
英國(guó)橄欖球隊(duì)萊斯特老虎隊(duì)(Leicester Tigers)在2019年的英超聯(lián)賽中排名墊底,,差一點(diǎn)就降級(jí)了,。就在那時(shí),俱樂(lè)部開(kāi)始使用人工智能來(lái)評(píng)估球員的表現(xiàn),,并模擬不同的行動(dòng)會(huì)如何影響俱樂(lè)部的獲勝概率,。
自此以后,就沒(méi)有回頭路可走了,。在倫敦體育數(shù)據(jù)公司Prospect及其子公司Oval開(kāi)發(fā)的人工智能工具的幫助下,,該隊(duì)贏得了2022年的英超聯(lián)賽,,在其他13支球隊(duì)中名列榜首。
在板球,、足球和其他體育項(xiàng)目中取得的類似成功表明,,人工智能在改變我們對(duì)體育的認(rèn)知方面具有強(qiáng)大的力量。
這項(xiàng)技術(shù)應(yīng)用廣泛,,包括幫助俱樂(lè)部物色球員,、分析他們的表現(xiàn),以及以過(guò)去被認(rèn)為過(guò)于復(fù)雜的方式制定對(duì)抗對(duì)手的戰(zhàn)術(shù),。它還為球迷和球隊(duì)之間的互動(dòng)提供了新機(jī)會(huì),,迎合了人們對(duì)體育日益增長(zhǎng)的興趣。
總部位于瓦倫西亞的咨詢公司N3XT Sports的首席信息官莫塔西姆·埃爾·巴瓦布(Motasem El Bawab)在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示:“人工智能為體育產(chǎn)業(yè)提供了新機(jī)會(huì),,使其球迷和運(yùn)動(dòng)員數(shù)據(jù)商品化,,加深對(duì)客戶和利益相關(guān)者的了解,并使其品牌對(duì)投資者更具吸引力,?!?/p>
言外之意是什么?人工智能對(duì)球迷興趣,、球隊(duì)表現(xiàn)和體育整體競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力的影響可能會(huì)提升體育俱樂(lè)部的價(jià)值,。
據(jù)德意志銀行(Deutsche Bank)分析師稱,體育并購(gòu)和投資交易的價(jià)值在短短4年內(nèi)飆升了8倍,,達(dá)到約370億美元,。體育吸引了大筆資金,沙特阿拉伯對(duì)足球的興趣就體現(xiàn)了這一點(diǎn),。當(dāng)時(shí)沙特阿拉伯向克里斯蒂亞諾·羅納爾多(Cristiano Ronaldo)支付了數(shù)百萬(wàn)美元,,使其成為有史以來(lái)收入最高的運(yùn)動(dòng)員。有趣的是,,這個(gè)時(shí)間恰好與利率因高通脹而飆升的時(shí)間重合,,而高通脹卻導(dǎo)致其他行業(yè)的交易量下降。
該銀行上周在一份報(bào)告中表示,,人工智能是體育俱樂(lè)部取得成功的原因之一,。這也意味著,運(yùn)動(dòng)隊(duì)有責(zé)任找到最佳數(shù)據(jù)工具,,并更有效地利用它們,,以在競(jìng)爭(zhēng)中保持領(lǐng)先。
該行分析師盧克·坦普爾曼(Luke Templeman)和加林娜·波茲尼亞科娃(Galina Pozdnyakova)上周在一份報(bào)告中寫(xiě)道:“批評(píng)者認(rèn)為,,一旦每支球隊(duì)都擁有了體育統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)據(jù),,那么這將是一場(chǎng)零和游戲。我們持相反的觀點(diǎn)。我們認(rèn)為,,復(fù)雜的體育數(shù)據(jù)分析技術(shù)的普及將為少數(shù)球隊(duì)主導(dǎo)的聯(lián)賽提供公平的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)環(huán)境,。”
人工智能如何助力獲得巨額收入,?
體育俱樂(lè)部的估值涉及很多方面,。除了利潤(rùn)等財(cái)務(wù)指標(biāo)外,一支球隊(duì)的層級(jí),、球員和戰(zhàn)績(jī)也很重要。
埃爾·巴瓦布表示,,有了可供球隊(duì)使用的人工智能工具,,他們就有很多機(jī)會(huì)精益求精。他舉了一個(gè)例子來(lái)說(shuō)明出色戰(zhàn)績(jī)和管理策略如何能直接增加門(mén)票銷售量和商品銷售量,。
他說(shuō):“所有這些因素都可以通過(guò)展示更大,、更可持續(xù)的盈利潛力來(lái)大幅提升體育俱樂(lè)部的估值?!?/p>
考慮到一切都依賴于這樣的預(yù)測(cè),,因此,可靠的數(shù)據(jù)是關(guān)鍵,。例如,,巴塞羅那足球俱樂(lè)部(FC Barcelona)利用過(guò)去足球比賽的錄像來(lái)判斷對(duì)手的行為模式,并據(jù)此制定比賽計(jì)劃,。英國(guó)女子板球隊(duì)與Prospect合作,,通過(guò)模擬數(shù)千種場(chǎng)景的比賽,利用人工智能為不同的對(duì)手挑選合適的球員,。
Prospect的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人詹姆斯·托澤爾(James Tozer)對(duì)《財(cái)富》雜志表示:“對(duì)于最具雄心和創(chuàng)新精神的球隊(duì)來(lái)說(shuō),,現(xiàn)在出現(xiàn)了一個(gè)令人興奮的機(jī)會(huì),可以利用所有這些(算力和建模技術(shù)),,并敢于做一些與眾不同的事情,。能夠比其他球隊(duì)更好地利用人工智能的球隊(duì)無(wú)疑將從中受益?!?/p>
德勤(Deloitte)合伙人,、英國(guó)體育產(chǎn)業(yè)負(fù)責(zé)人馬克·利利(Mark Lillie)告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,雖然體育組織仍在加緊增加人工智能和數(shù)據(jù)投資,,但這項(xiàng)技術(shù)可能很快就會(huì)發(fā)揮重要作用,。
“隨著人工智能成為標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)優(yōu)勢(shì)工具,擁有強(qiáng)大人工智能能力和相關(guān)優(yōu)勢(shì)的球隊(duì)可能會(huì)成為更有吸引力的投資對(duì)象,,從而有可能推高估值,。”利利說(shuō),并提醒道,,即使人工智能非常強(qiáng)大,,也“不會(huì)解決所有問(wèn)題”。
對(duì)于那些對(duì)人工智能可以完成其工作持懷疑態(tài)度的體育人員,,利利說(shuō):“人類的專業(yè)知識(shí),、直覺(jué)和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力仍將是取得成功的關(guān)鍵?!?/p>

對(duì)體育迷產(chǎn)生更大影響
無(wú)論哪種體育運(yùn)動(dòng),,球迷都是行業(yè)的命脈。他們的興趣有助于推動(dòng)不同俱樂(lè)部和聯(lián)賽的普及,,讓大批支持者涌現(xiàn)體育場(chǎng),,并激勵(lì)球員。
Sentient Sports的首席執(zhí)行官瑞恩·比爾(Ryan Beal)在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示,,盡管球迷一直以來(lái)都是體育運(yùn)動(dòng)的核心,,但仍然缺乏參與度。
他說(shuō):“在一個(gè)賽季中,,比賽日會(huì)掀起一波熱潮,,賽前幾天直到比賽日,球迷熱情逐漸高漲,,而賽后,,這種熱潮又會(huì)消失?!碑?dāng)興趣減弱時(shí),,球隊(duì)就會(huì)失去球迷的參與。這就提供了一個(gè)巨大的盈利機(jī)會(huì),,而人工智能有助于實(shí)現(xiàn)這一目標(biāo),。
這可以是基于球迷喜好的新內(nèi)容形式,這樣每個(gè)人都能以個(gè)性化的方式與自己首選的球隊(duì)互動(dòng),。人工智能工具還可以幫助曼聯(lián)這樣的球隊(duì)用母語(yǔ)與全球球迷群互動(dòng),。比爾表示,曼聯(lián)的收入在2023年創(chuàng)下了6.484億英鎊(約合8.05億美元)的歷史新高,,但如果利用人工智能,,這一數(shù)字還有可能翻一番。
有助于擴(kuò)大球迷群的數(shù)字體驗(yàn)可以為體育俱樂(lè)部開(kāi)辟全新的收入來(lái)源,,因?yàn)榈侥壳盀橹?,體育俱樂(lè)部一直依靠門(mén)票銷售,、贊助和電視轉(zhuǎn)播權(quán)來(lái)賺取收入。
向使用人工智能的轉(zhuǎn)型正在進(jìn)行中:德意志銀行的坦普爾曼告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,,所有運(yùn)動(dòng)隊(duì)都在考慮如何使用人工智能,,唯一的區(qū)別在于他們選擇如何實(shí)施。
隨著越來(lái)越多的老牌球隊(duì)采用新技術(shù)工具的例子出現(xiàn),,其他球隊(duì)也將開(kāi)始采用類似的技術(shù)來(lái)跟上發(fā)展步伐,。
比爾說(shuō):“數(shù)據(jù)有機(jī)會(huì)助力小團(tuán)隊(duì)成為大團(tuán)隊(duì)……大團(tuán)隊(duì)開(kāi)始將其全球粉絲群貨幣化。因此,,你要么成為一個(gè)顛覆者,,讓其他人迎頭趕上……要么[你找到]一種新的低效方法來(lái)保持領(lǐng)先地位,這正是體育運(yùn)動(dòng)如此令人興奮的原因所在,?!保ㄘ?cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
英國(guó)橄欖球隊(duì)萊斯特老虎隊(duì)(Leicester Tigers)在2019年的英超聯(lián)賽中排名墊底,差一點(diǎn)就降級(jí)了,。就在那時(shí),俱樂(lè)部開(kāi)始使用人工智能來(lái)評(píng)估球員的表現(xiàn),,并模擬不同的行動(dòng)會(huì)如何影響俱樂(lè)部的獲勝概率,。
自此以后,就沒(méi)有回頭路可走了,。在倫敦體育數(shù)據(jù)公司Prospect及其子公司Oval開(kāi)發(fā)的人工智能工具的幫助下,,該隊(duì)贏得了2022年的英超聯(lián)賽,在其他13支球隊(duì)中名列榜首,。
在板球,、足球和其他體育項(xiàng)目中取得的類似成功表明,人工智能在改變我們對(duì)體育的認(rèn)知方面具有強(qiáng)大的力量,。
這項(xiàng)技術(shù)應(yīng)用廣泛,,包括幫助俱樂(lè)部物色球員、分析他們的表現(xiàn),,以及以過(guò)去被認(rèn)為過(guò)于復(fù)雜的方式制定對(duì)抗對(duì)手的戰(zhàn)術(shù),。它還為球迷和球隊(duì)之間的互動(dòng)提供了新機(jī)會(huì),迎合了人們對(duì)體育日益增長(zhǎng)的興趣,。
總部位于瓦倫西亞的咨詢公司N3XT Sports的首席信息官莫塔西姆·埃爾·巴瓦布(Motasem El Bawab)在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示:“人工智能為體育產(chǎn)業(yè)提供了新機(jī)會(huì),,使其球迷和運(yùn)動(dòng)員數(shù)據(jù)商品化,加深對(duì)客戶和利益相關(guān)者的了解,,并使其品牌對(duì)投資者更具吸引力,。”
言外之意是什么,?人工智能對(duì)球迷興趣,、球隊(duì)表現(xiàn)和體育整體競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力的影響可能會(huì)提升體育俱樂(lè)部的價(jià)值,。
據(jù)德意志銀行(Deutsche Bank)分析師稱,體育并購(gòu)和投資交易的價(jià)值在短短4年內(nèi)飆升了8倍,,達(dá)到約370億美元,。體育吸引了大筆資金,沙特阿拉伯對(duì)足球的興趣就體現(xiàn)了這一點(diǎn),。當(dāng)時(shí)沙特阿拉伯向克里斯蒂亞諾·羅納爾多(Cristiano Ronaldo)支付了數(shù)百萬(wàn)美元,,使其成為有史以來(lái)收入最高的運(yùn)動(dòng)員。有趣的是,,這個(gè)時(shí)間恰好與利率因高通脹而飆升的時(shí)間重合,,而高通脹卻導(dǎo)致其他行業(yè)的交易量下降。
該銀行上周在一份報(bào)告中表示,,人工智能是體育俱樂(lè)部取得成功的原因之一,。這也意味著,運(yùn)動(dòng)隊(duì)有責(zé)任找到最佳數(shù)據(jù)工具,,并更有效地利用它們,,以在競(jìng)爭(zhēng)中保持領(lǐng)先。
該行分析師盧克·坦普爾曼(Luke Templeman)和加林娜·波茲尼亞科娃(Galina Pozdnyakova)上周在一份報(bào)告中寫(xiě)道:“批評(píng)者認(rèn)為,,一旦每支球隊(duì)都擁有了體育統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)據(jù),,那么這將是一場(chǎng)零和游戲。我們持相反的觀點(diǎn),。我們認(rèn)為,,復(fù)雜的體育數(shù)據(jù)分析技術(shù)的普及將為少數(shù)球隊(duì)主導(dǎo)的聯(lián)賽提供公平的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)環(huán)境?!?/p>
人工智能如何助力獲得巨額收入,?
體育俱樂(lè)部的估值涉及很多方面。除了利潤(rùn)等財(cái)務(wù)指標(biāo)外,,一支球隊(duì)的層級(jí),、球員和戰(zhàn)績(jī)也很重要。
埃爾·巴瓦布表示,,有了可供球隊(duì)使用的人工智能工具,,他們就有很多機(jī)會(huì)精益求精。他舉了一個(gè)例子來(lái)說(shuō)明出色戰(zhàn)績(jī)和管理策略如何能直接增加門(mén)票銷售量和商品銷售量,。
他說(shuō):“所有這些因素都可以通過(guò)展示更大,、更可持續(xù)的盈利潛力來(lái)大幅提升體育俱樂(lè)部的估值?!?/p>
考慮到一切都依賴于這樣的預(yù)測(cè),,因此,可靠的數(shù)據(jù)是關(guān)鍵,。例如,,巴塞羅那足球俱樂(lè)部(FC Barcelona)利用過(guò)去足球比賽的錄像來(lái)判斷對(duì)手的行為模式,,并據(jù)此制定比賽計(jì)劃。英國(guó)女子板球隊(duì)與Prospect合作,,通過(guò)模擬數(shù)千種場(chǎng)景的比賽,,利用人工智能為不同的對(duì)手挑選合適的球員。
Prospect的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人詹姆斯·托澤爾(James Tozer)對(duì)《財(cái)富》雜志表示:“對(duì)于最具雄心和創(chuàng)新精神的球隊(duì)來(lái)說(shuō),,現(xiàn)在出現(xiàn)了一個(gè)令人興奮的機(jī)會(huì),,可以利用所有這些(算力和建模技術(shù)),并敢于做一些與眾不同的事情,。能夠比其他球隊(duì)更好地利用人工智能的球隊(duì)無(wú)疑將從中受益,。”
德勤(Deloitte)合伙人,、英國(guó)體育產(chǎn)業(yè)負(fù)責(zé)人馬克·利利(Mark Lillie)告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,,雖然體育組織仍在加緊增加人工智能和數(shù)據(jù)投資,但這項(xiàng)技術(shù)可能很快就會(huì)發(fā)揮重要作用,。
“隨著人工智能成為標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)優(yōu)勢(shì)工具,,擁有強(qiáng)大人工智能能力和相關(guān)優(yōu)勢(shì)的球隊(duì)可能會(huì)成為更有吸引力的投資對(duì)象,從而有可能推高估值,?!崩f(shuō),并提醒道,,即使人工智能非常強(qiáng)大,也“不會(huì)解決所有問(wèn)題”,。
對(duì)于那些對(duì)人工智能可以完成其工作持懷疑態(tài)度的體育人員,,利利說(shuō):“人類的專業(yè)知識(shí)、直覺(jué)和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力仍將是取得成功的關(guān)鍵,?!?/p>
對(duì)體育迷產(chǎn)生更大影響
無(wú)論哪種體育運(yùn)動(dòng),球迷都是行業(yè)的命脈,。他們的興趣有助于推動(dòng)不同俱樂(lè)部和聯(lián)賽的普及,,讓大批支持者涌現(xiàn)體育場(chǎng),并激勵(lì)球員,。
Sentient Sports的首席執(zhí)行官瑞恩·比爾(Ryan Beal)在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪時(shí)表示,,盡管球迷一直以來(lái)都是體育運(yùn)動(dòng)的核心,但仍然缺乏參與度,。
他說(shuō):“在一個(gè)賽季中,,比賽日會(huì)掀起一波熱潮,賽前幾天直到比賽日,,球迷熱情逐漸高漲,,而賽后,,這種熱潮又會(huì)消失?!碑?dāng)興趣減弱時(shí),,球隊(duì)就會(huì)失去球迷的參與。這就提供了一個(gè)巨大的盈利機(jī)會(huì),,而人工智能有助于實(shí)現(xiàn)這一目標(biāo),。
這可以是基于球迷喜好的新內(nèi)容形式,這樣每個(gè)人都能以個(gè)性化的方式與自己首選的球隊(duì)互動(dòng),。人工智能工具還可以幫助曼聯(lián)這樣的球隊(duì)用母語(yǔ)與全球球迷群互動(dòng),。比爾表示,曼聯(lián)的收入在2023年創(chuàng)下了6.484億英鎊(約合8.05億美元)的歷史新高,,但如果利用人工智能,,這一數(shù)字還有可能翻一番。
有助于擴(kuò)大球迷群的數(shù)字體驗(yàn)可以為體育俱樂(lè)部開(kāi)辟全新的收入來(lái)源,,因?yàn)榈侥壳盀橹?,體育俱樂(lè)部一直依靠門(mén)票銷售、贊助和電視轉(zhuǎn)播權(quán)來(lái)賺取收入,。
向使用人工智能的轉(zhuǎn)型正在進(jìn)行中:德意志銀行的坦普爾曼告訴《財(cái)富》雜志,,所有運(yùn)動(dòng)隊(duì)都在考慮如何使用人工智能,唯一的區(qū)別在于他們選擇如何實(shí)施,。
隨著越來(lái)越多的老牌球隊(duì)采用新技術(shù)工具的例子出現(xiàn),,其他球隊(duì)也將開(kāi)始采用類似的技術(shù)來(lái)跟上發(fā)展步伐。
比爾說(shuō):“數(shù)據(jù)有機(jī)會(huì)助力小團(tuán)隊(duì)成為大團(tuán)隊(duì)……大團(tuán)隊(duì)開(kāi)始將其全球粉絲群貨幣化,。因此,,你要么成為一個(gè)顛覆者,讓其他人迎頭趕上……要么[你找到]一種新的低效方法來(lái)保持領(lǐng)先地位,,這正是體育運(yùn)動(dòng)如此令人興奮的原因所在,。”(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:中慧言-王芳
Leicester Tigers, an English rugby team, finished at the bottom of the sport’s Premiership in 2019, just about missing relegation. That’s when the club turned to AI to rate player performance and model how different actions would impact the club’s win probability.
There’s been no turning back since. The team won the 2022 Premiership, topping the table among 13 other teams, thanks to AI tools crafted by London-based sports data company, Prospect and its subsidiary, Oval.
Similar successes in cricket, soccer, and other sports point to the power of AI in shaking up sports as we know them.
The tech has numerous applications, including helping clubs scout for players, analyze their performance, and plan tactics against opponents in ways that were previously considered too complex. It also opens up new opportunities for fans and teams to engage with one another, catering to the ever-growing interest in sports.
“AI is providing new opportunities for sports properties to commodify its fan and athlete data, deepening its understanding of its customers and stakeholders, and making their brand more appealing to investors,” Motasem El Bawab, the chief information officer at the Valencia-based consultancy N3XT Sports, told Fortune.
The implication? AI’s influence on fan interest, team performance and overall competitiveness in sports could drive up how much sports clubs are worth.
According to Deutsche Bank analysts, sports mergers, acquisitions, and investment deals have soared in value by eightfold to about $37 billion in just four years. Sports have attracted big money, as seen with Saudi Arabia’s interest in soccer when it paid Cristiano Ronaldo millions of dollars, making him the highest-paid athlete ever. Interestingly, the timing neatly overlaps with when interest rates skyrocketed in response to high inflation, which drove down deal-making across other industries.
AI is among the reasons sports clubs have emerged victorious, the bank said in a note last week. That also means the onus is on sports teams to find the best data tools and use them more efficiently to stay ahead of the competition.
“The detractors argue that sports statistics will be a zero-sum game once every team has them. We believe the opposite,” the bank’s analysts Luke Templeman and Galina Pozdnyakova wrote in a note last week. “We argue that the proliferation of sophisticated sports data analysis will level the playing field in leagues that are dominated by a small number of teams.”
How does AI help make the big bucks?
A lot goes into valuing sports clubs. Apart from financial metrics like profits, a team’s tier, who plays for it, and its track record matter, too.
With AI tools at teams’ disposal, there are numerous opportunities to do what they’re doing, better, El Bawab said. He gave the example of how better performance and management strategies can directly increase ticket sales and merchandise sales.
“All of these factors can significantly raise a sports club’s valuation by demonstrating potential for higher, more sustainable earnings,” he said.
Given all that’s riding on such predictions, robust data is key. FC Barcelona, for instance, uses footage from past soccer matches to gauge the opponents’ behavior patterns and devise game plans accordingly. The English women’s cricket team works with Prospect to use AI to pick the right players for different opponents by simulating mock matches under thousands of scenarios.
“For the most ambitious and innovative teams, there is an exciting opportunity now to exploit all of that [computing power and modeling tech] and dare to do things a bit differently,” James Tozer, Prospect’s cofounder, told Fortune. “Teams that are able to utilize AI better than others will benefit undoubtedly.”
Mark Lillie, a partner at Deloitte and U.K. sports industry lead, told Fortune that while sports organizations are still gearing up to increase AI and data investments, the tech will likely play a significant role soon enough.
“As AI becomes a standard tool for competitive advantage, teams with strong AI capabilities and associated benefits, may become more attractive investments, potentially driving up valuations,” Lillie said, cautioning that the AI “won’t solve every problem” even if it’s very powerful.
For sports personnel who are skeptical about AI doing their work, Lillie says that “human expertise, intuition, and leadership will still be crucial for success.”
Leinster fans are seen reacting as Leicester Tigers score in a match from Apr. 2024.
SEB DALY—SPORTSFILE/GETTY IMAGES
Creating more impact with sports fans
No matter the sport, fans are the lifeblood of the industry. Their interest helps drive the popularity of different clubs and leagues, bringing legions of supporters to stadiums and motivating players.
Even though fans have long been core to sports, there’s still a lack of engagement, Sentient Sports’s CEO Ryan Beal told Fortune.
“You get a wave in a season where the match day happens and a few days before the match this all builds up to the game and then, post-match, this sort of drops off again,” he said. When interest wanes, teams lose their fans’ engagement, which presents a huge opportunity to monetize that AI can help fulfill.
This can be in the form of new content based on fans’ preferences so each person interacts with their team of choice in a personalized way. AI tools can also help teams like Manchester United interact with a global fan base in their native languages. Manchester United’s revenue hit a record high of £648.4 million ($805 million) in 2023, but there’s scope for that number to nearly double if it capitalizes on AI, Beal said.
Digital experiences that help grow the fan base could open up a whole new revenue stream for sports clubs, which so far have relied on ticket sales, sponsorships and TV rights to make money.
The shift towards using AI is well underway—Deutsche Bank’s Templeman told Fortune that all sports teams are deliberating on how to use AI, with the only difference being how they choose to implement it.
As more instances of well-established teams deferring to new tech tools emerge, others will also begin adopting similar capabilities to keep up.
“There’s an opportunity for data to help smaller teams become big teams … [and] big teams to start monetizing their global fan bases,” Beal said. “So you either become a disrupter and everybody else catches up… or [you find] a new inefficiency to take hold of to stay ahead of the game, which is what makes sports so exciting.”