A year ago, when the Spanish football league unveiled virtual reality technology for fans to enjoy La Liga matches through VR headsets, this was the poor relation of the high-tech initiatives that are changing the game in Spain.
For those who don’t have the tech, the VR experience is being provided at La Liga Corners, experiential spaces set up across Spain.La Liga has worked with chip giants Intel to roll out Replay360, a technology that allows viewers to recreate 3D replays of any move, from any angle. No less than 38 cameras are installed throughout a stadium to allow spectators to “fly” over the action or position themselves from a player’s point of view.
During a recent showcase at the RCD Espanyol de Barcelona stadium, on the sidelines of Mobile World Congress, it unveiled the artificial intelligence technology that is guiding the video assistant referee , among other. With much of that generation ousted or banned from participating, the game has finally been able to bring in technology to improve the experience for all. At the very least, it helps referees avoid obvious errors regarding goals, penalties, and red cards.
A new cloud-based tool called Calendar Selector applies machine learning and algorithms to suggest optimal match schedules, based on past patterns of attendance, viewership, traffic and about 70 other variables. The match and player analysis service, Mediacoach, which was reported in this column a year ago, has also evolved dramatically. An advanced application to provide clubs and coaches with tools aimed at improving the performance of teams and players, it includes 10 years of data and history, and generates heat maps of current play with only an 18 second delay.“This democratic sharing of data in La Liga is unique,” said Evers.