Technology might help save sports during COVID-19

Sport has contributed to society in many ways by bringing people and communities together. However, the pandemic put a sudden stop to that and devastated an industry that once thrived on human interaction. With many venues temporarily closed, the future of sport might seem bleak… But all is not lost.

In the UK, a country known for their love of sports, trial games are currently taking place in various stadiums across the country. The goal is opening up the stadiums at a safe capacity adhering to COVID-19 safety measures and precautions.

This endeavor is supervised by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), along with Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA), along with numerous tech companies bringing what they know to the table, all to allow fans to continue enjoying sports during COVID-19.

“Their major question and challenge is: what can be done to safely embed social distancing into the match-day operation? Each stadium is different and each one needs different solutions,” says Will Durden, director at Momentum Transport Consultancy.

The answer is apparently the use of data analytics, 3D imaging, contact tracing and simulations to map out, predict and organize everything that goes into a stadium. From the routes people take to their seats, how far away each ‘safety bubble’ is from the other, the path from the entrance to the ticket booth, the snack vendor or to the bathroom.

With each stadium being unique in its architecture, a plan will need to be customized. By using large amounts of old footage, AI is able to observe and analyse the movements of people in the stadium and conclude the best paths people should take to stay away from each other at all times.

The software being used can identify bottlenecks and areas of possible congestion around the stadium, and using contact racing apps exclusive to the stadium, people can be notified of anything that goes on. When one orders food from the app, they will be notified of when it is ready, and the rate of orders will be done to prevent long ques.

People who wish to watch sports during covid-19 can be confident that the avenue they choose has been created for their safety. With such technologies being driven by the passion of sports fans, it is exciting to see how such inventions will shape sports events in the not-so-distant future.