Reading Football Club has cemented a research partnership with Score, a vision AI company working at the forefront of football performance analysis.
After becoming the first professional football club to appoint a head of AI, Reading says it is once again exploring how artificial intelligence can enhance the game.
The one-year collaboration will focus on developing vision AI technology – advanced video intelligence models designed to enhance performance on and off the pitch.
Reading FC and Score will work to create a ‘Reading model’ – an AI system designed to enhance how the club operates both on and off the pitch.
This includes analysing players across any league using objective assessments; delivering rapid match analysis and performance insights; supporting tactical preparation and opponent analysis; providing data-driven intelligence for recruitment decisions; and optimising wider camera systems to improve the fan experience, CCTV and retail operations.
As part of the agreement, both parties will collaborate on joint research and development. Any intellectual property created during the partnership will be jointly owned by Score and Reading FC, enabling future innovation and commercial opportunities.
The research will combine scientific expertise with footballing experience – including the involvement of former Reading manager and Arsenal player Brian McDermott, who contributes to the project as part of Score’s leadership team.
The partnership is now underway, with Score’s research team, led by Dr Peter Cotton, Score’s co-founder and former executive director of data science at J.P. Morgan, working closely with Reading’s football and performance departments.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Score on this groundbreaking Vision AI research initiative,” said Stuart Fenton, head Of AI at Reading. “I see immense potential in co-developing these Vision AI Agents to revolutionise how we analyse performance on the pitch and begin to create the ‘Reading Model’.”
Maxime Sebti, CEO, Score said: “Score’s technology processes football video 240 times faster than current computer vision methods. This partnership gives Reading’s managers, scouts, coaches and leadership team better tools to see patterns they couldn’t see before – helping the club make faster, smarter decisions on and off the pitch.
“For years, elite-level data analysis has been a luxury only the biggest clubs could afford. Reading FC are one of the most forward-thinking clubs in football when it comes to AI, and their willingness to innovate puts them alongside the most progressive organisations in the game.”