Artificial intelligence (AI) has been taking the world by storm. Whether it’s ChatGPT or other solutions powered by machine learning, the concept is gaining traction in sports-video production as an important tool for smaller collegiate programs or for broadcasts of Olympic sports. The St. Louis Sting, a Tier 2 amateur hockey club, selected the STAIDIUM platform to create a live-streaming environment based completely on AI.
“STAIDIUM meets multiple needs for our club,” says St. Louis Sting Hockey Club GM Dennis Coon. “It not only allows fans to follow our teams and watch our games but also allows us to sell advertising and sponsorship for our broadcast on a per-team basis, as well as enables video replay and analytics to better develop our players.”
STAIDIUM’s camera leverages machine learning for AI-powered live streams for fans to watch.
Before STAIDIUM was implemented, fans weren’t able to watch the club’s games from home. Coon and his fellow executives sought ways to help fans outside of the venue feel connected to the team but without spending money on an extremely expensive broadcast infrastructure. Developed by SPORTTOTAL, a Germany-based TV and live-streaming company, STAIDIUM has been used to produce more than 25,000 football matches per year in that country. The company aims to capitalize on that momentum and expand its clientele.
“We bring the full package and are totally motivated,” says SPORTTOTAL CEO Peter Lauterbach. “And we have good-quality technology that users can rely on.”
Via a partnership with Dallas-based Global Sports Platforms (GSP) and managed by GSP Managing Director David Cochran and Chief Development Officer Kevin McLaughlin, the St. Louis Sting is the platform’s first U.S. customer. Installation required minimal effort, and the technology was set up without a large amount of disruption.
From the club’s perspective, there are additional bonuses in deploying the platform. For an amateur club, cost-consciousness is essential, and combining that aspect with STAIDIUM’s video-review capability can help improve play on the ice.
“With the cost of ice increasing every season,” Coon explains, “this will be a very cost-effective tool to better train our players and enhance the ability of our coaches. Using more video and analytics will make our coaches even better at their job to develop our players and win games. Better development should help push our players to the next level and eventually deliver college and professional players.”
Once the training center for the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, Sting Center hosts St Louis Sting home games.
STAIDIUM also plays a vital short-term role for the Sting: full customer onboarding, connectivity and troubleshooting, and camera monitoring. In the long run, the live-streaming solution can increase the club’s visibility.
“This is a complete game-changer for our club,” says Coon. “We will be able to offer a great viewing experience for our fans, and we see this project attracting more players that want to play for our club.”
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