Applications and Use Cases of ML and AI in Sports

According to Allied Market Research, the world's AI in sports branch was valued at about $1.4 bln in 2020 and is predicted to reach $19.2 billion by 2030. Our experts explain such an intensive industry development because artificial intelligence tech can now be effectively used in plenty of cases. AI is already widely employed in coaching, fan engagement, sports analysis, etc.

Using artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) technologies in sports allows for predicting players' injuries, coming up with more effective gaming strategies, etc. Furthermore, you may develop incredibly profitable sports marketing campaigns by employing AI. As a result, your team becomes stronger and wealthier.

So, let's take a look at the mentioned features and explore the existing use cases in more detail.

Evolution of AI in Sports

Intensive employment of AI tech in sporting competitions started in the early 2000s. At that time, an MLB team called The Oakland Athletics reached the play-off with a squad of players much cheaper than competitors. The A's used a strict data-driven approach to form their team. They employed specific software to process the necessary information about athletes. This case is described in detail in a book called Moneyball and an eponymous movie.

In the 2010s, powerful CPUs appeared. This allowed making apps able to process huge amounts of data. Thus, virtual statistical analysis in sports became even more widespread. At the same time, ML solutions started developing extensively.

As a result, the usage of AI and machine learning in sports went far beyond MLB and even the USA. Such technologies have already become an indispensable part of the sporting industry nowadays. And in our opinion, most sports branches will be forced to employ AI to stay competitive soon.

AI in Coaching and Training

Analysts of UChicago News claim that up to 30% of a sports team's success depends on its coach. The same goes for singles athletes, though. Of course, ML isn't able to replace live coaches for now. However, such technologies can essentially empower existing professionals.

Coaches use artificial intelligence in sports for the following things:

• measurement of their mentees' physical qualities, mental acuity, etc.;
• development of more personalized workout plans based on physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of an athlete's performance;
• quick identification of patterns in the productivity of players.

Today, for instance, the NBA cooperates with Second Spectrum to employ AI-managed analytics and data for its Coaches Room. The Golf Lab, in turn, uses its own AI-based software to teach people to play the same name game.

AI in sports for player performance analysis

It's better to use the machine learning development services of highly experienced IT companies for the mentioned purpose. That's because athlete productivity analysis occasionally implies the usage of specific chips. The latter ones should be put on players' clothing. This helps track athletes' positions at various game moments, their activity during matches or training, etc. Furthermore, in team games like soccer, AI is often used to create heat maps.

Artificial Intelligence for strategies and tactics

Today, the list of AI use cases in sports includes predicting matches' outcomes. First, smart software gathers as well as analyzes information about key features of both competitors' gaming styles. If it's about team games, an app searches for data about the conditions of squads' players.

Next, AI compares the processed information considering certain gaming criteria. The latter may be set by employing ML. Finally, a "smart" application predicts probabilities of different match results. Coaches, in turn, analyze the weak sides of their teams discovered by an app and try to strengthen those weaknesses.

For instance, Liverpool FC has cooperated with an IT agency, offering AI and ML software development services, since 2021 to improve its football strategies.

AI in Sports to track player health and safety

Some athletes even implant specific microchips under their skin for the specified purpose. This allows tracking their conditions in real time. This way, coaches will know when it's better to give athletes a break during hard training. Such an approach helps prevent the state of players' overtraining as well as the appearance of mini-injuries which may cause serious traumas.

In 2017, the WOA CEO, Mike Miller, even offered to implant chips under athletes' skin to prevent doping.

AI in Player Scouting and Recruitment

Sports club owners frequently employ artificial intelligence in sports to seek new players for their squads. Our experts, in turn, believe that such an approach is the best way for scouts to observe as many contenders as possible.

Moreover, "smart" apps allow choosing athletes by considering an essentially higher number of criteria. Among the key AI applications in sports is discovering talented sportsmen that aren't spotted by your competitors.

For instance, in 2017, Sean Durzi, a spectacular ice hockey player, didn't attract any NHL team. Although, an analytical AI-based system considered him as one of the top 40 best prospects at that time.

Next year, Durzi's rating became much higher. As a result, NHL teams were forced to offer significantly more funds for him. In 2022, Durzi signed a two-year contract with The LA Kings worth $3.4 mln.

It's also worth noting that AI is able to predict if a player will develop in the future. This essentially decreases the risk of wasting money on overrated athletes. Artificial intelligence also may pick players by archetypes of their role in a team.

E.g., if a sports manager needs to acquire a forward, AI can separately choose offensive and splitting strikers. However, such a function will operate well only if you use applications made by trustworthy IT specialists.

AI in Sports Media and Broadcasting

Today, numerous news companies employ artificial intelligence to generate automated content. For example, AI significantly simplifies making videos with key highlights of matches. Furthermore, IT agencies actively work on the creation of specific apps able to automatically make detailed reports on sports games. Finally, ML software is actively employed to battle fake news on public networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Forbes, LA Times, ProPublica, and other famous corporations intensively use AI presently.

Sports clubs may enhance their media presence by applying AI. They can employ "smart" applications to create news about themselves. The specified software is also able to recommend general sporting topics that are popular among fans currently. Ultimately, managers can promote entrusted sports clubs by making news about their teams on relevant subjects.

Also, AI may improve your broadcasting system. Typically, media companies employ a lot of cameras to broadcast competitions and games. Artificial intelligence can make the process of operating those camcorders. Modern ML software is able to identify objects, detect zones on fields, as well as track athletes' movements.

Consequently, AI can provide spectators with 360-degree views by operating drones, robotic cameras, etc., in the best way.

AI in Sports Fan Engagement

Sporting clubs make huge profits from those attending matches, watching games on TV, purchasing branded clothes as well as souvenirs, etc. For instance, Daily Mail reports Chelsea earns more than $2,000 from each fan in tickets alone. Furthermore, Goal.Com claims Liverpool gains over $20 mln in a season by just selling their shirts. Of course, you can't start getting such hefty incomes without active fan engagement.

AI may help encourage sports lovers in the following ways:

• Checking and improving (if it's necessary) the involvement of spectators during a game or competition. AI is able to recognize fans' moods by scanning and analyzing their facial expressions.
• Drawing up profiles about each regular stadium visitor. This may essentially improve the interaction between fans and sports clubs.
• Enhancing stadium logistics. Using machine learning in sports, you may track your fans' preferences and take corresponding steps to make their journeys in as well as out of a stadium more exciting.

Additionally, plenty of sporting enterprises employ AI-based social media chatbots today. This helps improve fans' satisfaction from communication with a club.

Future of AI and ML in Sports

We believe that artificial intelligence will be employed in the sporting industry more and more intensively. That's mainly because such technology helps significantly increase the competitiveness of your sports team. In this case, sporting club holders receive more income. This, in turn, encourages them to expand the field of ML employment.

The use of ML in sports is not only about improving the quality of huge sporting events, though. AI will also be increasingly wider employed within fitness mobile app making. For example, our specialists are currently developing an AI-based workout application called DBA FITNESS for the App Store.

The application offers you the assistance of skilled coaches. The trainers come up with personal training programs for each app user. And AI-based functions help them serve clients as well as possible.

Bottom Line

Employment of artificial intelligence in sports can help you essentially enhance the effectiveness of your team generally and each athlete in particular. That's because ML apps are able to track and analyze the ongoing conditions of every player.

This allows for avoiding athlete overwork and injury appearance as well as developing personal training programs to improve each sportsman's efficiency. On top of that, AI enables you to pick prospects more thoughtfully.

Sports club managers can enhance their marketing strategies using machine learning. Such technologies assist in increasing fans' engagement, promoting your sporting brand in the media, and communicating with sports lovers in public networks.

If you have any questions or thinking about AI software development, feel free to contact us.