Artificial intelligence applied to sport, a collaboration destined to consolidate

Artificial intelligence has also entered the world of sports , and its presence in this field is destined to grow further. This is confirmed by research conducted by Espresso Communication on behalf of Vero Volley : the global market for AI applied to sports, which had nearly reached 9 billion euros in revenue in 2024 , will exceed 10 billion by the end of 2025. These numbers are destined to rise, as confirmed by a survey by Precedence Research according to which revenues will exceed 60 billion in the next 9 years, with a growth of +500%.

North America leads the sector, with a 35% market share, largely due to technology-focused sports leagues such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Europe follows, accounting for 24% of the market and having successfully embraced artificial intelligence in recent years, both through innovations introduced in the major soccer leagues and through collaborative efforts with universities and research centers. Asia takes the bronze medal (22%), primarily due to investments from China, Japan, and South Korea.

"Virtually all the most popular sports in the world see AI as an ally capable of improving their present and future," comments Gianpaolo Martire, marketing manager at Vero Volley . According to a survey conducted by the Vero Volley Consortium, in 29% of cases, artificial intelligence has been used to develop specific training programs. One example, starting with football, is Liverpool, which is using technological platforms to study set-piece tactics. Or the NBA, which is aiming to exploit the possibilities offered by AI to prevent the age-old problem of frequent injuries. A similar argument can be made for volleyball, with the all-Italian collaboration between Vero Volley and K-Sport aimed at monitoring, through AI sensors, player parameters and performance during training, to minimize injuries due to overload.

"Artificial intelligence is a huge opportunity," continues Giampaolo Martire , "and we use it internally in many applications, from content generation for social media, video, and graphics, to logistics-related applications for optimizing first-team travel during the season, and even fan engagement applications for both virtual advertising and augmented reality. There are also many operational tools that significantly simplify repetitive work, from automatic photo tagging to better manage content archives to editing and adapting game videos in terms of format, tone of voice, and text depending on the type of social media the content is aimed at. Last, but perhaps most importantly, along with training, injury prevention, and load management, is the sales area," he concludes.

Then there's tennis , with the upcoming Wimbledon tournament featuring an interactive AI assistant designed to provide statistics and answer fans' questions in real time during matches. Finally, hockey, with the San Jose Sharks, a team playing in the NHL, intending to leverage the potential of artificial intelligence to analyze game plans and tactics.

"AI is a cradle of opportunity," explains Francesco Elmi, an artificial intelligence expert with experience in the sports world . "The only thing that can separate us or distance us from it is the courage to dare, because the potential it offers is truly innumerable. First and foremost, in terms of sports medicine. Indeed, next-generation avatars and virtual assistants can speed up analysis processes, literally scanning athletes. In this way, in support of real-life doctors and healthcare professionals, we can, indeed, identify potential problems early and safeguard the well-being and lives of athletes. But that's not all, because AI also acts as an inclusive bridge, providing comprehensive support, for example, to deaf children who want to challenge themselves and explore a new discipline."