EVS and the University of Liège launch an Academic Chair dedicated to AI in Sports
PRESS RELEASE
- 22 May 2025
From left to right: Prof. Éric Delhez (Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, ULiège), Serge Van Herck (CEO, EVS), Anthony Cioppa (Chairholder, ULiège) Anne-Sophie Nyssen (Rector, ULiège), Prof. Benoît Vanderheyden (ULiège), Olivier Barnich (Head of Innovation & Architecture, EVS).
Anthony Cioppa, civil engineer in computer vision and data analysis, has been appointed as the chairholder.
EVS, a global leader in live video production technology, and the University of Liège (ULiège) are proud to announce the creation of the academic chair “Computer Vision and Data Analysis for Sports Understanding”, led by Professor Anthony Cioppa, a specialist in computer vision and data analysis applied to sports.
This chair aims to develop cutting-edge approaches in artificial intelligence (AI) for the automatic understanding of sports images and videos. Created with the support of EVS, it marks a significant milestone in the alliance between academic research and industry in the field of AI applied to sports media. Professor Cioppa, now a lecturer at the Montefiore Institute within ULiège’s Faculty of Applied Sciences, will lead the scientific direction of the chair.
“The goal is to achieve a complete semantic understanding of the game, in real time, as if artificial intelligence could ‘watch and understand’ a match like a human expert would.”
A strategic partnership at the crossroads of sports, AI, and innovation
EVS, recognized globally for the quality of its broadcast images during the world’s most iconic events, has been integrating AI techniques into its solutions for nearly a decade. Among its flagship innovations:
• Xeebra®, a multi-camera review system that uses AI for offside line placement
• XtraMotion®, a replay effects solution that uses Generative AI to create super slow-motion replays without the need for high-frame-rate cameras, eliminate motion blur, and add a cinematic shallow depth-of-field effect
Building on this experience, EVS is strengthening its collaboration with ULiège to anticipate future uses of AI in sports.
“Innovation is a strategic pillar of EVS’s growth. This chair will allow us to deepen research in this field and remain at the forefront of innovation.”
“Our collaboration is helping to structure a rapidly expanding field of innovation that is still under scientific development. Thanks to this chair, this theme will become a clearly identified hub for teaching and research at ULiège, capable of attracting PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and high-level international collaborations. I thank EVS for its trust.”
High-impact research
In a context where the volume of sports video content is growing exponentially, automatic analysis tools are becoming essential. The chair will develop innovative solutions based on the following research areas:
1. High-dimensional data perception: Extracting and interpreting semantic information from rich and complex data such as video, which combines spatial, temporal, and color dimensions.
2. Long-form video understanding: Designing AI models capable of processing the full temporal scope of a video to extract relevant semantic information, even over long durations (e.g., a 90-minute football match).
3. Memory in neural networks for video: Developing AI models that can model, organize, and efficiently use temporal memory to retain relevant context over long sequences.
4. Multimodal combinations: Leveraging multiple data modalities—video, audio, and sensor signals—to enrich the understanding of sports.
5. Generative AI: Plausibly generating missing information, such as new viewpoints, to offer immersive spectator experiences (e.g., watching the game from the field via a VR headset).
SoccerNet: a scientific and community catalyst
Anthony Cioppa is also co-founder of SoccerNet, the largest open-source video analysis dataset for sports. Launched in 2018, SoccerNet has become a global benchmark, bringing together top research teams from academia and industry through its annual SoccerNet Challenges.
“Partnering with a global leader in live video production like EVS is a tremendous opportunity for our researchers, students, and the entire Liège tech ecosystem.”
Major disruptions ahead thanks to Artificial Intelligence
The rise of AI promises to revolutionize how sports are captured, analyzed, refereed, and experienced. Computer vision is becoming capable of recognizing player movements without markers or GPS, estimating ball position and depth from simple video, generating statistics or summaries in natural language, and even answering questions about controversial referee decisions.
“EVS has been collaborating with the University of Liège for several years. This strong relationship with the academic world is important. I see this academic chair as a natural extension of that collaboration, and it will help our innovation team accelerate the deployment of AI.”
For more info about this press release, or to set up an interview with EVS, please contact:
Sébastien Verlaine
Senior Brand & Corporate Communications Manager
Tel: +32 4 361 58 09 • Email: s.verlaine@evs.com
