ITF Pro Circuit – Live Scoring |
Submitted by editor on Tue, 14/08/2012 - 2:14pm
.jpg) ITF has reached agreement with the Swiss-based company Sportradar AG to act as the worldwide distributor for ITF Official Data from 1 January 2013 through 31 December 2016 (the “term”). This agreement will allow ITF to provide a live scoring service to tournaments on the ITF Pro Circuit through the use of handheld electronic scoring devices by chair umpires.
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ITF and Sportradar are in the process of developing the software which will facilitate collection of the live scoring data. Development and testing of equipment and training of officials is expected to be completed by 1 July 2013, at which time the ITF will distribute the scoring devices to Supervisors at ITF Pro Circuit tournaments.
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During the period 1 January 2013 – 30 June 2013, approved Sportradar data collection personnel (also known as “scouts”) may attend and work on-site at ITF Pro Circuit tournaments, as has been the case throughout 2012. Details of the identity (including photos) of the scouts will continue to be provided by the ITF, in advance, to each tournament. Tournaments will not be required to provide any assistance to the scouts (e.g. technology, hospitality) other than to give them access to the tournament site and permit them to attend matches for the duration of the tournament. Scouts will behave and dress in a professional and appropriate manner and are not permitted to access player/player support member’s areas or engage in conversation with players/player support team members.
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The rollout of scoring devices will be phased and therefore tournaments must use scorecards until advised to the contrary. Please note that provision of equipment and/or a live scoring service is subject to certain minimum requirements being in place to support live scoring. If these are not in place we will make best efforts to deliver live scoring where it is viable to do so otherwise scorecards will continue to be the method of scoring matches.
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Live Scoring, where available, will be provided to the National Association / tournament websites subject to a 30-second delay for all score updates.
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As set out in the Pro Circuit rulebook, regardless of whether or not devices are provided during the term, tournaments may not enter into an agreement with any other company for the collection of live scoring data and/or distribution of data.
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Tournaments must be vigilant about the presence of non-official scouts at tournament sites and must remove them if discovered.
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The ITF will shortly establish a working group, including National Association representation, to recommend a distribution formula for surplus revenue generated by this project in accordance with the principles set out in the ITF Pro Circuit rulebook.
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Finally, in addition to the data partnership, Sportradar has also been appointed as the ITF’s preferred streaming partner for the ITF Pro Circuit. Tournaments have the right to enter into a commercial streaming agreement offered by Sportradar or any other company and may retain all funds in full. Where a tournament enters into a streaming agreement with any other company such coverage may only be made available to the licensee and shown on the National Association / tournament websites subject to a 30-second delay.
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