WHOOP inks PSG partnership to power new AI-driven personalization

WHOOP used the same week to push two related messages: more software inside its membership and more visibility around elite sport. The Boston wearable company said on May 8 it was adding new AI-driven features and on-demand clinician access to its platform, positioning the update as a more personalized member experience. Days earlier, on April 2, Paris Saint-Germain and WHOOP said they had signed a multi-year partnership through 2029 that makes WHOOP the French club’s official health and fitness wearable. The pairing gives WHOOP a fresh football platform as it expands beyond recovery tracking into broader health services. Paris Saint-Germain said the deal covers both its men’s and women’s teams, while WHOOP said the new software layer is meant to combine continuous biometric data with personal context and, in some cases, medical history. (whoop.com) ### What exactly did WHOOP launch on May 8? WHOOP said on May 8 that it introduced two AI updates called “My Memory” and “Proactive Check-Ins,” alongside plans for live, on-demand video consultations with licensed clinicians in the United States this summer. The company said the additions are meant to make coaching more personal and actionable and to speed how new features reach members. (whoop.com) Ed Baker, WHOOP’s chief product officer, said the company views the new tools as part of its membership model rather than as one-off add-ons. WHOOP also said members will be able to connect electronic health records through HealthEx, pulling in diagnoses, medications and procedures to give clinicians more context inside the app. (whoop.com) ### What does the PSG agreement cover? Paris Saint-Germain and WHOOP said on April 2 that their agreement runs through 2029 and names WHOOP a Premium Partner of the club’s men’s and women’s teams. The companies said PSG players will use WHOOP wearables to track heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep, strain and stress. (whoop.com) Richard Heaselgrave, PSG’s chief revenue officer, said the club sees the partnership as part of its push to use technology to help athletes “better understand and enhance their physical condition.” Brian Curtin, WHOOP’s vice president of global marketing, said the deal also gives the company access to PSG’s global audience. (whoop.com) ### Why does Cristiano Ronaldo keep showing up around WHOOP? WHOOP said on May 13, 2024 that Cristiano Ronaldo became an official global ambassador and investor in the company. The company said Ronaldo would work with WHOOP on product development and help share training and recovery insights with members. That earlier tie-up matters because WHOOP has been building a sports-marketing roster around globally recognized athletes. (whoop.com) Ronaldo joined a group of ambassador investors that WHOOP said also included Patrick Mahomes, Michael Phelps, Eli Manning and Rory McIlroy. ### How is WHOOP defending its price as it adds more features? Emily Capodilupo said this week that WHOOP’s higher price reflects a “premium product,” according to coverage published by MSN. (whoop.com) The same report said Capodilupo tied the company’s AI push to a faster pace of feature development for fitness-tracking companies. WHOOP’s own May 8 statement framed the latest rollout in similar terms, saying the company is trying to deliver more value through bundled services that include coaching, clinician access and data integrations rather than only hardware updates. The company did not announce a new device in that release. (msn.com) ### What happens next for members and for PSG fans? WHOOP said U.S. video consultations with licensed clinicians will begin this summer, though it did not give a specific launch date. The company also said electronic health record syncing will be part of that broader health platform expansion. Paris Saint-Germain said WHOOP branding will appear at the club’s next Ligue 1 fixture at Parc des Princes, including LED boards, 3D corner signage and digital matchday platforms. (whoop.com) The club also said the partnership will extend into fan-facing activations such as PSG Run and ICP – La Maison events in France and abroad. (whoop.com)