Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Sport Research

In professional sports, there is potential to leverage extensive and detailed datasets generated from various aspects of the sports industry. However, challenges arise from the limited time available for data analysis and the vast amount and diversity of the data to be evaluated. Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques can significantly aid decision-makers in addressing these challenges. Over the past twenty years, AI has significantly impacted how we analyze and engage with sports. This perspective paper offers a comprehensive overview of the machine learning paradigm, highlighting its potential to improve sports performance and business analytics. It reviews relevant research on AI and ML applications within the sports industry and presents hypothetical scenarios demonstrating how these technologies might influence the future of sports.