By-Oma Akatugba
At the recently concluded Sports Tech Summit in Dusseldorf, I had the privilege of conversing with Yossi Tarablis, a Pixellot representative spearheading AI-automated sports video solutions. Tarablis shed light on Pixellot’s groundbreaking endeavors in revolutionizing sports broadcasting, particularly in leagues like the Nigerian Premier league where games were once overlooked. He explained, “Pixellot today is the world leader in AI automated Sports video Solutions and data. What we’re doing today is basically broadcasting all the games that were never broadcasted before and we do that with artificial intelligence.”Tarablis highlighted a notable collaboration with Propel Sports, the broadcast right holders of the Nigerian professional football league, wherein Pixellot’s technology transformed the Nigerian Football League. He noted, “Before now, the Nigerian league body could only broadcast one or two games every week, and the rest were not, and now all the games are broadcasted. They use our technology, camera, and OTT Solutions as well. With this solution, you can broadcast with advertising, commentary, highlights and whatever you need to create an entire ecosystem in business, and this is what we’re doing around the world. We are from Israel, and of course, we have so many incredible Nigerian Legends like Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Vincent Enyeama, who played in Israel. That’s why we love the project because we have so much history with Nigeria.
We were delighted because Nigeria was the first League that took that type of Step into the AI era and created the solution for the Fantastic people of the country to get the chance to watch the games that they never had the opportunity to watch in the past.
Despite infrastructure challenges, such as unreliable internet and electricity, Pixellot remains committed to its mission. Tarablis emphasized, “Our solution basically allows you to create an entire ecosystem around the camera. The camera is the foundation. The wheels or the engine and then we do the automatic production and the automatic production can go both ways. It can go for broadcasting as well as for tactical analysis. In football, you sometimes need that tactical analysis that I view over the team. We deliver this content to whoever pays us. It’s either the League, the right holder, the club, the Federation, or the OTT itself that pays us.
Pixellot’s approach involves deploying AI cameras capable of comprehensively covering sporting events. According to Tarablis, “We have a Mobile Installation, we have a fixed installation… and there is the one you can carry about in a bag. Our flagship solution, Pixel Prime, offers broadcast-quality output at 50 or 60 frames per second.”
They are setting a new standard for sports coverage. Pixellot’s success stories extend beyond Nigeria, with projects like the one with Super Sports School in Africa showcasing the company’s impact on grassroots sports. Tarablis explained, “We work with Super Sport schools on another project in Africa. They have over 650 schools in the network; they have an OTT solution with us and broadcast School sports like rugby, basketball, Cricket, and football, of course. They broadcasted circa 30,000 games last year and have more than 750,000 subscribers on the OTT platform. They now have a TV channel with more views than the Premier League and the Liga in South Africa.
This project is winning Awards worldwide, and it’s free. You just have to register, and Adidas, Bluu Car Rental and some banks in South Africa support it. They all Galvanize behind the most critical Sports, which is School sports.
Because our kids are the most important players in the world in any sport today. That’s where people are investing their money.
The partnership with the Portuguese Football Association further exemplifies Pixellot’s commitment to tailored solutions. Tarablis stated, “For example, in Portugal, we’re broadcasting five leagues: three football and two futsal, with graphics, highlights, and more. They also have our OTT solution, so it’s a complete package.
In Nigeria, where the potential for growth in sports broadcasting is immense, Pixellot’s involvement could be transformative. Tarablis concluded, “The goal in Nigeria is to create the next sports star, the next League that will foster that opportunity because when you are on screen when you have video, Scouts are open for you, social media is also there, and with all that, you can create an entire ecosystem.”
In conclusion, Pixellot’s innovative approach to sports broadcasting, fueled by AI technology, reshapes the sports media landscape. Through strategic partnerships and a commitment to inclusivity, Pixellot is not only enhancing the fan experience but also unlocking sports’ full potential as a driver of social and economic development.
As Nigeria and other regions embrace this technological revolution, the future of sports broadcasting looks brighter than ever.
