Sport Innovation/The Track Check

We might have become to an era where athletes will depend on tracking results collected along the season, game and trainings as a way to evaluate their real performance. In a similar way, the same technology can be applied to any sport.

Through detection and/or tracking of the moving objects (players, ball), several high level analysis can be done, e.g. highlight extraction, event detection and tactic analysis

And, the data could be represented in maps, between games for the same player – all kinds of variables and possibilities would be identified and analysed

The tracking itself is an on-field technology, however the evaluation process is classified an off-field tool helping coaches and managerS; revolutionising the manner of athlete’s been exposed and trade.

Tracking Helping Coaches

This expertise could be used in a practical way with creation of an athlete’s portfolio, gathering all possible variable information during their career development process such as speed, power, strength, agility, endurance, technical ability, creativity, mental conditioning and diet; making easier to coaches analysing players performance and choosing the best team line-up.

This could be one more evaluation process for coaches helping creating teams matching results and necessities, making players complementary to each other.

Tracking Helping Managers

The concept of trading athletes is changed in the sport market, more money is being invested and trading soccer players is the business for a vast number of agents and managers. Technology is being used in a reasonable manner, however still in its low potential; career’s highlight movies for example have been used to assist negotiators selling their “product”.

In recent years, free agency has taken hold across the soccer world. And while players’ contracts are still held by teams, as international rules stipulate, investors are getting involved , this situation is changing mediation concepts creating the need for a more accurate system of showcasing athlete’s performance evidence.

The GPS tracking information can help managers keeping athlete’s analysis up to date, as well as monitoring injured players recoveries i.e. comparing results before and after injures.

This technology would create a more accurate career’s report for players, though managers and clubs would also benefit from it.

References

1. ^ Liang, D., Liu, Y., Huang , Q., & Gao, W. (2005). A Scheme for Ball Detection and Tracking in Broadcast Soccer Video. In Y. Ho, & H. Kim, ADVANCES IN MULTIMEDIA INFORMATION PROCESSING - PCM 2005, PT 1 (pp. 864-875). Berlin, Germany: SPRINGER-VERLAG.
2. ^ SMART Soccer Fields for the World Cup. (2010, July 6). Retrieved November 29, 2011, from http://www.vector1media.com/vectorone/?p=5864
3. ^ Downie, A. (2008, July 19). Trading in Soccer Talent. Retrieved December 09, 2011 from New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/business/19soccer.html

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