Ryan Beal, CEO & Co-Founder of SentientSports: “Sports generate some of the richest datasets globally”

One of the many compelling points made by Ryan Beal, CEO & Co-Founder of SentientSports, in this interview, is why AI and sports make perfect partners. From baseball to football, from tennis to athletics, there is such a rich pool of data that no human could ever hope to gain insights without computerised help.

Ryan’s passion is football – the British type, not American – and it was how AI could be used in that sport that led him to co-found SentientSports. He describes this as an “AI startup using AI to enhance fan engagement and athlete protection on social media”, with a particular focus on the abuse levelled at athletes.

“AI technology offers innovative tools to effectively detect, monitor and manage online abuse,” Ryan explains in the interview below, “providing robust protection for athletes against the hostile elements of online environments.” Protection, incidentally, rarely comes directly from the social media platforms themselves.

Read on and you will also discover how SentientSports is helping teams work out which players fit in best with their club, and how fans can use a similar tool to build their own dream teams. It’s a fascinating read from an entrepreneur who has already won a Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship and was on the Forbes 30 under 30 2024 for Sports list.

Related reading: Let the games begin: Paris Olympics put AI to the test

Tell us your elevator pitch

SentientSports aims to solve the biggest challenges in sports using AI, focusing on two primary challenges: improving fan engagement and safeguarding athletes from social media abuse.

In our fan engagement vertical, we recognise the diverse, global nature of sports fandom. Our AI technology assists teams in creating personalised, culturally relevant content in various languages. This strategy not only fosters deeper connections between fans and their favourite teams but also opens up new direct-to-consumer (D2C) revenue streams for our partners by making content more accessible and engaging across the globe.

Our athlete protection vertical tackles the serious issue of social media abuse. Our AI systems are designed to continuously monitor online platforms, identifying and flagging harmful content, including abuse and deepfakes targeting athletes. These incidents are then automatically reported to the relevant authorities. This proactive approach creates a safer online environment for athletes and future-proofs our technology against evolving digital threats such as deep fakes.

SentientSports is committed to improving the sports experience by promoting inclusive, respectful interactions and prioritising the well-being of athletes and the experiences for fans globally. Our goal is to lead in the field of sports AI, supported by a world-class team comprising top-tier AI experts, renowned academics, and experienced executives from leading global sports brands.

What is it about sports tech that excites you? What made you get into this sector?

Sports technology is exciting because it merges my passions for football and a wide range of sports with the cutting-edge field of artificial intelligence. The decision to enter this sector stemmed from my academic and entrepreneurial journey — I pursued a PhD focusing on AI in sports and went on to co-found a startup. This gave me the unique freedom to explore and address some of the biggest challenges in sports, both on and off the pitch.

Moreover, sports provide a fantastic arena for solving problems that impact vast numbers of people worldwide. According to a FIFA report, there are approximately 5 billion sports fans globally. The potential for technology in this space is immense, rivalling that of major social media companies. By tapping into this expansive audience, sports tech can deliver significant, widespread change, enhancing experiences for millions of fans and participants across the globe.

Another exciting part of sports tech is the quality and volume of data available. Sports generate some of the richest datasets globally, encompassing real-time and historical data that span over two decades. This wealth of information, covering diverse aspects from around the world, provides a fertile ground for AI. It enables our technologies to deeply understand the intricacies of games and to innovate ways to enhance performance and fan engagement. This capacity to continually evolve and push the boundaries of what technology can achieve in sports is what helps to drive researchers to this field.

Recommended: Marilou McFarlane, CEO of Women in Sports Tech: “It’s rewarding beyond measure to see how technology has impacted the growth of women’s sports”

What sports does your tech apply to? And have you been surprised by its use?

Initially, our technology was primarily focused on football in the UK, a sport I have been deeply connected with from a young age through playing and watching. This initial focus allowed us to develop and refine our models, specifically in the area of transfer risk assurance, utilising forward-looking predictive models to create tangible value in the football space.

However, as our work progressed, we discovered that these models could also benefit fans by generating personalised content. This insight led us to pivot our focus towards fan engagement technologies. Our technology is not limited to football; it also extends to cricket, where the potential for fan engagement is significant, especially in regions like India, which boasts over a billion cricket enthusiasts.

Our athlete protection software is designed to be sport-agnostic, meaning it can be applied across various sports. The versatility of this technology has also opened possibilities beyond sports, with potential applications for celebrities and politicians to manage and reduce the volume of online abuse they receive. This broader applicability of our tech is a rewarding development, highlighting the diverse uses and impact of our innovations in sports tech and beyond – including the impact it could have for the wider population to tackle cyberbullying.

Can you give an example of a complex problem in sports that you – or your company – have been involved in tackling with technology?

One of the complex problems we tackled at our company involved enhancing decision-making in football transfers. We developed a cutting-edge model designed to simulate a football player’s transfer to a new club, providing contextual analysis for decision-makers and answering critical ‘what-if’ questions.

This model assessed potential transfers in three key areas:

Firstly, teamwork dynamics. We trained models to analyse how players interact on the pitch, identifying which player combinations lead to positive outcomes like goals or shots and which might result in losing possession. Factors such as playing styles, language compatibility, and age were considered to predict how well new players would synergise with existing team members.

Secondly, tactical fit. The model evaluated whether a player’s skills and playing style would align with the tactical approaches, formations and strategies preferred by the prospective manager. This helped in determining how seamlessly a player could integrate into the team’s existing tactical framework.

Finally, return on investment. We analysed the financial aspect, predicting whether the player would likely sell for a profit in the future based on performance metrics and market trends.

This technology has been adopted by over 30 teams across Europe, offering them a robust tool for strategic planning in player acquisitions. Furthermore, we extended this technology to fans, allowing them to explore potential signings for their clubs and simulate future performances. This approach not only streamlines the decision-making process for clubs but also enhances fan engagement by involving them in speculative team-building scenarios.

Related reading: Tom Marley, CEO of Played: “In 2024, it is still too hard for people to start playing sports”

What do you believe is the biggest opportunity in sports tech right now?

The biggest opportunity in sports tech today arises directly from one of the most pressing issues: athlete abuse on social media. A revealing Ofcom study highlighted that athletes [specifically, footballers in the English Premier League] receive an average of 362 abusive messages daily — translating to one every four minutes, with 70% of athletes regularly exposed to this onslaught. Such relentless negativity not only impacts their mental well-being but also diminishes their performance.

Current responses from social media platforms and government interventions have largely failed to address this escalating problem. This gap presents a crucial opportunity for the deployment of advanced artificial intelligence. AI technology offers innovative tools to effectively detect, monitor and manage online abuse, providing robust protection for athletes against the hostile elements of online environments.

SentientSports is pioneering efforts in this domain, developing AI solutions tailored to combat online abuse. Our goal is to collaborate with leading sports clubs, rights holders and the athletes themselves. By harnessing AI, we aim to safeguard the new generation of athletes, enabling them to focus on their sports careers in a safer, more supportive online world. This strategic use of technology not only resolves critical issues but also enhances the overall sports ecosystem.

What advice do you have for those wanting to start a career in sports tech, or those wanting to launch a startup in the space?

Breaking into the sports technology space can be challenging due to the high level of competition, but there are effective strategies to make yourself stand out. Firstly, take the initiative to create and share content such as code or analytics projects in your spare time. This not only builds your skills but also develops a portfolio that can showcase your capabilities to potential employers or investors.

Next, identify your strengths, even if they’re not directly related to sports, and consider how these can be applied within the sports industry. Remember, sports organisations are complex businesses that require diverse skill sets — from accounting to marketing. By bringing expertise from outside the sports world, you can offer unique perspectives and solutions that blend your professional strengths with your passion for sports.

Finally, it’s crucial to approach your career with confidence. Apply for roles that interest you, and if you don’t succeed at first, use the feedback to improve. Learning from each experience prepares you better for the next opportunity. This proactive and resilient approach can significantly increase your chances of launching a successful career or startup in the dynamic field of sports technology.