Whilst the Winchester-based technology company posted pre-tax profit of £1.1m on sales of £3.6m for the year ending September 2009, it is the brand recognition and potential product expansion into the lucrative football market that will make this an appealing acquisition. Pressure on FIFA to begin trialling Hawk-Eye goal line technology in football leagues was ramped up after a now infamous refusal of a Frank Lampard goal during the England v Germany match at the South Africa 2010 World Cup in June.

Hawk-Eye forecasts to make a profit of £1.8m for the current financial year, reflecting expansion within the tennis world and tennis coaching were it is now commonly used at major championships such as Wimbledon. The Hawk-Eye system, which enjoys huge support with the viewing public, is based on a system that visually tracks the projected path of the ball, and predicts and displays its most statistically likely path.  Its recent introduction as an enhancement to television coverage of snooker means demonstrates that the continued trend towards greater spectator engagement in sporting events is likely to expand into new arenas.