Event Recap] Sports x AI Tech Meetup Vol. 1 was held!

Sports x AI Tech Meetup Vol. 1" was held at the MIXI Shibuya office on Tuesday, September 30, 2025!

Thank you so much to everyone who attended (49 people at the venue and 81 people who applied online!) Thank you very much for your participation!

More than 120 people attended the event, both on-site and online. The event was filled with enthusiasm as academia, sports teams, startups, major companies, and students discussed "the future of AI and sports" across the boundaries of their industries.

All sessions can also be viewed on YouTube!

Here is a brief recap of each session.

Program of the day

Opening Remarks

Speaker: Scott Atom, Playbox

First, Mr. Scott Atom of Playbox gave opening remarks.
The purpose of the event is to "share knowledge" and "exchange people. He reiterated that the event is a place for academia, startups, and on-site engineers to gather and work together to shape the future of sports in Japan.

Keynote Speech 1: Toward Democratization of Sports x AI

Speaker: Dr. Keisuke Fujii, Nagoya University

Dr. Fujii of Nagoya University introduced the forefront of sports AI research and the concept of "sports AI that anyone can use. How AI research can solve problems close to the field, such as automatic data acquisition through video analysis and quantification of action values.
Particularly impressive were the open science activities to "keep research results closed. Many participants took notes as he talked about building bridges between research and the field through competitions and the release of open data sets.

Keynote Speech 2: Playbox's Challenge: Automating "Shooting, Viewing, and Analyzing" with Low-Cost AI Cameras

Speaker: Scott Atom, Playbox

Playbox introduced its self-developed AI camera system, a low-cost solution that can automatically capture, edit, and highlight all matches with two GoPros or a single smartphone, and has already accumulated data from over 800 matches. The presentation was a manifestation of Playbox's philosophy of "making AI a tool that anyone can use, not a privilege for professionals.

Keynote Speech ③: SoccerNet GSR and its application in the field

Speaker: Mr. Tonouchi, AI Modeling Group, MIXI

Mr. Tonouchi introduced the "Game State Reconstruction" (GSR) technology, which reconstructs player positions from soccer match footage, and an actual example of a POC project conducted in collaboration with FC Tokyo. He also talked about the development of a "3D board tool that reproduces a player's first-person viewpoint" for tactical guidance, to which the audience responded with admiration. The presentation was remarkable for its commitment to translating research results into the "language of the field.

Keynote Speech 4: Changing Sports from "Watching" to "Participating" - Practical Knowledge of NFT x Stadium x AI

Speaker: Mr. Katsuzaki, General Manager, Kamakura International FC Owner's Office

This is the story of how Kamakura Inter, a soccer club equivalent to J7, built its own stadium while connecting with the local community through crowdfunding and NFT. The "1-square meter owner NFT" receives a reward when he or she is involved in a goal, and the "area you support" is linked to the game through the video analysis of Playbox. He also shared an award-winning episode from the "enXross 3rd" Busicon held at the Tokyo Dome, which was met with a round of applause.

Keynote Speech 5: Changing the Bicycle Racing Broadcast - AI-based Real-time Fitness Display "WINLIVE

Speaker: Mr. Uchida, Sports Video Division, WinTicket

WINLIVE" developed by WinTicket, a subsidiary of CyberAgent, is a challenge to change the common sense of bicycle race broadcasting.
Combining video analysis and physical simulation, the remaining fitness of riders is visualized in real time. This new experience allows the viewer to understand at a glance why a rider has stalled out. The session attracted a lot of attention as a good example of redefining the "pleasure of watching" with technology.

LT Session (5-minute pitch)

1) Expanding Athletes' Careers with Generation AI

Speaker: Mr. Kono, President, Bloom Vision Inc.

Mr. Kono, a former J-League player and active athlete, gave a presentation on career development support using generative AI.
He provides post-retirement learning through an educational community in collaboration with LINE.
He made the impressive comment that "with AI, players themselves can "choose" their careers.

Analysts talked about how to utilize AI in the field.

Speaker: Chika Alanmare-Toyama

As an on-site analyst for a handball team, Chika introduced a practical example of using generative AI as an "everyday auxiliary wheel. The audience nodded in agreement at her many practical tricks, such as the automatic generation of command operations and data formatting. I felt the reality of practitioners when she said, "AI is a tool to be used in the hands of the users.

(3) Data Analysis and Application Case Study at the University of Tsukuba's Kickball Club

Speaker: Mr. Nakamura, University of Tsukuba (Playbox intern)

Mr. Nakamura introduced the data analysis system at the University of Tsukuba's soccer club with a level of perfection that was hard to believe for a student.
He explained how the 20-member analyst team improves tactics and designs practices based on stats automatically extracted from video data. The presentation attracted attention as a practical example of "student x AI analysis" that links numbers and the field.

4) Condition data and AI feedback

Speaker: Mr. Sakai, Euphoria Co.

Introduced an AI application case study of "ONE TAP SPORTS," a condition management system for athletes.
The system integrates GPS and wearable data to automatically evaluate athletes' conditions.
He shared his concept to support team management with automatic feedback by AI, even in the field where there are few specialized staff members.

Reception

After the presentations, networking was held over drinks and light refreshments.

Notice of Next Event and Future Prospects

Starting with this event, "Sports x AI Tech Meetup" is scheduled to continue in the future. We will continue to aim to form a community that uses technology to solve problems in the sports world.

We would like to thank everyone who participated, the speakers, and everyone who helped make this event a success. We look forward to the next event!