Smart technology for sports pitch management
Feedback from stakeholders across the sports facilities industry suggested that many face the same challenge to design, deliver and maintain high quality, safe, durable sports surfaces.
Intelligent Play was developed as the first, and only, system using artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide the real-time, in-depth data these stakeholders are looking for to achieve this.
From elite football and rugby clubs to schools and universities as well as multi-use community leisure facilities, the information provided by Intelligent Play gives facility owners a detailed and up-to-date view of the status of their pitch. Actual playing hours, equivalent user hours and machine maintenance hours are monitored and recorded through discreet sensors mounted above the pitch perimeter.
The technology behind Intelligent Play reduces the risk of human error in recording playing hours, maintenance tasks, pitch status, and more and truly gives an accurate view of how a sports pitch is used and the implications on the surface and performance quality that this usage causes. Data is collected and displayed within a clear, user-friendly dashboard in accordance with data protection and privacy laws and allows maintenance to be scheduled and carried out in line with the actual wear and tear of a field.
Scott Brooks, Head of Grounds & Estates at The FA’s St George’s Park, works with Intelligent Play across a number of the facility’s first-class pitches, explaining: “this innovation is so advanced, it provides me with the unique ability to track usage and monitor pitch performance parameters remotely. As a direct result, we are now providing better quality, safer playing surfaces for our England National Football Teams.”
With a growing number of facilities around the world choosing Intelligent Play, the benefits are experienced by facility owners, management, club committees, investors, grounds teams and, most importantly, players.