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ELITE ISSUE 29, MARCH 2021

Moreover, JUST ADD AI, a German-based AI company, helped Despite the fact that AI and ML have allowed quicker and
a Bundesliga team to win matches by identifying the appropriate better decision-making where the algorithms powered by AI
players. By developing an AI tool that extracted insights from can extract actionable insights that give the players and
unstructured data and placed them in a single dashboard. coaching staff even greater benefit. There are many
ِBundesliga uses the Amazon cloud server (AWS) to share more drawbacks for using AI in sports in general and in football
in-depth insights into the live broadcast of the game. As the specifically.
adoption of AI cloud-based solutions provides fans with real-
time forecasting services on when a goal happens and the To name a few, the quite high cost. The fact that AI is used in
likelihood of success for the team. This AI technology was almost all sport management fields makes it even more costly.
adopted by the English football club Leatherhead FC to prepare Correspondingly, the technology will continue to evolve, so
a specific strategy for its squad. there will be a continuous need to update and upgrade the AI
technology's software and hardware. Also, the expense of
Additionally, Oloclip, a Madrid-based company, has operating and repairing an AI computer is high. Not to
investigated the effectiveness of algorithms for ML in predicting mention, the employment loss. This point has always been a
strengths and weaknesses in the field. The organization built an debate for opponents of this technology. The automation of
AI-powered technology system believed that it could predict manual jobs by AI machines makes humans useless for the
what would happen in the next 15 minutes of the match. The work (e.g. scouting and recruiting). AI machines make it
model calculates the variables' changes and their effects on easier to get details about players' pluses and minuses and
relevant objectives. how they blend into the game, instead of making scouts go
and see individual players repeatedly during matches and try
Injury prediction is another fascinating case of AI use. When it to notice their main strengths and weaknesses.
comes to important games, the prediction of when the best
players might get hurt would be highly appreciated. Data In a more social context, many concerns exist. As, in the
scientists at the University of Pisa, Italy, created an algorithm for universe, there are few things that can't be quantified. Using
machine learning to predict accidents in 2018. In a single season, data analytics and AI, anything that can be quantified can be
the algorithm correctly predicted 9 out of the 14 injuries suffered forecast with accuracy. With such quantifiable elements, the
by an Italian team. The technology also decreases the chances of world of sports is plentiful, making it suitable for the use of
on-field accidents, according to the University researchers. It artificial intelligence. But, this shifts the game from merely a
also warns players on the field and decides when they need to sporty entertainment game to a capitalist industry game that
rest in the game to remain energetic. searches for profit maximization at whatever expense. In fact,
not only the world of sports is quantifiable but the whole
One more case for the adoption of AI by football clubs may be world around us. AI with its techniques (ML and DL) is
felt on the stands rather than on the pitches. In other words, indeed eating everything. Big companies employ this
generating more revenues from the audience. This is partially a technique for profit margin maximization solely and it treats
by-product of the widespread availability of surveillance humans as predictable, surveilled manipulated items. The
cameras in sports stadiums; during the 2018 World Cup in questions now would be, do the AI positives outweigh the
Russia, each stadium was packed with 1,200 cameras. A negatives or not? And from what angle do the measures of
significant commercial factor as these cameras can analyze the positives and negatives are conducted? And to what extent
fans in the stadium by examining their facial gestures or their this data-driven world would lead us? And if people's data is
eyeball movements to see if they are engaged or not engaged. By being used to drive valuable information that is worth billions
doing so, the efficient time can be delegated to the sponsors in of dollars shouldn't those people get paid for their contribution
that way. So, rather than having an ad at half-time or during a in generating this data?
goal, it can be played when the viewer is most involved.

Another thing, in this context, is using AI in ticket pricing, for a
better prediction of what fans will be ready to spend on an event,
in order to optimize one of the revenue sources. It is believed
that at least one Premier League Club is working on an
experimental project with Acronis (a global technology
company) that incorporates internal data, ticketing figures, and
weather data, gunning for a system that would allow the club to
forecast potential participation in the match.

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