Latest news with #WillBrass
The Star
16 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Microsoft signs deal to power Premier League's AI tools
A five-year 'strategic partnership' will see the UK football league, the world's most watched, migrate its 'core technology infrastructure' to Microsoft's Azure cloud-computing service, the company and league said in a statement. — AP Microsoft Corp has signed a cloud computing deal with the Premier League, a pact that will let the software company tout its AI technology to a captive audience of sports fans. A five-year "strategic partnership' will see the UK football league, the world's most watched, migrate its "core technology infrastructure' to Microsoft's Azure cloud-computing service, the company and league said in a statement on July 1. The Premier League's mobile apps and website will feature an artificially intelligent chatbot powered by Microsoft's AI services, as will the league's fantasy games. "This is the future of football,' Microsoft UK chief Darren Hardman said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. "It's data-driven drama, it's smarter stats, it's deeper stories, it's a better connection of the fan to what's going on.' He and Will Brass, the Premier League's chief commercial officer, declined to discuss the financial terms of the deal. Oracle Corp previously provided cloud-computing services to the league, but the arrangement expired at the end of the season earlier this year. Technology and sports marketing tie-ins are a crowded field, particularly in global football. Microsoft's Copilot brand is the sponsor for Beyond Stats, a service that provides game and team analysis for fans of Spain's top football division, La Liga. The stats that pop up during Germany's Bundesliga are festooned with the Amazon Web Services logo. Such deals are prized by technology companies because sports is the rare entertainment that people still watch live. In the 12 years since Microsoft struck a deal with the National Football League to place its tablets in the hands of team coaches, the tech industry has looked for creative ways to go beyond plastering their brand names on league signage. – Bloomberg
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Microsoft Will Power Premier League's AI Tools in Branding Push
Microsoft has signed a cloud computing deal with the Premier League, a pact that will let the software company tout its AI technology to a captive audience of sports fans. Microsoft UK CEO Darren Hardman and the Premier League Chief Commercial Officer Will Brass join Caroline Hyde and Ed Ludlow on 'Bloomberg Tech.' (Source: Bloomberg)
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
First look at Puma's new Premier League ball as Nike's 25-year partnership comes to an end... but will it please Mikel Arteta after his bizarre Carabao Cup complaints?
Puma have unveiled their first-ever Premier League ball for the 2025-26 campaign, following the start of their new lucrative deal. Following 25 years of partnership, the Premier League opted to end their ball deal with Nike at the end of last season. Puma are already the manufacturer of both the LaLiga and Serie A ball, while the Puma Orbita 1 was also in use in the Carabao Cup last season. And now the sportswear brand have premiered the Orbita Ultimate PL for the very first time. The ball will be in use for the Premier League's Summer Series pre-season event in July, before the the top flight kicks off on August 16. 'The launch of the new ball, which will be seen in play for the first time during the Premier League Summer Series, marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter,' said the Premier League's Chief Commercial Officer, Will Brass. A world 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙚 🎬 @premierleague x @pumafootball 🤝 — PUMA Football (@pumafootball) June 3, 2025 'We are thrilled to welcome PUMA as a key partner in our efforts to enhance the Premier League, both on and off the pitch. We can't wait to see the ball in action, delivering unforgettable goals and moments for players and fans alike.' Puma's match ball hit controversy last season in rather bizarre fashion, following Arsenal's Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat to eventual winners Newcastle. During the game, in which they lost 2-0, the Gunners failed to score despite having 23 shots at goal. But rather than blame his sides poor finishing that night at the Emirates, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta took aim at the way the ball moved. He said: 'We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it's tricky that these balls fly a lot so there's details that we can do better. 'It's just different. It's very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that. It flies different... when you touch it, the grip is very different as well so you have to adapt to that.' It's a ball that Arteta is going to have to get used to seeing his players kick about when they bid to upgrade their second-placed finish next season.
