TL;DR:
- LaLiga, Spain’s top football league, utilizes AI and ML to enhance fan experience and offer data-driven insights to players and coaches.
- The transformation, initiated with Microsoft’s partnership in 2016, has led to LaLiga Tech, providing technology platforms and services to the sports and entertainment industry.
- Mediacoach, the data analysis platform, captures 3.5 million real-time data points per match, enabling new insights for technical staff and accessible data packages for fans and media through Beyond Stats.
- LaLiga Tech uses AI and ML for fan engagement, optimized match scheduling, and predictive models for trend detection and simulations.
- The AI-driven Goal Probability model calculates the likelihood of scoring in a given situation.
- LaLiga aims to expand fan data delivery through various channels, including broadcasting and web, and collaborates with Microsoft on advanced streaming and content protection services.
Main AI News:
LaLiga, Spain’s premier football division, has undergone a transformation using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance player insights, coaching strategies, and fan experiences. The initiative started in partnership with Microsoft in 2016, which helped LaLiga become a technology, data-oriented, and cloud organization.
At the heart of LaLiga’s transformation is a data analysis platform called Mediacoach, powered by Azure infrastructure, which collects and interprets around 3.5 million data points in near real-time per match. Mediacoach has evolved into LaLiga Tech, a technology subsidiary that offers platforms, services, and consultancy to the sports and entertainment industry. While the platform’s insights were initially meant for technical staff, LaLiga also created Beyond Stats, a portal that packages and presents data for media and fans through accessible dashboards.
LaLiga Tech uses AI and ML for various initiatives, such as engaging and retaining fans by recommending content and analyzing fan sentiment. They also use ML to optimize TV audiences and stadium attendance by scheduling matches with their Calendar Selector solution. Moreover, LaLiga has developed predictive models for trend detection, result simulation, and making predictions.
During matches, 16 optical tracking cameras in each stadium capture real-time data on player and referee positioning, as well as the ball’s movement, generating an extensive amount of data for analysis. This data, combined with historical tracking data from thousands of matches, helps create new insights and statistical models like the Goal Probability model, which assesses the likelihood of scoring in a given situation.
The Goal Probability model considers various variables like the player’s line of sight, distance to the goal and goalkeeper, and the nearest defender’s position. This information allows broadcasters to display the stat as a graphic in real-time during the match.
The development process involved a multidisciplinary team comprising football analysts, business intelligence analysts, and the analytics team. To ensure fan comprehension, LaLiga learned from fan testing and engaged with commentators to explain the data and provide insights.
Future plans for LaLiga include finding new ways to deliver data and knowledge to fans, exploring different channels beyond broadcasting and the web. Additionally, LaLiga is collaborating with Microsoft on next-generation over-the-top (OTT) streaming services, advanced content protection, and venue management systems to further enhance the fan experience.
Overall, LaLiga’s use of AI and ML has revolutionized how football is played, experienced, and enjoyed in Spain, and it continues to pave the way for technology-driven innovations in the sports and entertainment industry.
Conclusion:
LaLiga’s AI-powered transformation has significantly improved the football fan experience. By offering data-driven insights and personalized content, the league has not only retained its massive global audience but also attracted new fans to the sport. As AI and ML continue to drive innovation in the sports and entertainment industry, LaLiga’s successful integration of these technologies sets a benchmark for other market players, highlighting the potential for data-driven strategies to revolutionize fan engagement and elevate the overall entertainment experience.
