Sports Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Transforming Zimbabwean Sports, Impacting Schools and Professionals Alike
In Zimbabwe, a new era in high school sports is unfolding, thanks to Sports AI, an AI-powered camera system company. The company has set up shop in the country and is now livestreaming and recording matches of the Zimbabwean Premier Soccer League (ZPSL) [1]. But it's not just the professional leagues that are benefiting from this technology. Sports AI has extended its services to schools, transforming school fields into mini SuperSport studios without the need for a broadcasting truck [2].
The Pixellot system used by Sports AI in Zimbabwe automatically films games, pans, zooms, and tracks the action without a human operator [3]. This technology has significantly increased the visibility of Zimbabwean high school football players, enabling matches to be broadcast live and recorded online for wider audiences beyond the immediate local spectators [1].
This increased visibility is crucial as it means that players' performances are now preserved digitally and accessible by scouts, agents, and coaches who might not have been able to attend matches in person due to geographic or resource constraints [1]. This opens up opportunities for talented Zimbabwean youths to be discovered and recruited into bigger leagues domestically and internationally [4].
The Pixellot system also generates instant replays and highlights, providing a platform for players to create highlight reels of their best moments for scholarship applications, trials, or simply as proof of their accomplishments [5]. Over 50,000 hours of sport have been streamed through SuperSport Schools, with nearly 48,000 hours being live streams [6].
Moreover, this AI-powered broadcasting is not limited to football. It also provides exposure for other sports such as rugby, hockey, and netball in Zimbabwe and South Africa, indicating a growing platform for athletic talent development generally in the region [3][5].
The service provided by Sports AI is affordable, with subscriptions costing $10 per term (four months), making it accessible for most schools [7]. The company is the exclusive distributor and operator of Pixellot's automated sports production system in Africa [8].
The potential impact of this technology is immense. It could help Zimbabwean school sports attract larger crowds and more attention, providing opportunities for talented athletes to be seen by a wider audience [9]. With the ability to draw more viewers than certain professional sports broadcasts [10], the Pixellot system used by Sports AI in Zimbabwe could potentially help Zimbabwean school sports provide opportunities for talented athletes to be seen by a wider audience, potentially leading to their discovery by scouts and coaches worldwide.
References:
- https://www.techzim.co.zw/2021/05/sports-ai-to-broadcast-zimbabwean-premier-soccer-league-games/
- https://www.techzim.co.zw/2021/05/sports-ai-to-provide-live-streaming-for-zimbabwean-school-sports/
- https://www.techzim.co.zw/2021/05/sports-ai-to-provide-live-streaming-for-zimbabwean-school-sports/
- https://www.techzim.co.zw/2021/05/sports-ai-to-provide-live-streaming-for-zimbabwean-school-sports/
- https://www.techzim.co.zw/2021/05/sports-ai-to-provide-live-streaming-for-zimbabwean-school-sports/
- https://www.techzim.co.zw/2021/05/sports-ai-to-provide-live-streaming-for-zimbabwean-school-sports/
- https://www.techzim.co.zw/2021/05/sports-ai-to-provide-live-streaming-for-zimbabwean-school-sports/
- https://www.pixellot.tv/blog/sports-ai-partners-with-pixellot-to-bring-automated-sports-production-to-africa/
- https://www.techzim.co.zw/2021/05/sports-ai-to-provide-live-streaming-for-zimbabwean-school-sports/
- https://www.techzim.co.zw/2021/05/sports-ai-to-provide-live-streaming-for-zimbabwean-school-sports/
The technology provided by Sports AI is revolutionizing Zimbabwean high school sports, enabling the livestreaming and recording of matches, including football, that previously could not be seen beyond the immediate local audience. This increased visibility is transforming the opportunities for talented young athletes, not just in football, but also in other sports like rugby, hockey, and netball, as they can now be discovered by scouts and coaches worldwide.
