Latest news with #BeyondStats
The Star
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Microsoft signs deal to power Premier League's AI tools
A five-year 'strategic partnership' will see the UK football league, the world's most watched, migrate its 'core technology infrastructure' to Microsoft's Azure cloud-computing service, the company and league said in a statement. — AP Microsoft Corp has signed a cloud computing deal with the Premier League, a pact that will let the software company tout its AI technology to a captive audience of sports fans. A five-year "strategic partnership' will see the UK football league, the world's most watched, migrate its "core technology infrastructure' to Microsoft's Azure cloud-computing service, the company and league said in a statement on July 1. The Premier League's mobile apps and website will feature an artificially intelligent chatbot powered by Microsoft's AI services, as will the league's fantasy games. "This is the future of football,' Microsoft UK chief Darren Hardman said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. "It's data-driven drama, it's smarter stats, it's deeper stories, it's a better connection of the fan to what's going on.' He and Will Brass, the Premier League's chief commercial officer, declined to discuss the financial terms of the deal. Oracle Corp previously provided cloud-computing services to the league, but the arrangement expired at the end of the season earlier this year. Technology and sports marketing tie-ins are a crowded field, particularly in global football. Microsoft's Copilot brand is the sponsor for Beyond Stats, a service that provides game and team analysis for fans of Spain's top football division, La Liga. The stats that pop up during Germany's Bundesliga are festooned with the Amazon Web Services logo. Such deals are prized by technology companies because sports is the rare entertainment that people still watch live. In the 12 years since Microsoft struck a deal with the National Football League to place its tablets in the hands of team coaches, the tech industry has looked for creative ways to go beyond plastering their brand names on league signage. – Bloomberg
Reuters
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
LaLiga leads AI evolution with global outreach
April 2 Reuters News - Artificial intelligence isn't coming for football — in Spain, it's already laced up and part of the squad. "LaLiga has become an integral part of AI's DNA," might sound poetic, but according to Javier Gil — LaLiga's head of AI implementation and development — it's the other way around. "AI has become an integral part of LaLiga's DNA," Gil told Reuters by email, calling it a cornerstone of the league's strategy for years. "We deployed solutions based on predictive analysis and algorithms long ago," he said, crediting LaLiga president Javier Tebas as a "bold leader" who spotted the potential of generative AI early and established a dedicated department to embed it across the organisation. This isn't tech for tech's sake, Gil insisted. "It's about the significant value they bring to both LaLiga and the league," he said. And that value, he argued, goes far beyond tactics and transfer talk. "Generative AI has proven its ability to change not only the way we work, but also society itself," Gil said. "We have a great opportunity to connect with our fans in new ways and to reshape the entertainment industry." FROM PITCH TO PIXELS AI's influence in LaLiga now stretches from match analysis to media production. According to Gil, each match generates more than 3.5 million data points via a tracking camera system installed in every stadium. That data feeds club-level prep and fuels projects like "Beyond Stats" — an initiative with Microsoft that blends advanced analytics into live broadcasts. AI also automates real-time video content for digital platforms. "This is perhaps one of the reasons why LaLiga clubs are so competitive in European competitions," Gil said. And while the tech is evolving fast, even Gil can't predict what's next. "I don't know what the situation will look like in two years or even two months," he said. "Technological development will not stop... and we believe it is our responsibility to provide ongoing training for our employees to raise awareness of AI and encourage creativity among our teams." GLOBAL GAME, DIGITAL STAGE LaLiga's AI ambitions go well beyond Spain. The league is working with other federations and has set up a consultancy in Iraq, while its Dubai office — opened a decade ago — underscores its long-term interest in the Middle East and North Africa. Gil said the league remains "open to sharing knowledge and expertise with any league, institution, or federation" keen to build a shared understanding of tech's potential. Clubs like Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Deportivo Alaves are also rolling out AI-driven experiences to engage fans, while LaLiga continues to team up with partners such as Microsoft and Sportian to push the frontier. And the U.S. is very much in their sights. Gil called it "a benchmark for innovation, responsibility, and inspiration" — a country from which LaLiga is keen to learn. Whether it's article writing, branding, campaign work or interactive experiences, the possibilities are multiplying. "We believe that sharing knowledge with other sports organisations in open discussions is not just a luxury," Gil said. "It's the only true way to continue learning and developing together."
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Soccer-LaLiga leads AI evolution with global outreach
By Ahmed El Khashab Reuters News - Artificial intelligence isn't coming for football — in Spain, it's already laced up and part of the squad. "LaLiga has become an integral part of AI's DNA," might sound poetic, but according to Javier Gil — LaLiga's head of AI implementation and development — it's the other way around. Advertisement "AI has become an integral part of LaLiga's DNA," Gil told Reuters by email, calling it a cornerstone of the league's strategy for years. "We deployed solutions based on predictive analysis and algorithms long ago," he said, crediting LaLiga president Javier Tebas as a "bold leader" who spotted the potential of generative AI early and established a dedicated department to embed it across the organisation. This isn't tech for tech's sake, Gil insisted. "It's about the significant value they bring to both LaLiga and the league," he said. And that value, he argued, goes far beyond tactics and transfer talk. Advertisement "Generative AI has proven its ability to change not only the way we work, but also society itself," Gil said. "We have a great opportunity to connect with our fans in new ways and to reshape the entertainment industry." FROM PITCH TO PIXELS AI's influence in LaLiga now stretches from match analysis to media production. According to Gil, each match generates more than 3.5 million data points via a tracking camera system installed in every stadium. That data feeds club-level prep and fuels projects like "Beyond Stats" — an initiative with Microsoft that blends advanced analytics into live broadcasts. Advertisement AI also automates real-time video content for digital platforms. "This is perhaps one of the reasons why LaLiga clubs are so competitive in European competitions," Gil said. And while the tech is evolving fast, even Gil can't predict what's next. "I don't know what the situation will look like in two years or even two months," he said. "Technological development will not stop... and we believe it is our responsibility to provide ongoing training for our employees to raise awareness of AI and encourage creativity among our teams." GLOBAL GAME, DIGITAL STAGE Advertisement LaLiga's AI ambitions go well beyond Spain. The league is working with other federations and has set up a consultancy in Iraq, while its Dubai office — opened a decade ago — underscores its long-term interest in the Middle East and North Africa. Gil said the league remains "open to sharing knowledge and expertise with any league, institution, or federation" keen to build a shared understanding of tech's potential. Clubs like Sevilla, Atletico Madrid and Deportivo Alaves are also rolling out AI-driven experiences to engage fans, while LaLiga continues to team up with partners such as Microsoft and Sportian to push the frontier. And the U.S. is very much in their sights. Gil called it "a benchmark for innovation, responsibility, and inspiration" — a country from which LaLiga is keen to learn. Advertisement Whether it's article writing, branding, campaign work or interactive experiences, the possibilities are multiplying. "We believe that sharing knowledge with other sports organisations in open discussions is not just a luxury," Gil said. "It's the only true way to continue learning and developing together." (Reporting by Ahmed El Khashab; Editing by Ossian Shine and Christian Radnedge)
