Smart technology in football: five practical considerations for football clubs
6th September 2022
Smart technology is becoming increasingly utilised by football clubs up and down the footballing pyramid. More and more football clubs are contracting with companies specialising in smart technology to improve physical performance and to avoid injuries. Additionally, some football clubs have started to offer products embedded with smart technology to fans, for example: certain fans of Manchester City and New York City FC are in the unique position of being able to own the Connected Scarf.
Smart technology to improve physical performance
Wearable smart technology is used by football clubs in training and in matches to collect data to be analysed. In collaboration with STATSports, Arsenal measures a total of 250 metrics, such as acceleration, deceleration, average heart rate, distance per minute, high-speed running, high-intensity distance and max speed. This data aids optimum physical performance from every player in the squad. This data also provides information that can be used to understand what a player’s strengths and weaknesses are, where they can improve and also, crucially, how fatigued they are.
Smart technology to avoid injuries
Football clubs throughout the Premier League engage and partner with companies such as Orreco, Smartabase by Fusion and Zone7. Their algorithms can detect players who are reaching their limit and becoming close to an injury. Analysis obtained from Zone7’s work for Liverpool and QPR shows that, during the 2021/22 season, Liverpool saw a 33% reduction in days lost due to injuries in comparison to the previous season, while QPR saw an 18% reduction.
The Connected Scarf
In partnership with Cisco, Manchester City and New York City FC are offering their fans a smart scarf that contains an EmotiBit bio sensor. This sensor is used to measure how fans are feeling physically and emotionally throughout a game. Its placement on the neck allows the sensor to obtain certain bio signals from the fan. These signals include heart rate and body temperature. Understanding the emotion responses of their fans on a deeper level will allow clubs to better connect with their fan base.
Smart technology and practical considerations for football clubs
In the Walker Morris Sport Team, we expect football clubs to press ahead with their adoption of these smart technologies. Sport Technology lawyer Luke Jackson sets out his top five tips for customers when contracting for AI tools:
- Be mindful of the data you are feeding smart technology – the effectiveness of any smart technology has a direct correlation to the data inputted to it. It is critical that football clubs using these technologies understand the full scope of the data that will be analysed and consider whether they are comfortable with that. Expect suppliers to push to collect as much data as possible from you; counter by limiting them to only what is absolutely necessary. Where this data includes individuals’ personal data, be mindful of data protection law and, where appropriate, ensure that the requisite consents are obtained.
- Know that your data will be used to improve the smart technology – users of the technology should also consider what happens to their data after it has been made available. Generally speaking, these technologies are continually learning and so it is foreseeable that a competitor may look to use the same technology and therefore could be directly benefitting from the data that you have relinquished, at least in theory. Users need to understand the impact of IP clauses in their contracts. If you are particularly keen to ensure a competitive edge, look to negotiate a period of exclusivity in which the smart technology cannot be used by a competitor.
- Retain control over marketing communications – supplying their product into a high-profile football club is often something an IT supplier – particularly a small-scale start-up – is keen to shout about, so their standard terms will often include a right to announce the partnership and/or list the club as a customer on their website. Clubs keen to retain control over their reputation and brand should think twice before agreeing to these clauses and give proper consideration to the scope and value of the rights being conferred.
- Impact on future commercial partnerships – technology start-ups boasting an innovative product are often prime targets for acquisition by the market leaders. So, clubs holding sponsorship deals with IT companies should be alive to the risk that a new software supplier could one day sit within the wider group of a competitor to a club sponsor. A right to terminate for change of control, or other rights to exit the contract quickly, can help to mitigate the risk of potentially being in breach of a lucrative sponsorship arrangement in the future.
- Know that the law will change – there is a likelihood that regulation may arrive in the short to medium term. On the horizon, the UK government is likely to provide and enhance regulation concerning artificial intelligence, data protection, and crypto-assets. The impact of this regulation is unknown, and it shouldn’t be something of immediate concern, but an awareness now that a change in measures may arrive will put you in a better position later down the line.
For specific advice on the agreements you have in place, or new agreements you are looking to make, please contact Luke Jackson or any other member of the Sport team.
