MEDIA RELEASE: Six venues, 24 teams and 65 matches: Ahead of tomorrow’s throw-off of EHF EURO 2020, the European Handball Federation (EHF) and KINEXON Sports & Media GmbH (KINEXON) announce their long-term partnership.
KINEXON provides an all-new handball experience at the EHF EUROs until 2024
With their close cooperation, in which sport and technology will go hand in hand in the future, both the European Handball Federation and KINEXON aim to take the handball experience to a new level for all stakeholders – from fans and teams to coaches and media representatives at the forthcoming EHF EURO 2020.
At the core of this is the integrated use of live data. All data is collected exclusively with the precise analysis technology of KINEXON. Beginning with the EHF EURO 2020, the cooperation covers all EHF EUROs of women and men up to and including 2024 and is thus the first holistic use of the technology at an official continental championship.
Experiencing a new quality in handball is what the EHF and KINEXON have made their goal. After already three successful projects: the ball tracking in the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2018 as well as at the Women’s EHF EURO 2018 and the ball and player tracking in the VELUX EHF FINAL4 2019, a long-term cooperation is now the next logical step.
As well as ball and player tracking, the referees will be tracked for the first time at the Men’s EHF EURO 2020.
“Adding the player tracking technology and the SELECT/KINEXON iBall to our portfolio is the next step, as we are aiming to put European handball at the forefront when it comes to digital innovation,” says Martin Hausleitner, Secretary General of the European Handball Federation.
“Adding this very valuable data to the sport will create a double advantage: It’s an exciting tool for our fans in the arena and at home, as it allows them to follow the match enriched with information not available before. Secondly, we will be working closely with our federations, as the players' performance metrics offer an unprecedented insight into the game as such and allow us to analyse fields such as players' workload in in-depth fashion.”
New stories in handball
The technology partner is also excited about the new long-term partnership. “After the successful cooperation with the EHF in the past years, we are proud to enter a long-term partnership until 2024,” says Maximilian Schmidt, co-founder and Managing Director of KINEXON Sports & Media GmbH.
“Together with the EHF, we want to create new stories in handball by providing real-time performance data and bring this fascinating sport even closer to the fans. In the upcoming years, we will continuously create new forms of live sports content. We would like to thank Martin Hausleitner and the whole EHF team for their trust.”
360-degree data usage - the scope of cooperation at a glance:
• From speed to pass statistics: Teams, coaches and players get real-time insight into their performance data. Based on this information, the player performance can be analysed and improved in the future, injuries can be reduced, and a return-to-play can be realised.
• Whether in the app, on the website or in the world feed: KINEXON provides all data in real time by means of a real-time API. Based on this data, the EHF distributes content via its own channels and in the world feed for worldwide broadcasting.
• More than just a stadium experience: Real-time data on video cubes provides fans in the stadium with exclusive insights and allows them to view the game from a new perspective.
• Sports news now even faster and more in-depth: In order to ensure detailed and prompt reporting at all times, commentators and other media representatives are provided with selected performance data via the Match Information Center. With this new starting point, existing content formats can be rethought.
In order to benefit from the performance data of the teams, players and referees in the long term, the data is scientifically evaluated in cooperation between the EHF and various commission members within the EHF scientific network and is used for studies on the further development of handball. Live tracking and performance data will be an integral part of handball in the future. This opens new opportunities for the sport, such as sponsorship activation.
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