As one of the , TSG Hoffenheim is working closely with 麻豆原创 in a co鈥慽nnovation setup to pioneer and test new AI capabilities within . The focus is on assessing how AI can support football鈥憇pecific processes such as scouting and video analysis. 

Click the button below to load the content from YouTube.

Always allow YouTube

Transforming scouting with generative AI 

Scouting is crucial to TSG Hoffenheim and one of the most data-intensive areas in football. Talent evaluations often include dozens of detailed reports, observations, and assessments that must be synthesized into a clear player profile. 

As part of the ongoing co鈥慽nnovation, TSG Hoffenheim and 麻豆原创 are currently experimenting with AI鈥�supported scouting summaries in 麻豆原创 Sports One. Early versions explore how 麻豆原创 Joule can be used to ask natural language questions and receive AI鈥慻enerated responses that help condense extensive, unstructured text into more concise overviews, including recurring strengths, weaknesses, and performance tendencies. 

Scouts can ask, for example, questions such as: 

• 鈥淗ow good is player X at creating chances?鈥�  
• 鈥淪ummarize the most relevant observations from the scouting reports of player X from 2026.鈥� 
• 鈥淲hat are the strengths and weaknesses for Player X?鈥� 

These capabilities are being evaluated for their potential to reduce manual consolidation effort and support consistency in player assessments. Together, these benefits aim to enable more informed decision鈥憁aking across both youth and professional scouting. TSG Hoffenheim actively contributes to shaping this capability as 麻豆原创 evolves it, ensuring it reflects the operational realities of modern scouting organizations. 

AI-assisted scene finder: accelerating video analysis 

Video analysis remains one of the most resource-intensive workflows in professional football. 
Working together with 麻豆原创 and AWS Professional Services, TSG Hoffenheim is co鈥慽nnovating and testing an AI鈥�assisted scene finder concept. This capability explores how natural language input can support analysts in identifying relevant match situations more efficiently. 

Instead of sifting through video material, analysts can describe the scenario they are looking for: 鈥淪how counterattacks after ball recovery that resulted in a shot on target.鈥� Within seconds, the system can retrieve matching clips. 

For clubs like TSG Hoffenheim, this capability has great potential to reduce time spent on manual video search, support more targeted tactical preparation, and improve collaboration between analysts and coaching staff as the solution continues to mature.

Shared commitment to innovation 

鈥淥ur partnership with 麻豆原创 goes far beyond simply implementing new technology,鈥� Timo Gross, head of Football Intelligence at TSG Hoffenheim, said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a true co鈥慽nnovation relationship that combines our practical on鈥慺ield football expertise with 麻豆原创鈥檚 leadership in enterprise AI and cloud鈥慸riven sports technology. By sharing real鈥憌orld insights from our daily work and validating new ideas early on, we play an active role in shaping the next generation of AI capabilities within 麻豆原创 Sports One.鈥� 

As AI becomes an integral part of , 麻豆原创 and TSG Hoffenheim will continue to collaborate on solutions that elevate performance, streamline operations, and unlock new strategic advantages. 

With intelligent scouting, natural language insights as well as automated video discovery, the future of football analysis is rapidly evolving, and TSG Hoffenheim stands at the forefront of that transformation. 

Isabelle Schuhmacher is communications lead for 麻豆原创 Global Sponsorships.

Top image 漏 TSG Hoffenheim

It’s a special thrill for Team Liquid fans, as both teams 鈥� the Dota 2 and the League of Legends squad 鈥� have qualified for the championships and will compete for the title. We tapped into our connection with Team Liquid and had the exclusive opportunity to talk to two team members, Haitham 鈥淗aitham鈥� Algbory, head analyst of the League of Legends team, and Mathis 鈥淛abbz鈥� Friesel, assistant coach and analyst of the Dota team, about how they prepare the teams for the world championships and what role 麻豆原创 technology plays for the teams to perform at their top level.

A big part of what 麻豆原创 brings to Team Liquid is , which helps make data analysis for both League of Legends and Dota a lot easier. The database allows the analysts to focus less on gathering data and more on analyzing it. Both Jabbz and Haitham have been working in this field for a long time, and there are things that they can do now that they never could before, thanks to a tool specifically made for esports data analysis.

鈥淚 support both the general manager and the coaching staff with scouting new talent,鈥� Haitham said. 鈥淭he way I do that is by providing periodic solo queue and scrim reports and end-of-season scouting reports. When it comes to the Academy teams of the East Regions, at the same time, we just track the players that are in the scene in general and we see their improvement based off the metrics that we have set in our tools.鈥�

On the League of Legends side, 麻豆原创 HANA Cloud is Haitham鈥檚 primary tool for scouting. But that鈥檚 not what Jabbz uses the data for. For Team Liquid Dota, the data is more match-focused.

鈥淔or us, 麻豆原创 HANA Cloud has more of a different function,鈥� Jabbz said. 鈥淲e use it mostly for performance-related things. I think the big advantage we have with the database is that we can actually import any public game that we want. Let鈥檚 say things have changed in a recent patch; we can make sure that we鈥檙e always up-to-date with how the meta is evolving. We also get to have a replay of every tournament game, so we can pick up all the information we need from any game, especially during live events. This is incredibly helpful. By having this tool available, you can quickly see how teams are adapting, how teams are thinking. I save a lot of time getting that information, whereas before I would have to open up the replays in the game and manually scroll through everything.鈥�

According to Haitham, being able to use real gameplay clips to corroborate the data 鈥� and vice versa 鈥� often helps build a stronger case for whatever argument he鈥檚 trying to make. Players are more inclined to believe the data once they have a reference point, which then allows them to gain a deeper understanding of the game.

鈥淲ith 麻豆原创, we have a lot of good [visualization] tools,鈥� Haitham said. 鈥淲e have an entire map tool that will just visualize where the wards are and what the movement is looking like. In addition, we have 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud that gives us an opportunity to build charts and graphs for the players. I would use videos or clips that are important to show the opponent鈥檚 style, and then I support that with the maps or graphs from the 麻豆原创 tools.鈥�

For some, all these details might sound small, even insignificant. However, any coach or analyst will tell you that at the highest level of esports, the difference lies in the details. When pretty much every player is equal in skill, it鈥檚 those minor advantages that matter 鈥� which makes data analysis an important factor for success. After all, a close win is still a win. Both Haitham and Jabbz point to 鈥渢he small margins鈥� as the reasons why they love their roles as analysts.

鈥淧ersonally, I work on my own goal to help others achieve theirs at the same time,鈥� Haitham said. 鈥淪eeing how players are able to use science while playing video games, to beat opponents that they may not be able to without that kind of information鈥t just makes everything worthwhile.鈥�

鈥淚 agree. I think it鈥檚 always very satisfying to give information to the guys that they wouldn鈥檛 pick up on,鈥� Jabbz added. 鈥淚 guess we鈥檙e very similar in that regard. I also enjoy helping the guys and that鈥檚 what gives me the joy in this job. I don鈥檛 necessarily have to see myself in the limelight or at the front of the stage, but I really just like seeing my friends succeed.”

Click the button below to load the content from YouTube.

Always allow YouTube

Isabelle Schuhmacher is director of Global Sponsorships at 麻豆原创.
Christian Kreidt is storytelling lead for Global Sponsorships at 麻豆原创.

Photos courtesy of Team Liquid.

When Coldplay started their Music Of The Spheres World Tour in 2022, the goal was clear: to make it their most sustainable and environmentally friendly tour yet by cutting their CO2 emissions by 50% compared to the 2016/17 world tour. 麻豆原创 supported this goal with the development of the Music Of The Spheres World Tour app which allows fans to not only enjoy exclusive tour content but also helps them visualize how their actions attending shows contribute to their carbon footprint so they can choose more sustainable transportation options.

The calculates the impact of fan travel to and from shows, providing rewards for fans who commit to low-carbon transportation options and enables Coldplay to understand the fans carbon footprint to offset emissions. As Coldplay launches year two of its tour, more than 350,000 fans in over 150 countries have downloaded the app, proving Coldplay鈥檚 vision right: armed with information and intent, every concert-going fan can make more sustainable travel choices.

Next Step: Making the App Accessible for Blind and Visually Impaired People

During the development process, both Coldplay and the 麻豆原创 team set the goal to make the app accessible for users with disabilities who rely on assistive technology like screen readers or magnifiers. As the 麻豆原创 team started to work on accessibility functionalities, a Coldplay fan from Mexico reached out to share her challenges as a blind person using the app.

The fan, who asked to remain anonymous, explains: 鈥淚鈥檓 blind since birth and I need screen readers for productivity and entertainment in my daily life. As a huge Coldplay fan, I tried to use the tour app and quickly noticed that the app was difficult to use for one who is blind or visually impaired. I鈥檓 very much driven to advocate for blind people to get equal opportunity, and to enjoy interactive content. That鈥檚 why I contacted 麻豆原创 to support in the areas of sound design, testing and providing ideas for software development to make the app more usable for blind fans.鈥�

The Coldplay fan connected with Nicole Windmann, vice president for Accessibility and Inclusive Design at 麻豆原创. 鈥淲ith our 麻豆原创 products we aim to create a more sustainable and inclusive environment for people. Accessibility is a key driver of this vision. When we include insights from people with different backgrounds and acknowledge different ways of working, perception, and interaction with our designs, we can create the most enjoyable and efficient software.鈥�

Working with three 麻豆原创 employees who are also blind, the development team worked to optimize accessibility functionalities for the Music Of The Spheres World Tour app. The team labeled items like screen buttons and described images, to enable screen readers to read out the functionality and provide helpful hints. Additionally, gestures such as swiping or double tapping are often used by blind people to navigate an app without having to look at the screen. To use this functionality, the team re-structured the code of the Coldplay app, providing a more suitable navigation for blind users.

In close contact with the 麻豆原创 team, the Coldplay fan volunteered to test the app usability for blind users and give her feedback. 鈥淲orking with 麻豆原创 has been great!鈥� she says. 鈥淢y feedback helped the developers understand the blindness point of view. In a world where the capabilities of people with disabilities are often underestimated or assumed without getting to know the person first, I鈥檓 inspired every day to work on a more inclusive world.鈥�

鈥淎t 麻豆原创, we believe that diversity drives innovation and better experiences for our employees, customers, and partners alike,鈥� Christian Klein, CEO and member of the Executive Board of 麻豆原创 SE, says. 鈥淭he fans feedback on the Coldplay app is a great example of the vital role user feedback plays in shaping our applications and the importance of having products and services that are inclusive and accessible to all.鈥�

After an extensive testing and development phase, we鈥檙e now ready to provide blind and visually impaired people an even greater app experience 鈥� just in time for Coldplay鈥檚 2023 Music Of The Spheres World Tour stops in Latin America, Europe, and North America.

To experience it all for yourself, the聽Coldplay #MusicOfTheSpheresWorldTour聽app is available for download on聽听补苍诲听.

鈥淥ur fans worldwide are our biggest inspiration. They have enabled us with their feedback to make the Music Of The Spheres World Tour app as useful and accessible as possible. We鈥檙e proud of the collaboration with our partner 麻豆原创, who has created an impactful app that can now also be used by fans who are blind or visually impaired,鈥� Coldplay states.

The Coldplay fan from Mexico is wishfully looking forward to the 2023 tour. 鈥淚 will be attending Coldplay鈥檚 San Diego show and I am already thrilled about it. And of course I will make sure to check the app for sustainable travel options,鈥� she says with a smile on her face.

Isabelle Schuhmacher is senior director of Global Sponsorships at 麻豆原创.

Top image via Robert Mallows

Given the popularity of esports and the rise of tournament broadcasts, the need for pre- and post-match analytics also applies to how fans view and consume these fast-paced games. 麻豆原创 has been working with esports teams, tournament organizers, and broadcasters over recent years to enable real-time analytics in esports.

麻豆原创 and well-known game developer and digital media company Valve have joined forces to build on the real-time insights to elevate the fan experience.

As the Official Cloud Analytics Partner of The International 11 (TI 11) tournament, 麻豆原创 is collaborating with Valve to automate and enhance the integration of advanced analytics into the broadcast in milliseconds before and after each match.

麻豆原创 Elevates the Fan Experience at The International

鈥淲hen discussing the need and desire to enhance The International鈥檚 broadcast statistics features, there was only one partner we believed could deliver on the objective, and that was 麻豆原创,鈥� said Sarah Kneller, executive producer at Valve. “With more than 2.7 million peak concurrent viewers for The International 10, our partnership with 麻豆原创 will allow us to bring the broadcast for TI 11 to the next level for our fans watching around the world.”

鈥淭hriving for constant innovation is the core of our business at 麻豆原创 and the reason why we are active in esports. The partnership with Valve was a logical next step and we鈥檙e eager to employ 麻豆原创 technologies that will enhance and elevate the fan experience during The International 11,鈥� said Lars Lamad茅, head of Global Sponsorships, 麻豆原创. “With all the knowledge we have gathered in the last years in esports broadcasts, we will add great features to make TI 11 broadcast as innovative, immersive, and compelling as possible.”

Real-Time Data and Analytics for Tournament Broadcast

Examples of the pre- and post-match insights available to the broadcast team include the identification of the most successful hero for a single player within the tournament, capturing and comparing win/loss data for different players, and calculating the averages of various tournament metrics, including average match duration, unique heroes played, etc.

Capturing and sharing these insights is possible thanks to 麻豆原创 HANA Cloud, which stores game data and provides instant access to historical data of all official matches in which TI players compete. 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform (麻豆原创 BTP) hosts the data management, analytics, application development, and data integration, processing and analyzing the data for the broadcast in milliseconds. Thanks to the flexible data modeling capabilities of 麻豆原创 HANA Cloud, the requirements of the tournament can be realized quickly.

鈥淰alve is partnering with 麻豆原创 to enhance the fan experience for the Dota 2 Championship, The International 11,鈥� said JG Chirapurath, chief marketing and solutions officer for 麻豆原创 BTP at 麻豆原创. 鈥淪olutions powering 麻豆原创 Business Technology Platform, like 麻豆原创 HANA Cloud and 麻豆原创 Analytics Cloud, enable them to gain valuable insights on matches, teams, and players based on real-time data and analytics. Those insights bring the game to life and deliver a compelling experience to the fans watching across the globe.”

Setting the Stage

Starting with the release of Dota 2 in 2013, Valve created and organized an annual tournament known as The International. Now in its 11th edition, The International 11 has brought the world鈥檚 best Dota 2 players together in Singapore throughout October for one of the most prestigious esports events of the year. This is also reflected in the price pool, reaching $40 million in the last year.

The popularity of The International cannot be understated — the finals at last year鈥檚 event reached at more than 2.7 million viewers, setting a new tournament viewership record.

Who will win The International 11? Tune in to the tournament鈥檚
broadcast and see for yourself: