The “HADO Sports & Entertainment Carnival 2026,” organised by HADO Hong Kong, was held on 13 September 2026 at Graham Hall, Central. With the theme “Sports × Technology × Entertainment,” the event attracted around 150 participants, including representatives from the business and education sectors, community leaders, young people, parents, and sports enthusiasts. Together, they experience the innovative HADO electronic dodgeball and explored the development potential of emerging technology-powered sports. The School of Communication (SCOM) at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) became one of the supporting organisations of this innovative event for the first time, with around 10 teachers and students participating. This initiative seeks to bring this wave of innovation into the community and inspire broader interest and involvement in the intersections of technology, sports, media, and communication.
Professor Scarlet Tso, Dean of SCOM, shared her insights into the development of emerging sports in Hong Kong from ta communication perspective. She discussed how education, public experience, and cross-sector collaboration can enhance society’s awareness of and participation in technology sports. Professor Tso highlighted that modern communication is not merely about disseminating information but, more importantly, about creating experiences that audiences are willing to engage in, feel personally involved with, and even actively share — and HADO is a prime example. A match lasting just a few minutes can generate rich stories of tension, teamwork, comebacks, cheering, and personal breakthroughs. These moments can be transformed into short videos, photos, and social media content. She hopes that students from SCOM can reflect on how best to introduce HADO to those unfamiliar with it, translating “AR technology” into compelling and accessible stories. Using mediums such as short videos, live streaming, campus media, or innovative event design, they can encourage more people to transition from passive viewers to active participants. Additionally, she emphasised the importance of leveraging technology to create more engaging and story-driven activities that connect with people on a deeper level.
Dr. Chan Chi Kit, Programme Director of the Master of Arts in Entertainment Media Management and Communication (MA-EMMC) at the School of Communication, elaborated further on the significance of entertainment media management as a discipline focused on the realm of the “Attention Economy.” This programme emphasises the strategies and methods necessary to effectively capture and engage audiences’ attention within the increasingly competitive entertainment industry.
Dr. Chan highlighted that in today’s media landscape, audience attention has become a highly valuable resource. The ability to attract and sustain this attention is unquestionably one of the key factors driving success in the entertainment sector. The MA-EMMC aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of relevant theories while simultaneously enhancing their professional expertise in practical applications, thereby laying a solid foundation for future development within the fields of entertainment and media management.
In addition to the highlight event, the “2026 HADO Electronic Dodgeball World Championship Hong Kong Regional Qualifying Tournament,” the carnival also featured individual and team HADO experiences, Artbat Digital Painting Performance, and several interactive sports education booths. Participants , regardless of age or prior sports experience, were able to engage in HADO’s dynamic gameplay, which cultivates skills such as observation, communication, teamwork, and on-the-spot decision-making.
A special feature of the event was a HADO charity match, where representatives from the SCOM at HSUHK and the Rotary Club of Sagacity Hong Kong participated in a friendly competition and exchange. It used sports to foster connections among the education, business, and community sectors, and demonstrating the possibilities of technology sports in promoting social engagement and cross-sector collaboration.
HADO is an innovative technology sport that combines augmented reality (AR) technology, focusing on challenging participants’ reaction speed, strategic thinking, and teamwork. Participants wear AR-equipped headsets along with arm sensors to engage in real-time 3-on-3 battles in a physical venue, firing energy balls and setting up shields for exciting competitive confrontations. Since its launch in 2016, HADO has successfully expanded to more than 40 countries and regions worldwide, with over 10 million cumulative players.
Representatives from the School of Communication and the Rotary Club of Sagacity Hong Kong participated in a friendly competition and exchange.
Prof. Scarlet Tso shared her insights into the development of emerging sports in Hong Kong from a communication perspective.
Dr. Chan Chi Kit, Programme Director of the Master of Arts in Entertainment Media Management and Communication at the School of Communication, elaborated further on the significance of entertainment media management as a discipline focused on the realm of the “Attention Economy.”
Prof. Scarlet Tso presented the awards to the champion team.
