Playermaker
- Pixellot tech has been used to stream 2.5m live games
- Playermaker is a member of Fifa’s innovation programme
Artificial intelligence (AI) video specialist Pixellot is partnering with soccer performance technology provider Playermaker to create an integrated platform that promises more in-depth analytical capabilities for coaches and players.
Pixellot’s AI cameras automatically capture live events for broadcast and social content with minimal human interaction. This footage feeds into analytics platforms, while algorithms analyse the video to create automated metrics such as shot charts and heatmaps.
Its technology handles 150,000 live games a month from 70 countries, with 2.5 million livestreams to date.
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The partnership with Playermaker will significantly enhance the quality and variety of training analytics that Pixellot can currently provide. Playermarker’s boot-based wearable goes beyond what is possible with back-mounted devices to track every aspect of an individual’s performance, including kicking stats, speed and distance covered.
“We are excited to join forces with Playermaker to bring a new cutting-edge technology solution to the world of football,” said Pixellot chief executive Alon Werber.
“The combination of our video and analytics platform and Playermaker’s unique data will provide teams with a comprehensive understanding of player performance, helping them make more informed decisions and win. The tagged, synchronised video and statistics are a real time saver and game changer for coaches.”
“In Playermaker, we always seek collaborations and integrations that allow players and coaches to maximise their performance,” added Guy Aharon, Playermaker chief executive.
“The integration of video and motion tracking, already being used by the world’s best clubs, allows advanced automated video and embedded analytics for all levels.”
SportsPro says…
Pixellot’s customers range from soccer giants Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to clubs in German state football associations, promising a simple and cost-effective way to live stream matches and analyse training sessions.
Pairing player data with insights gathered from Pixellot’s computer vision algorithms means coaches will have a much more complete view over player and team performance – significantly enhancing the strength of Pixellot’s proposition.
Traditionally, trackers worn outside the boot have been incompatible with the laws of the game. However, Playermaker is a member of Fifa’s quality programme for electronic performance tracking systems (EPTS), which provides a pathway for the technology to be used in matches at all levels.
The company is also working with English soccer’s governing body the Football Association (FA) and Leeds Beckett University on a research project designed to better understand the demands of players in the women’s game. As part of the initiative, Playermaker’s devices can now be used in Women’s Super League (WSL) matches.
The combination of the two technologies could give lower-league soccer clubs – and well-resourced amateur outfits – access to media and analytics technologies that were previously reserved for the upper echelons of the game.
