Machine Learning, AI, VR and Next Gen TV driving sports entertainment revolution

Milan, 16th July 2020 – Fincons Group, an international system integration consultancy with offices in Italy, Switzerland, the UK, France, the U.S. and Germany, has released a new whitepaper analysing the revolutionary role of Machine Learning, VR, Gamification, AI and Next Gen TV technologies in driving the sports entertainment revolution. A link to the full “Next Gen technologies now at bat: Machine Learning, AI and Next Gen TV Technologies drive the sports entertainment experience revolution” whitepaper is available here: https://bit.ly/3etWIiE The Covid-19 pandemic has thrust the digitalisation of the sports sector firmly into the spotlight. Although emerging technologies had been ushering in a new age of personalisation and interactivity through gamification and eSports for some time, the fact that players are now competing in empty stadiums is accelerating the need to reinterpret the entire sports experience. Machine Learning and AI, in combination with Next Gen TV convergence-based new interactive TV standards, such as HbbTV in Europe and ATSC 3.0 in the US, are reinventing the way sports content owners understand and leverage data. The opportunities for targeted, even personalised, advertising and monetization now within reach are unparalleled: sports content owners can have access to near-real-time data analysis and prediction capabilities that deliver an in depth understanding of sporting action, but are also able to analyse their audience preference and behaviour  in greater detail than ever before. The whitepaper “Next Gen technologies now at bat: Machine Learning, AI and Next Gen TV Technologies drive the sports entertainment experience revolution” analyses the enabling technologies being trialled and deployed by leading sports entertainment players and their future potential to achieving competitive advantage. The whitepaper focuses on four main areas of emerging technology:
  • Data Analytics
  • Gamification
  • Smart Watching
  • Targeted Advertising and Ecommerce
It is critical for this forward thinking industry to remain constantly poised towards the future by harnessing these new technologies and introducing an expanded Sport Supply Chain with production-ready software frameworks to accelerate transformation ahead of competitors. Oliver Botti, Head of International Business Development and Innovation of Fincons Group, comments: “Fincons has played a critical role in the development of Next Gen TV standards both in Europe and the US enabling us to experience first-hand the disruptive potential that emerging technologies can have on all types of entertainment. The sports market has always been highly competitive and open to exploring secondary avenues for revenue and engaging with fans but current social distancing measures have made this the ideal playing field for these scenarios to accelerate.” Greg Jarvis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Fincons.US, adds: “We’re excited to be working with key industry players in sports and entertainment helping them evolve their engagement models to meet a more convergent future. Never before has the role of innovation been so critical to the evolution of the sports market, so we hope this whitepaper helps form an understanding of the state of the art and drive decision making.”  About Fincons Group With over 1700 employees worldwide and 37 years of experience, Fincons is an award-winning IT business consultancy, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, digital, technology and operations to a diverse range of industries. In the Media sector, the Group has long term and successful relationships with Tier-1 clients, providing solutions and ICT services covering the entire Digital Supply Chain, from Rights Management, Programming and Scheduling, to Advertising Sales and Omnichannel Video Delivery. Fincons has offices in the UK (London), Italy (Milan, Rome, Bari, Verona, Catania), Switzerland (Lugano, Bern, Zurich, Küssnacht am Rigi), Germany (Munich), France (Paris) and in the US (New York, Los Angeles). For more information, visit www.finconsgroup.com