and more. 

On Tuesday, WHOOP released biometric data for the 2020-2021 season on the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, showing that Mahomes spends most games at a heart rate of 150-190 beats per minute — around twice that of the average adult.

WHOOP, which has raised around $200 million to date at a $1.2 billion valuation, is just one of many brands setting a pace in the wearables market.

  • Oura, which sells a ring that tracks health metrics, raised $100 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Elysian Park, among others, earlier this month.
  • The Apple Watch is a key part of the tech giant’s push into fitness. 
  • WearOS by Google, working with Samsung, announced upcoming fitness and wellness features with FitBit, which Google bought in January. 

WHOOP includes its bracelet in its app subscriptions, which cost $30 per month, or $288 for an entire year.

In early May, the company partnered with the PGA Tour and NBC’s Golf Channel to show the live heart rates of Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas during the Wells Fargo Championship broadcast. 

“Understanding how these athletes not just train, but sleep and recover and really deal with stress is going to be very intriguing to fans,” WHOOP CEO Will Ahmed told Front Office Sports.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Cameron Young makes his birdie putt on the 17th green during the final round of The Players Championship at The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Sunday March 15, 2026. Cameron Young won with a score of -13 par.

NBC Draws Best Players Championship Viewership in 5 Years

Cam Young took home the $4.5 million prize at TPC Sawgrass.
Mar 15, 2026; Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA; Cameron Young watches his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship golf tournament.

Cam Young Wins $4.5M Players Championship Prize

More than 200,000 fans attend the action at TPC Sawgrass.
Si Woo Kim putts on the 17th green during the second round of The Players Championship PGA golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Friday, March 13, 2026, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Players Championship Delays Fan Entry After Shooting Nearby

The victims died after being taken to a local hospital.
Players Club, PGA Tour

The $11K Players Championship Ticket—With a Waiting List

New this year is a five-star steakhouse built next to the 18th green.

Featured Today

Beau Brune/LSU

College Athletic Departments Are Becoming Media Companies

“There’s only so many tickets you can sell, but content is infinite.”
March 18, 2026

AI College Recruiting Reels Aren’t Fooling Scouts

College coaches and recruiters are way ahead of cheating athletes.
March 7, 2026

Alex Eala Has Become One of the Biggest Draws in Tennis

Eala will face Coco Gauff in the third round at Indian Wells.
Jun 9, 2021; Paris, France; The racket of Coco Gauff (USA) after she smashed it during her match against Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) on day 11 of the French Open at Stade Roland Garros
March 6, 2026

The ‘Rage Room’ Is the Hottest Place in Tennis

The idea came from a player podcast.
Sponsored

The Hidden Tech Behind Every Touchdown

Nearly two-thirds of NFL stadiums already rely on Cisco networks, and the Super Bowl will showcase the full scale of the partnership.
September 8, 2024

Guardian Caps Make NFL Debut

Multiple NFL players wore Guardian Caps over their helmets Sunday.
September 13, 2024

UFC’s Vegas Sphere Fight Should Set Records

The MMA fight has big aspirations and a budget to match.
Sponsored

Paul Rabil: Why Owning a Team Is a 100x Bet

Paul Rabil shares how he left an established league to build PLL.
August 13, 2024

Duael’s Racing Brackets Are Yet Another Stab at Saving Track

Duael will debut in March 2025 with the inaugural Duael 100.
August 11, 2024

Guardian Caps Have Arrived in the NFL

Colts star Jonathan Taylor strapped one on for Sunday’s preseason game.
August 5, 2024

How Omega Determined Noah Lyles Won Gold

Omega touches every corner of the Olympics.
The Adidas ball has changed over the years.
July 25, 2023

The Most Advanced Tech at the Women’s World Cup Might Surprise You

This year’s OCEAUNZ introduces connected ball technology to the women’s game.