Google Cloud x MLB™ Hackathon recap: How devs innovated with AI and baseball data

Baseball and hackathons might seem like an unlikely double play at first glance. But when you dig into the statistics, they're actually a perfect match.

Baseball is one of the most data-rich sports in the world, with countless metrics and analytics driving both gameplay and fan experiences. Meanwhile, Google Cloud offers cutting-edge tools to transform data into meaningful insights and applications. Bring these elements together, add 7,600+ talented developers, and you've got the makings of a grand slam hackathon.

At Devpost, we’ve powered more than 22 Google hackathons. Recently, we were excited to add another hackathon to the roster with the Google Cloud x MLB™ Hackathon.

Let's take you through the highlights of this successful collaboration between Google Cloud, Major League Baseball™, and Devpost.

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Hackathon summary

The Google Cloud x MLB™ Hackathon challenged participants to use the power of technology to create a whole new era of fan engagement. To do this, developers had access to Google Cloud’s powerful AI and analytics tools—including Gemini, Imagen, and Vertex AI—along with real data from Major League Baseball™ to build projects that enhance the baseball fan experience. 

Key stats

• Early registration “teaser” date: November 22, 2024
• Official schedule: December 13, 2024 – February 4, 2025
• Participants: 7,600+ developers
• Submission requirements: Working app and 3-minute demo video

Diverse challenges for participants to explore

Participants were tasked with building a project for baseball fans within one of the following challenges:

1. Wild Card Challenge: Build an MLB™ fan engagement project using provided data sets, public datasets, and Google Cloud AI tools.
2. Personalized Fan Highlights: Build a multilingual system that allows fans to select team(s), player(s), etc. to follow and create audio, video, and/or text digests that fans could receive on a regular cadence to stay up on the latest highlights and commentary.
3. Real-Time “Tool Tips”: Build a model and an interactive application explaining baseball strategy and tactics to casual viewers as games unfold.
4. Generate Statcast Data from Old Videos: Create a tool that extracts fundamental metrics like pitch speed and exit velocity from archival game footage using computer vision. ‍
5. Prospect Prediction: Build a platform predicting a prospect’s MLB™ potential, projecting career impact based on current performance and historical comparisons.

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Comprehensive resources and support for participants

The most successful hackathons equip participants with plenty of resources and ongoing technical support. The Google Cloud x MLB™ Hackathon is a perfect example of how this contributes to high-quality project submissions.

Here’s a closer look at what participants were provided:

• Datasets: Access to MLB™'s provided datasets enabled participants to work with authentic and relevant data.
• Tools and technologies: Guidance on utilizing Google Cloud's AI services, including Gemini, Vertex AI, and Imagen, equipped participants with the necessary tools to develop sophisticated applications.​ Participants also had access to Google Cloud credits for the hackathon.
• Educational content: Webinars, Google’s AI Skills Quest, and documentation offered insights into Google Cloud’s technologies and the nuances of baseball analytics.‍
• Ongoing technical support: Devpost's team managed the hackathon, providing resources and prompt answers through dedicated Discord server channels.

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The power of strategic collaboration

By partnering together, Google Cloud and MLB™ tapped into a treasure trove of developers inspired to innovate with sports data. This collaboration elevated the hackathon's profile while showcasing practical applications of Google Cloud's AI technologies and data from MLB™ in a real-world context.

Strategic partnerships expand a hackathon's appeal and demonstrate the versatility of product offerings—something we at Devpost specialize in facilitating for all our clients. Our platform connects companies to our thriving community of over 4 million developers who are ready to step up to the plate and tackle your innovation challenges.

Beyond just providing a robust hackathon management platform, Devpost offers comprehensive services designed to maximize your event's success:

• End-to-end hackathon management and platform support
• Strategic developer marketing and community outreach
• Expert project management throughout your entire event
• Custom challenge design and implementation
• Participant engagement and technical support

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Bringing it home with an exciting winner announcement

Google kept the momentum of its hackathon going beyond the submission deadline by planning an exciting winner announcement strategy. While the hackathon ended in February, the first-place winner will be revealed live at the Google Cloud Next conference on April 10. As part of their prize, they’ll get to demonstrate their project during a keynote presentation. All of the projects, including the other challenge winners, can be viewed in the project gallery.

The winning team has been notified privately, but the public announcement is being saved for the conference, creating anticipation and incorporating an in-person element to this otherwise virtual event. This approach extends the hackathon’s reach to an even larger audience of industry professionals.

Closing the scorecard

We’re proud to have powered this exciting hackathon with Google and MLB™. The hackathon showcased how bringing together passionate developers, rich data, and powerful technology creates meaningful innovation.

At Devpost, we specialize in creating these winning innings for companies looking to engage developer communities and drive innovation. With our platform reaching more than 4 million users worldwide, we connect your brand and technology to talented developers.

Our team delivers end-to-end project management, targeted developer marketing, and expert community engagement strategies—ensuring your hackathon wins in the competitive field of developer relations initiatives.

Ready to hit a home run with your developer engagement strategy? Schedule a meeting with our team to learn how Devpost’s platform and managed services can help you knock your next hackathon out of the park.