Alibaba Cloud announces new technology to revolutionise sport

Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing division of Chinese technology giant Alibaba, has today revealed details of technologies that it expects to transform the way sports events are organised and consumed.

Announced at Alibaba’s annual Apsara Conference, Alibaba Cloud’s new Event Simulation Services (ESS), will allow event organisers to virtually plan the layout of indoor venues and optimise the position of equipment and facilities.

The ESS will also enable broadcasters to simulate and test different camera positions before installing camera tracks to offer audiences the best point of view. The solution will also give organisers insights for post-event analysis.

The company also expects that ESS will allow organisers to better manage their time during large-scale events where crowd management and access control can be lengthier and cumbersome to coordinate.

Alibaba Cloud has also developed a Digital Badge System, which can be used to embed access control and essential event information with digital accreditation. The system negates the need to print paper tickets, reducing the risk of access pass counterfeiting.

Digital Badge users can be issued with information such as maps, event times and organiser contact details within seconds. Card holders can also receive card expiration notices and other real-time notifications, while an option to embed health advisory information will also be included in the event of COVID-19 outbreaks.

For broadcasters and journalists attending events, Alibaba Cloud has launched Press Conference on Cloud, which facilitates virtual media briefings using proven live and on-demand streaming technologies.

The company has also launched Fan Video Hub to enhance the viewing experience for fans watching from home. The AI-powered technology can act as an efficient aggregator, which is able to collect and filter real-time videos uploaded from around the world to social media before broadcasting them onto designated online platforms or inside venues.

Introducing the technology, Selina Yuan, President of International Business for Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, advised “as a global leading cloud service provider, we are excited to see our mature technology innovations to be used to support the digital transformation of some of the largest international sports events.

“For example, with Alibaba Cloud’s trusted infrastructure and services, we are able to work with stadiums and event managers to create even more thrilling and immersive experiences for fans, wherever they’re based. More importantly, health and safety has to be front of mind at all venues and events, and our solutions help event organisers deliver on their post-pandemic responsibilities through reduced and unnecessary travel. We want to maximise the thrill of sporting achievements, while enabling event organisers to work safely and even more efficiently with fans and global broadcasters.”

Held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, this year’s edition of the annual Apsara Conference has then theme ‘Leap into the Future of Digital Intelligence’.

It is one of earliest platforms showcasing developers' innovations in China. It is a leading technology event for developers worldwide.

Alibaba Cloud is the official cloud services partner of the International Olympic Committee.