Artificial Intelligence (AI) has taken the whole world by storm.

It has been a game-changer across several sectors, and the sports industry has been no exception.

From player statistics, post-match analysis, training techniques, and forecasting to ticketing systems and fan experience, AI has been impacting different spheres to make the game more engaging and enjoyable.

AI is basically a machine’s ability to perform cognitive functions associated with human minds. Its specific applications include natural language processing, speech recognition, machine vision, and expert systems.

The rise of technology use in the sports industry has already been evolving considerably, and with AI, it is growing even faster. This new technology is transforming the way we consume sports as well as analyze it, increasing the level of strategic gaming and audience engagement.

Recent studies show that the global artificial intelligence sports market is forecasted to reach $19.9 billion by the end of this decade, up from under $2 bln in 2021.

Given the positive and significant impact and precision of this technology, AI in sports is expected to flourish immensely in the future. So, today, we’ll discuss how this technology can transform college sports. Let’s get started, then!

Player Performance

The most crucial part of any game is a player's performance, and with AI, the minutest details can be measured. Previously impossible to gather manually, AI is transforming the world of sports by providing detailed insights and analytics.

Computer Vision is used for human motion sensing and tracking using video sequences that help bring motion tracking and detection, color tracking, and color and template combination tracking. Moreover, smart gear equipped with AI capabilities allows for better form, technique, and performance tracking, enabling athletes to improve faster.

AI monitors the movements of college athletes and tracks their progress over time. And by identifying subtle patterns in data, it provides valuable feedback in real-time on areas that need improvement. This way, the advanced technology not only improves athlete performance but can also assist them in planning their careers by analyzing their performance trajectories as well as suggesting pathways for development.

This goes beyond an individual player, though, as AI technology can help in team performance too. All these high-end sporting cameras are being used to track the team’s performance level and strategy. This provides intricate details which coaches can use to work on their respective strengths and weaknesses. Insights from visuals and data can further be used to map strategies and game plans to make informed decisions and get the best out of teams.

The new technology can help not only improve a player’s performance but also analyze any impending injuries and boost health. Sensors and wearable tech, in particular, are making things a lot easier as data from these electronic devices can be utilized to detect any strain and tear levels. This, in turn, can help avoid serious injuries and take timely medications to support full recovery, as well as keep the team shape strong and maximize their strength.

Medical Assistance

AI’s advancement in the medical field can be of great use to the sports industry. From image analysis to pattern recognition and early detection, it has a lot to offer to college sports.

Interestingly, a recent study involving student-athletes found that an AI can successfully detect structural changes in the brain due to recurrent head injuries. With such alterations previously undetected by conventional medical imaging methods like computerized tomography (CT) scans, this groundbreaking technology could aid in developing new diagnostic tools to better understand subtle brain injuries accumulating over time.

The potential risks of concussion among young athletes, particularly those who play high-contact sports such as football, soccer, and hockey, are pretty well-known, showing that repeated head impacts add up over the years to lead to cognitive loss. However, the vast amounts of data produced by MRI are difficult to navigate.

Now, for the first time, an AI computer program adept at processing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is helping uncover meaningful differences between the brains of those student-athletes who compete in contact sports versus those who play noncontact sports. Beyond spotting potential damage, AI may also help better understand the underlying mechanisms behind brain injury.

“Our results highlight the power of artificial intelligence to help us see things that we could not see before, particularly ‘invisible injuries’ that do not show up on conventional MRI scans,” said study lead author Junbo Chen, MS, a doctoral candidate at NYU Tandon School of Engineering.

AI can also help college athletes make personalized nutrition diets based on their needs, schedule, and performance goals. But this is not all. AI-powered chatbots can further provide mental health support while tailored recovery plans can be made for injured players.

Making Predictions

AI, along with deep learning and computer vision, has been found to be predicting the formation of the offensive team with a high degree of accuracy. The automated analysis by AI is not only beneficial for both coaches and players in understanding how their own and other teams play to improve overall performance but also for the betting industry as a strategy analysis system.

The sports betting industry is massive at $76.75 billion. But while previously, it was solely based on assumptions, it now relies on AI-based predictions to win. What used to take months to parse through enormous data can now be done in a fraction of the time through AI.

After all, the machine can process data 125,000 times faster than a human neuron. Emerging as a boon for the betting industry, while AI can’t make accurate predictions either, it is certainly much faster and way closer to the algorithms than humans.

“Analyzing and annotating sports footage manually can be tedious and time-consuming, so automating this process has great potential in reducing human error, saving time, and decreasing costs,” said Professor Dah-Jye Lee, the director of the Robotic Vision Laboratory in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Brigham Young University (BYU).

Fan Engagement

Blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and Web3 have already been enhancing fan interaction and engagement in sports. Now, AI can further boost this through more personalized stadium apps and phones. An added benefit of this for sponsors, brands, teams, and companies is an increase in revenue generation opportunities.

One of the ways AI can be used in this sphere is in ticketing management. By making use of facial recognition-enabled AI systems, fans with tickets can be scanned instead of checking their tickets, preventing bottlenecks at the stadium entry gates and ensuring a more efficient entry process. Besides modeling demand for event attendance and stadium traffic flow optimization, it can also be used for ticket pricing optimization based on team performance and fan demand.

With fans seeking more personalized viewing habits, AI makes it possible to cater to specific time and content preferences. Using AI, sports companies can tailor websites and content to their fans, creating a more personalized experience that makes them feel valuable and connected to their teams.

Moreover, fans want to dive in deep when watching sports and chat with friends, family, and other fans about their favorite teams. AI can play a major role in capturing and predicting those moments as well as serving insights at scale at the right time.

Predictive and cognitive analytics is further used to forecast attendance demographics and timing schedules, making it easy and efficient to keep up with the demand. Lubs, teams, and sponsors can utilize chatbots to provide fans with instant answers and help them with merchandise sales, ticket purchases, and other related services.

AI can also facilitate the creation of in-game engagement elements and online fan communities, along with managing fan loyalty programs. On top of this, the tech can be helped to provide virtual and augmented reality experiences that allow fans to immerse themselves in the game. By providing fans with a unique and engaging experience, college athletes, teams, and companies can build stronger relationships with their fans in a way that was previously impossible.

Scouting and Recruitment

With all the additional data and insights available in a more refined manner, AI can help identify promising talents and potential recruits, dramatically changing the scouting and recruitment process.

Tools like wearable devices that track an athlete’s movements and video analysis software that provides insights into performance are transforming the way coaches evaluate talent. Moreover, data-driven scouting has become increasingly popular with algorithms and machine learning used to identify patterns and trends that might go unnoticed by human analysts.

Scouts can now analyze the player’s detailed performance collected during the training sessions via sensors and high-end sporting cameras. Stats can then be used to derive data-driven insights to make informed decisions as to who to draft, sign, and offer contracts to.

From talent identification, player profiling, and performance analytics to injury risk assessment, sentiment analysis, opposition analysis, comparative analysis, and performance prediction models, AI can help not only improve recruitment choices but also give colleges strong and healthy teams to achieve success.

Coaching

One of the areas where AI is really shining in college sports is coaching, training regimes, and team selection. Advanced algorithms and data analytics help coaches get access to a volume of information that can help them make informed decisions that can lead to better performance and, ultimately, success.

From analyzing player performance to team formations, tactical planning, and training schedules, AI can help coaches with all that and more. Coaches can further make use of this technology to analyze opponents and find weaknesses to make more effective game plans. More importantly, AI keeps on updating with real-time information that can be used for performance refinement.

In addition, AI provides instant feedback that allows players to make immediate adjustments. Other ways AI can transform college sports are through practice optimization, virtual reality training, mental performance coaching, and match stimulation.

Besides coaching, AI technology is also being used in referee systems where referees can now refer to real-time decisions, making the entire decision-making process insight-driven. Not to mention, the use of AI in reviewing close calls eliminates human bias and error, providing teams with more accurate information.

Sports Journalism

AI not only directly transforms the sports industry but indirectly by changing sports journalism. AI-driven platforms can make sports journalism a little easier by performing the journal score hearing based on automated insights.

Automated journalism expands media coverage and can provide interactive and visually engaging graphics as well as predictive insights. It also provides journalists with advanced insights to support in-depth reporting, identify trends to suggest story ideas and assist with fact-checking.

But this is not all, AI can provide insights into fan sentiments by monitoring audiences’ emotions during matches and analyzing social media conversations. Additionally, AI can be used to identify opportunities and recommend more personalized news and ads based on demographics.

Concluding Thoughts

As we saw, artificial intelligence has immense benefits for college sports, ranging from faster analyses, improvements, accuracy, efficiency, and automation. However, this technology is not without its challenges in the form of privacy and data leakages, cybersecurity concerns, third-party dependencies, and a lack of resilience. Not to mention, its usage in the sports industry is still in the early stages, with the technology itself growing at a rapid pace.

Despite all this, the future of college sports, without a doubt, lies with AI technology. The thing is, AI doesn't remove the human element or alter any outcomes but rather assists in making informed and effective decisions. AI-enabled systems are already having a big impact on sports, helping all the involved parties, from players, teams, and coaches to fans, sponsors, and colleges.

With each passing year, the influence of AI can be seen in more and more aspects of college sports. This creates lucrative opportunities for innovation and success in the sports industry. As technology advances, AI-based technology is likely to become even more immersed in the world of sports in the coming years.

The Transformational Potential: AI in College Sports