Artificial Intelligence Enhances World Cup Fan Experience
*By Jacqueline Corba*
Fox Sports is teaming up with IBM to offer soccer fans a unique experience during this year's World Cup.
The tech giant's artificial intelligence system Watson is powering a cognitive-based platform that lets fans make their own customized highlight videos throughout the tournament.
"It's about unlocking that fan experience wherever folks are in the United States," Robert Schwartz, Global Leader of Strategy and Design at IBM iX, the company's digital ad agency, told Cheddar's Peter Gorenstein at the Cannes Lions festival. "It is a huge opportunity to tap into that fan passion."
Dubbed the FIFA World Cup ["highlight machine,"](https://www-935.ibm.com/services/ibmix/case-studies/fox-sports.html) the platform allows fans to browse FIFA's archive of current and past matches. IBM's Watson compiles and analyzes the footage based on the user's commands. The software also encourages users to share their clips on social media.
Schwartz says IBM iX is looking to roll out this platform for fans of other professional sporting events, including this summer's U.S. Open tennis tournament.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/world-cup-powered-by-artificial-intelligence).
NCAA President Charlie Baker announced Tuesday that he wants the organization to create a new tier of Division I athletics where schools with the most resources can offer unlimited educational benefits, enter into name, image and likeness partnerships with athletes and directly pay them through a trust fund.
A men’s World Cup super-G was called off Sunday due to strong wind as weather led to the cancellation of all three ski races over the weekend in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
Double-amputee Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius was granted parole Friday, 10 years after shooting his girlfriend through a toilet door at his home in South Africa in a killing that jolted the world.