October 05, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) has finally commenced after bottlenecks occasioned by two postponements. Although starting behind schedule, this season is remarkable for the fact that the organisers have embarked on an ambitious initiative to revolutionise the live streaming of matches for the dynamic advancement of the broadcast standards and the thorough entertainment of final fans in the country.
This season is, therefore, the first to see an innovative streaming platform, powered by League partners working in collaboration with the NPFL to facilitate live match coverage on mobile devices. Backed by advanced Artificial Intelligence technology, this initiative positions NPFL as a pioneering force in African football that is embracing innovation in sports coverage.
In collaboration with partners such as Propel Sports Africa, ITV Africa, GTI, and Pixellot, this integration of AI technology with human operators is delivering in-depth and captivating broadcasts in no fewer than 10 stadiums across the domestic competition. To this end, GTI and Propel launched an Over-The-Top (OTT) platform, “NPFL LIVE,” offering global audiences access to live matches and exclusive content. This endeavour is anticipated to have a positive impact on the Nigerian football economy.
The cameras involved hold the potential to enhance exposure, drive coverage and advertising, create employment opportunities, and contribute to player scouting and coaching methodologies. With Nigeria taking the initial steps of incorporating AI technology in football coverage, this progressive initiative could potentially inspire other African leagues to follow suit.
To gain further insights into this trailblazing development, SportsLive spoke with Brian Phillpotts, the former English Premier League Director of Commercial Affairs and current Pixellot VP of Business Development, who has been instrumental in facilitating the implementation of automated systems for producing and distributing NPL games. In an exclusive interview, Phillpotts sheds light on the tremendous potential of AI technology to increase access, boost fan engagement, and unlock revenue opportunities for the NPFL and its stakeholders.
Excerpts:
What are the primary benefits and challenges of utilising AI cameras for live-streaming NPFL matches?
AI cameras are becoming more popular for live-streaming football matches, as they offer some advantages over traditional cameras. Some of the benefits are:
– AI cameras can reduce the cost and manpower required for live streaming, as they do not need human operators or camera operators. This translates into huge savings – even as low as 10% of the traditional costs of producing and broadcasting a game.
– AI cameras can automatically adjust the focus, zoom, angle, and lighting to capture the best shots of the players and the action.
– AI cameras can use object detection, and motion tracking to identify and highlight the key moments and players of the match.
Could you elaborate on how Pixellot’s AI technology functions and the distinguishing features that set it apart from other solutions?
Pixellot is the company that pioneered the concept of automated sports capture. In the decade since its founding, Pixellot has led the market in the development of technology and today is by far the largest producer of automated live sports. Since automation relies on AI and AI improves through machine learning, Pixellot’s immense database ensures that it is leagues ahead of the competition.
Another aspect that differentiates Pixellot is its end-to-end modular solution. Pixellot is the only company that offers capture, production, and a powerful streaming platform as well as a full set of analytics in a single integrated system. To top it off, Pixellot is also an open platform that integrates with other vendors.
Could you provide insights into the collaboration between Pixellot and partners like ITV Africa?
As a company that specialises in automated sports production and streaming solutions, Pixellot is working with various organisations in Africa to bring high-quality and affordable coverage of local sports events through our partnership with ITV Africa. ITV Africa Pixellot’s partners in Africa form a strong ecosystem that enables Pixellot to deliver innovative and accessible sports production solutions to the African market.
How is the success and impact of this initiative on the NPFL and its stakeholders measured, encompassing fans, players, clubs, and sponsors?
One of the goals of this initiative is to improve the quality and popularity of the NPFL and its stakeholders, including fans, players, clubs, scouts and sponsors. We usually measure our success with our partners around the world using various parameters, such as:
– The number of fans who attend the matches, watch them on TV or follow them on social media.
– The satisfaction and engagement of fans with the brand, the clubs, and the players.
– The financial growth of the league and clubs in terms of revenue, expenditure, assets, and debts using the built-in options for monetisation.
– The acquisition and visibility of sponsors who support the NPFL and its clubs, as well as the benefits they receive from their partnerships.
By collecting and analyzing these data, we can evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of this initiative and identify areas for improvement and innovation.
From your perspective, how is AI technology poised to revolutionize the sports industry in Africa and beyond? What foreseeable opportunities and challenges lie on the horizon?
AI technology is already transforming the sports industry in Africa and beyond in numerous ways. Around the world, many leagues that were never covered are now finally getting the chance to be seen outside of the stadiums. In South Africa, SuperSport schools are already covering hundreds of games, and this is also a big boon for the development of young athletes.
Additionally, AI can help improve the performance of athletes, coaches, and referees by providing real-time data analysis, feedback, and decision support. AI can also enhance the fan experience by enabling the creation of personalised content, games, and personal highlight reels.
Could you share insights into the strategies employed to ensure the quality and reliability of AI cameras and the streaming platform? What contingency measures are in place in case of technical disruptions such as power outages?
Pixellot systems are field-proven, all-weather systems and have the benefit of over three million games that we have streamed and produced live across the world. Our 24/7 global customer support is another layer of confidence that if a problem arises, there will be someone to assist wherever, whenever. The robustness of our systems is built into the design, which is how they are able to tackle low bandwidth and low lighting conditions without losing a frame.
How does the streaming platform engage and interact with fans and the media? What distinctive features and benefits can they anticipate?
Fans and the media can access the games from the NPFL app or the internet and enjoy interactive features such as multi-angle views, instant replays, highlights, statistics, and social media integration. They can also create their own personalised clips and share them with others. The Pixellot platform offers a distinctive and engaging experience for sports lovers, as well as a cost-effective and scalable solution for content creators and distributors.
How are the data and analytics generated by AI cameras harnessed to enhance NPFL player and coach performance and development?
Coaches can use the videos to share highlights, replays, and clips with the individual players to help them see and focus on the things that need to be improved in their play. They can also review the game for tactical formation to improve for the next match. Video helps identify the strengths and weaknesses of individual players and teams by measuring key performance indicators such as passes, shots, tackles, interceptions, etc.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
