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Inside the beautiful game with ProZone

Sony cameras used for leading football analysis solution

ProZone Group is using high-end Sony IP cameras as part of their pioneering football analysis solution, which gives coaching staff valuable information on player performance and fitness levels.

Tracking the runs of one player Bigger Picture

Comprehensive match analysis

ProZone has developed the most accurate and comprehensive match analysis system used within professional football. It is employed by teams from within the English Premier League and Championship, and is being rapidly adopted in other countries – and other sports too.

The ProZone system analyses team performance and fitness by plotting the movement and actions of each player throughout the game. Raw video images are captured at a rate of 10 per second, which are then processed by ProZone software to provide highly detailed match information.

This is presented in a user-friendly, overhead 2D interface, from which coaches can look at numerous aspects of the game. For example, they can track the runs of individual players over 90+ minutes to measure fitness; assess how the defence works together as a unit; or determine the overall effectiveness of team tactics. Plus much, much more.

Assessing the defensive unit Bigger Picture

Capturing the data

To analyse a match effectively, ProZone needs the best possible raw video data – and for this it uses only Sony cameras.

ProZone and Sony first began working together on Arsenal’s new Emirates Stadium in North London – which was the first stadium in Europe to implement the ProZone solution.

Ten high-end Sony SNC-RX550P network cameras were installed in total – in a configuration that ensures full coverage of the pitch so no action is missed. Eight cameras are positioned at roof height, with three in one corner, three in the opposite corner and one in each of the two remaining corners. This provides many benefits:

Multiple viewing angles, for accurate in-depth analysis
Greater accuracy of information, as there is always a camera close to the action
Fewer errors, as there are reduced blind spots caused by players blocking a camera’s view
Continual data capture, because every area of the pitch is covered by at least two cameras at all times

A further two cameras are positioned behind the goals at mid-stand level, looking down the spine of the team. These cameras provide coaches with high-quality video footage that allows them to look specifically at team shape – something that’s not possible with normal television broadcasts.

Sony SNC-RX550P Network Camera

A 2D analysis of passing performance Bigger Picture

The flexibility of IP

One of the big advantages of using the Sony cameras is that they work on IP technology. This allows them to be connected straight in to the stadium’s network infrastructure, without any dedicated cabling required.

Once they’re installed, IP cameras act just like any standard network device. Staff can log on to the camera’s IP address from any standard web browser and perform maintenance actions remotely. This might be to check the focus of the camera before kick-off, and adjust it via the in-built Pan/Tilt/Zoom capability. Consequently, no on-site presence is needed on match days, and problems can be resolved far quicker than by sending out an engineer.

When the match is in progress, video data is sent from the cameras over the network to a central server. Recordings are scheduled using Sony RealShot Manager software and then transferred electronically to ProZone’s offshore production studio, where they are transformed into the usable graphical 2D format.

Going to the next level

The ProZone solution is being adopted in many stadiums around the world, from the United Kingdom to Qatar. This global expansion has been helped significantly by the use of Sony technology, as Phil Tordoff, Head of Product Management and Strategy at ProZone explains:

"The relationship with Sony has certainly opened up our business to an international market. Being associated with the Sony brand brings a lot of credibility to what we are doing – customers trust in the name. Plus, the quality of the Sony cameras is unbeatable. High-quality video data is essential for our business, and that’s exactly what they deliver."

And the good work between ProZone and Sony is set to continue. Two future innovations are planned that will take the solution to the next level.

Firstly, they are exploring the use of Intelligent Object Detection (IOD) – a feature built in to a number of Sony IP cameras. The concept is for IOD to detect when a defined number of players enter a penalty area. An alarm would then be triggered that instructs other cameras to zoom in to this active area. The result? Key moments of play – such as corner kicks, goal-mouth scrambles and set pieces – will be captured in more detail from multiple angles, giving better analysis of team performance.

Secondly, ProZone is working on a system that will allow coaches to analyse video data at pitch-side, during the game. Sony technology is vital to enabling this, with IP cameras that can feed data to multiple locations over a standard network, and Sony RealShot Manager software that makes playback of video simple and user-friendly. This solution will allow coaches to prepare better for half-time team talks, and make tactical decisions that could potentially turn a loss into a win!

More information about ProZone