STAIDIUM U.S. TO PARTICIPATE IN PIONEERING MLS INNOVATION LAB FROM MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER 

STAIDIUM U.S. will be part of initial cohort of program that will drive player development, create new fan experiences, and deliver advanced media technology

Cologne, Dallas, New York, 12 January, 2024 – STAIDIUM U.S., a subsidiary of the Germany-based SPORTTOTAL AG, announced today that it has been selected by Major League Soccer (MLS) to be a part of the inaugural year of MLS Innovation Lab. The new program will shape the future of sports by identifying cutting-edge startups and advanced technologies that help develop the next generation of athletes, enhance the fan experience, and drive continued growth for MLS and its clubs. Officially kicked off in December at MLS NEXT FEST in Arizona, MLS Innovation Lab is the latest initiative from Major League Soccer, which has been recognized as a global leader in innovation.

Through the program, STAIDIUM will showcase its leading artificial intelligence (AI)-powered sports streaming technology. STAIDIUM’s self-developed and fully-automated cameras leverage AI to follow the action on the field, capture and stream video in real-time, and add viewer-friendly graphic packages and statistical overlays — all without any manual oversight. STAIDIUM’s technology also provides coaches and scouts with real-time statistics and state-of-the-art analytics, as well as highlight clips of each game and player edited together using AI.

STAIDIUM was selected to be part of the program’s inaugural cohort following a rigorous evaluation process that vetted hundreds of companies. Through MLS Innovation Lab, all companies within the cohort will have the chance to test their products in real-world environments throughout the MLS ecosystem, including events such MLS NEXT FEST, Generation adidas Cup, MLS NEXT Cup and the MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate, among others.

"Being chosen for the MLS Innovation Lab inaugural class is the perfect way to celebrate what has been a monumental first year at STAIDIUM," said Dave Cochran, Managing Director, STAIDIUM U.S. "We believe our AI-powered live streaming technology has the potential to revolutionize the way fans, coaches, scouts, and players access, watch, and study video. We’re grateful for MLS’ support in helping us showcase this technology to some of the industry’s most influential decision makers."

The League’s forward-thinking approach is the driver behind the creation of MLS Innovation Lab. MLS recently formed an unprecedented ten-year partnership with Apple that reimagined how soccer fans consumed games – with no blackouts and all matches on a single platform. The 2023 season also saw the start of Leagues Cup, a partnership with Liga MX and Concacaf, the first in-season tournament by a major professional league in North America. In recent years, MLS has been at the forefront of video review in soccer – with the MLS Video Review program later mirrored by other leagues around the world – and MLS was the first major men’s league in North America to return to play during the COVID-19 pandemic when it hosted the MLS is Back tournament in 2020. 

"Major League Soccer strives to be the front porch of innovation for the sports industry," said Gary Stevenson, Deputy Commissioner of MLS and President of Soccer United Marketing. "In that spirit, MLS Innovation Lab provides a truly unique offering in global sports. We are really looking forward to working with STAIDIUM. Our 2024 cohort places a spotlight on some of the most exciting tech startups from around the world, and we eagerly anticipate their impact on the sport in the years to come."

Following the conclusion of all testing opportunities, STAIDIUM, along with all other companies in the cohort, will be in the running to be selected to present to MLS executives and owners with the promising companies having the potential to earn long-term strategic partnerships and investment opportunities from the League.

For more information on MLS Innovation Lab, or to be considered for the program in the future, visit

ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER  

Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer – celebrating its 28th season in 2023 – features 30 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, including a new expansion team in San Diego that will debut in 2025. All MLS, Leagues Cup, and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches can be watched through MLS Season Pass, available on the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, and the web at . MLS Season Pass will feature the most expansive and accessible lineup of programming ever for MLS fans.

For more information about MLS, visit

ABOUT STAIDIUM U.S.

is a subsidiary of SPORTTOTAL AG (ISIN: DE000A1EMG56), headquartered in Cologne (Germany). SPORTTOTAL AG is a technology and media company on a growth path in the rapidly scalable digital business with streaming platforms, in the high-margin international project business, as well as in the live events business. The company, which was founded in 1979, operates a high-traffic portal through , with strong growth for online sport videos and live streaming. The company equips sports clubs with self-developed camera technology which enables sports events to be transmitted live in a high quality and fully automatically on . SPORTTOTAL AG’s service portfolio also comprises the technical equipping of racing circuits and sports facilities, as well as the production and marketing of sports events such as the ADAC TOTAL 24-Hour Race at the Nürburgring. In addition, SPORTTOTAL AG operates with its Deutsche Telekom-powered Mediahouse "FORTY10" linear TV channels and successfully broadcasted the FIFA World Cup 2022 for MagentaTV.

CONTACT

SPORTTOTAL AG
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