Major League Soccer (MLS) has announced a groundbreaking partnership with sports technology leaders Sportec Solutions and Deltatre. The collaboration aims to revolutionize the fan experience with soccer data by creating next-generation enhanced data feeds from all MLS matches, powering Apple's MLS Season Pass and driving the league's growth on and off the field.
As part of the agreement, Sportec Solutions will provide and integrate advanced gathering, storage, analysis, distribution, and analytics of live event and tracking match data. This cutting-edge data will be used by MLS and its clubs to create an unprecedented dataset from every MLS, Leagues Cup, and MLS NEXTPRO match. The new data system will enable fans watching on MLS Season Pass to enjoy more engaging information than ever before.
MLS's initiative builds on the global data distribution partnership that the league launched with IMG Arena last year. The new system will capture and analyze data from MLS fields of play, providing fans with more data and statistics available than ever before. To generate this new data, MLS will utilise 12 of Tracab's next-generation 4K cameras to capture real-time skeletal tracking data from every stadium. This information will be analysed in the cloud and then provided to fans via MLS broadcasts and to MLS coaches, who will have an unmatched level of video and data to enhance their players and club's capabilities on the field.
Sportec Solutions and Deltatre's partnership will enable MLS to provide new stats and visualisations like attacking zones, Expected Goals, player speed, match momentum, entries into the attacking third, passing efficiency, and shot efficiency over the course of the season. Additional new stats will be continually developed throughout the season and presented to fans viewing matches on Apple's MLS Season Pass. Deltatre, the sports technology company, will be responsible for bringing Sportec Solutions' next-gen metrics to screen through advanced graphics and data visualisations.
This new data system furthers MLS's position as the most innovative league in soccer, offering fans an unprecedented data capability that will enhance the viewing experience. From comprehensive analysis of players and teams to coaches and technical staff, the ability to integrate state-of-the-art data visualisation technology, optical player tracking, and enhanced metrics into matches on streams and broadcasts is part of the enhanced viewing experience for fans.
The multi-year agreement with Sportec Solutions is the latest initiative of MLS Emerging Ventures, which builds strategic partnerships and enables new capabilities with the goal of continuing to grow the league's fanbase and engage fans in new ways. The announcement of the partnership between MLS and Sportec Solutions arrives during a period of tremendous momentum behind the sport of soccer in North America, as Major League Soccer enters its 28th season this month, and the excitement continues to build on the path to the 2026 World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.