First day of the “SportsInnovation 2018”: focus on “match analysis”

08.05.2018 – “Match analysis” was the main topic on the first day of “SportsInnovation 2018”. The opening and a keynote speech by DFL CEO Christian Seifert were followed by three innovation matches that are the unique feature of this event, held at the Düsseldorf ESPRIT arena for the first time. In the context of these matches, 47 exhibitors from 11 countries presented their new and pioneering developments in luxury boxes and corporate areas. Specific technologies were also showcased in separate programmes on the central stage in the stadium. “SportsInnovation 2018” is organised by Messe Düsseldorf in partnership with the DFL.

Features of the first innovation match, played between the U17 teams of Fortuna Düsseldorf and Bayer 04 Leverkusen, included production in the state-of-the-art UHD HDR standard by the DFL subsidiary Sportcast as well as the use of different, mainly new tracking systems for gathering match data, primarily implemented by the DFL subsidiary Sportec Solutions. In addition, a new referee radio system developed in cooperation with the DFL was used for the first time. On the basis of the gathered match data, visitors also had the chance, for instance, to see a visualization of the actual match i an e-sports look through virtual-reality glasses.

These are just a few examples of the new services and products that were presented on the first day of “SportsInnovation”. They were discussed at events such as a discussion round entitled “Future data use in the media and the sports industry”, with participants including Klaus Filbry, CEO of SV Werder Bremen and member of the DFL Board, Jan Henkel, sports presenter at Eurosport, Stefan Reinartz, former German international and CEO of Impect, and Steffen Simon, Head of Sports at Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR).