ESPN and MLS Debut Player Tracking Technology

Major League Soccer, in conjunction with ESPN and ChryonHego, debuted a new player tracker graphics package in yesterday’s MLS championship game between the New England Revolution and the Los Angeles Galaxy. The tracker shows the player’s club, number and highlights them with a gold colored circle during important moments of the game.

In the first half of play, the Galaxy won a corner kick. The system highlighted Omar Gonzalez leading up to the set piece, as the central defender is listed at an imposing 6’ 5” and an ideal target for headers.

While the system was use sparsely during its unveiling game, it manages to hold plenty of intrigue and possibility. The realm of soccer statistics hasn’t yet matched the level of baseball analytics, though there is no shortage of reading material to study the topic. Last year MLS signed a deal with Match Analysis to utilize their system of data collection and video to present things perhaps unseen by the naked eye. Among Match Analysis’ list of current or previous clients is the national teams for the United States, Mexico, Canada as well as 2014 World Cup winners Germany. While the Germans team used a different system en route to their win in Brazil, a system called Match Insights, there seems to be no shortage of demand for soccer analytics, as well as a way to bring them to the viewer at home.

Much like any proprietary system, the analytical side of the beautiful game may be kept close to the vest by the clubs and teams who pay for it. If MLS’ new system can highlight players — or even set pieces, attacks and counter-attacks — by using data collected, all the better for the game. A different option would be for the system to display offsides while the commentators simultaneously explain to potentially novice viewers what an offside consists of , thus avoiding any embarrassing Ted Lasso-esque situations. From the now standard and expected yellow first down line in football to the digital strike zone in baseball, technology has rooted its way into sports broadcasts. MLS is attempting to bring that same level of integration to their product.

(Image via Wikipedia)