Amazon using machine learning for real-time Bundesliga stats

With the coronavirus pandemic bringing to a halt nearly all forms of sport around the globe, the return of Germany’s top flight of professional football, the Bundesliga, was welcomed by fans worldwide.

The rub, of course, is that the games must be carried out in empty stadiums, with stringent safety measures in place for players and coaching staff. Inevitably, this has hurt the atmosphere, but fans watching at home will imminently have something else to draw their attention: real-time stats.

Amazon’s cloud computing marque, AWS, is partnering with the league to debut two new statistics for tonight's Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund game - Average Positions and Expected Goals. The stats will be calculated via real-time analysis of data captured from the live feed, leveraging AWS’ machine learning and data analytics.

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“We at Bundesliga are able to use this advanced technology from AWS, including statistics, analytics and machine learning, to interpret the data and deliver more in-depth insight and better understanding of the split-second decisions made on the pitch," said Andreas Heyden, Executive Vice President of Digital Innovations for the DFL Group in a press release. "The use of Bundesliga Match Facts enables viewers to gain a deeper insight into the key decisions in each match."

The stats will continue to be available going forwards, with Average position available during all and Expected Goals available during highlight matches.

“AWS is helping the Bundesliga enhance the broadcast viewing experience by delivering deeper insights into the game that didn’t previously exist,” said Andy Isherwood, Vice President and Managing Director EMEA, AWS. “With AWS, Bundesliga is able to provide real-time statistics to predict future plays and outcomes. These two new statistics are just the beginning of what we’ll be able to deliver for football fans as we look forward to unlocking new ways to better educate, engage, and entertain viewers around the world.”

(Image: Amazon)