IBM and German football club Bayer 04 Leverkusen have launched a new artificial-intelligence platform designed to automate and accelerate the analysis of match and training footage. The solution, developed jointly and operated entirely on the IBM Cloud, aims to reduce manual video review and give coaches and analysts more time to focus on performance strategy.
According to IBM, the platform combines multiple components of its watsonx portfolio, including watsonx.ai Studio for building tailored AI models and watsonx.ai Runtime for integrating those models into existing workflows. Large volumes of video content are stored in IBM Cloud Object Storage, while compute-intensive tasks run through IBM Cloud Serverless Computing to allow flexible scaling. The companies say the approach shortens previously lengthy review cycles. As the press release notes, the system “creates more time for targeted, professional work with teams.”
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Hardy Groeger, Distinguished Engineer and Director Data Software Technical Sales & Client Success IBM DACH, said the cooperation reflects how AI can reshape operations in professional sports. “The platform provides reliable, explainable insights that promote a data-driven future for professional football while making the club’s processes more efficient,” he said.
The platform supports intelligent pattern recognition to detect events automatically during a match, and it can be expanded to include future technologies and API integrations. The companies said the result is a more flexible and scalable tool capable of supporting multiple teams and evolving alongside the club’s analytical needs. The platform also aims to improve the day-to-day experience for coaches and planners by standardizing and modernizing workflows.
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Moritz Laux, Team Lead Sports Technologies at Bayer 04 Leverkusen, said the initiative builds on the club’s strategy of using digital tools to enhance performance. “With IBM’s technologies, we are expanding our analytical capabilities,” he said, calling the project “a milestone for us on the path to a future-oriented and data-driven digitalization of important processes.” IBM and Bayer 04 Leverkusen said the cooperation demonstrates how technological innovation can strengthen efficiency, improve workflows and deepen collaboration across professional football organizations.
Source: PR Newswire