Special Episode – Track160

On today’s episode, I speak with Ran Carmeli from Track160. We talk about their data and analytics program. Learn more about Track160.

Matt: [00:00:00] Hi everybody. Welcome to Discover College Soccer. Today we got a little special episode for you. I’m excited to be talking to Ran Carmeli from Track160. Welcome, Ran. Hi, 

Track160: I’m happy to be here. Thank you.

Matt: Yeah, thanks for coming on. And, uh, so I’m sure there’s gonna be a, a lot of folks who are like, Matt, why are you talking to a company called Track160?

Uh, this is not a track and field, uh, app here. Um, but, uh, I saw these guys in Philadelphia at the coaches convention and, and thought what they were doing was pretty cool. Uh, and so I reached out and. Turns out Ron, Ron has some good college soccer experience as well. So we’ll talk to him about that at the beginning and then learn a little bit more about Track one 60.

So, so Ron, do me a favor, tell me about yourself and, and your college soccer experience. 

Track160: Yes, for sure. So first of all, thank you for having me and, uh, I’m happy, uh, to be here on this platform. Uh, speaking about, uh, a little bit about my background and of course about Track160, our. As, as, as feedback that we are getting the revolutionary, um, solution, um, software system.

But, uh, just before that, um, American Israeli, so I was born in New York and then, uh, my family moved to Israel back at the seventies and was raised in Israel, started to play soccer since I was. And then, uh, [00:01:30] in Israel it’s, uh, mandatory. So at the age of 18, it’s mandatory to go to the military service. So, so at the age of 18, I, uh, decided to, uh, put aside my soccer career and go to, uh, do some substantial service.

So I was, uh, uh, serving at the Special Forces. I was in officer, so I had to sign another year. So it’s total of four years that I served at the, uh, Israeli. And, uh, once, uh, released from the Army, I decided to come, go back to the US and, uh, um, acquire my, uh, business, uh, uh, degree, um, uh, majoring in business administration with a minor in marketing and communication.

And I did that at Southern Connecticut State University in, uh, new Haven, Connecticut. Um, so, so the reason going there was, uh, both from the soccer side as, as a great program running by, uh, former head coach, uh, Ray Reid and from the business, uh, perspective, cause they had the great, uh, business administration program running at university.

So I was there for, uh, three and a half years. Um, attending three years at, uh, part of the, uh, soccer team, uh, was fortunate to be part of the 95 winning the national Championship. So, As, as you know, the American way. So I have this huge [00:03:00] ring, which, which I don’t wear, but if you go with this here in Israel, uh, you people might think you are crazy.

So, uh, I don’t have a lot of chances. But yeah, it was great experience. Uh, uh, um, soccer wise, uh, business wise education. And, and I got to really, uh, get to know the, the, the, um, uh, US soccer organization, NCAA and, and, uh, experiencing. And, and I gotta tell you, if, if I was now back again releasing just yesterday from the, from the service, that’s what I’ll do again.

Uh, same way and, and, uh, enjoying it. So, Um, now with, with Track one 60 being here, the VP sales and, uh, business development worldwide, I’m responsible to, um, kind of like launch and, and, um, um, uh, bring the message the, that we track one 60, uh, bringing, which, which we’ll talk, uh, soon. And it’s, it’s about a software company.

We developed a software that provide data analytics. For, uh, uh, soccer games. And this is only by AI computer vision, uh, optical tracking system that we, uh, were the one to, uh, since 2017 developed. Um, very, very sophisticated algorithms that [00:04:30] enable us to do all, uh, the data analytics generation. Just from the video, nowhere.

No cheap, no gps, nothing. Just from the video that we are acquiring from the. 

Matt: Yeah, so it, it, it was crazy to me, one of, you know, walking around the, the show floor there at the convention, uh, how many data analytics, um, those types of, of services, applications, whatever you wanna call ’em, were, were so popular, uh, this year.

And of course, you know, my daughter’s soccer club, we, we have trace, you know, so we’re videotaping and, and, and you know, they’re moving away from the wearables, although they still have the wearable option right now. Um, so the one thing that I thought was interesting about Track one 60 was you guys were coming at it.

From what I saw in a different way than most people. Right. There’s not, like you said, they’re not putting, uh, what is it, Playmaker, whatever the thing on your shoe or, or it’s not just a camera. It’s not just a, uh, upload a video and it spits out stats. You guys are a little bit different. So for those who, you know, are probably very unfamiliar with Track160, can you gimme a little bit more about exactly what it is, how it works, and why it would be good for, for teams?

Track160: And, and I think the best way Will, will kind of like run the process, how we do that. And then getting into a little bit, uh, the technical [00:06:00] aspect. So, so basically it’s about getting, uh, three videos from three cameras positioned in one spot of the field. We don’t need to be around the, the pitch or behind goals.

We need to be, um, somewhere next to the mid. In, in, um, I would say about, uh, between 25 to 30 feet high and then, uh, with a distance from sideline, like, uh, 15, 20 feet. And then we don’t have to be exactly on midline. We can go sideways, like 20 feet each side. So, so we good with that. And this is the spot that we will have the three cameras.

So it could be on a light pole, it could be on a top of the stance, it could be on top of a box, it could be on on high fence, wherever. We, we are not, we are very flexible of where we, we put the camera and then we record the game with those three cameras overlooking the entire pitch. So one will go to the right center and left, and then once the game recorded and, and the game ended, the recorded footage with an internet connection will be uploaded up to the.

In. And, um, that’s where we are gonna do our solving process, where we are going to generate all these data and analytics, uh, up in the cloud. So here again, very, very, I would say, um, specific added value and, and advantage. Everything is done fully automated up in the. So once we get the [00:07:30] recorded footage, we only need the gaming info, meaning starting lineups and substitution.

And then the, the system will start to work on, on getting all those analytics and data and everything, video clips and, and, uh, everything and everything is done automatically. So, um, that’s, that’s once we finish this process, which takes somewhere in about, uh, 10 to 12 hours, then the, all the data analytics and video clips, everything will be ready for coaches on the web app that we develop and for players on the mobile.

Which, I don’t know if you were able to see what FIFA just launched in their last, uh, world Cup in Qatar, they had a mobile app for the players, which showed each player after the game, right after the game, show them the performance. And we are here in a small company, uh, fairly small, coming from a small country.

We. This, uh, specific, uh, mobile application before fifa. We already launched back in September and, uh, uh, youth club all over the world using this, uh, mobile application, which all provide the platform for players as well as for parents. So parents no longer need to see their kids’ game only from the screen of the cell phone.

[00:09:00] Cause they wanna take, if they, they gonna make a score, a goal, or do a good, uh, pass or good move. So now they all getting it right away, uh, in about 12 hours after the game to their mobile app. Now a little bit about the technology behind it. So we are basically tracking the jersey. And the skeleton of each individual player that the system create, and from the minute that the system track each individual player from the first second of the game.

They will be tracked for the entire game. So we are tracking all 22 players that are on the pitch. So meaning we are, um, taking the home team as well as the away team, the opponents, and, uh, even, even, uh, the referees. So, so we get information how the performance of the referees. So that’s, that’s kind of the process.

And, um, the fact that it is all done fully automat. It’s a big advantage and it’s a good value for coaches. You know, coaches, if we talk about coaches at uh, uh, college level universities or even at, uh, soccer clubs, um, usually they have, uh, more than just one role being the, uh, coach or assistant coach, and they have day job.

They have other teams that they coach and they don’t. A lot of time to put into, uh, clipping taggings, even the distribution to a specific [00:10:30] player. It’s something that requires a lot of time. So then, uh, they all get it. Fully automatically. And, and they can use it. And they get the video clips of each specific event.

They get that, uh, they get the sports science data, meaning, uh, each player, how much distance did they cover? What was the top speed? How many sprints was it in? Possession out of possession, which direction? Acceleration. Acceleration. So everything is being provided to them within the click. 

Matt: So, and, and, and you kinda mentioned this a little bit.

A lot of times, I mean, I was lucky enough to visit, uh, Uh, Brent’s Club a few years back and they had, uh, you know, offices and it was just the, the data and analytics guys, you know, breaking down video and, and, and all the things that they would come up with and give to the head coach to, to work into training or to address with players, et cetera, et cetera.

But, you know, youth clubs especially, we’re not gonna have that. Right. And, and even college programs usually don’t have that kind of of manpower. So do you. Does someone need a, a specialist to, to, to analyze the data that Track160 produces? Or is it simple enough for a coach? You know, like you said though, the person who’s got multiple jobs to adopt and, and implement whatever it is that they’re finding.

Track160: It’s, it’s not simple enough. It’s very simple and it’s, it’s, you know how [00:12:00] it is with softwares and, and we’ve been through all this, you know, with the technology today, a lot of softwares that, that are within reach and applications. And we understand and that’s what we, we saw throughout the way. Just when we started, we understood that if we want to.

This youth level, we need to have it a very, very simple and user friendly. So as, as we say, keys, keep it simple. So this is very simple, it’s very straightforward, it’s very, very user friendly. And you know, the feedbacks that I’m getting with clubs that, that acquiring our, um, services and system. That after using the system five, 10 minutes, they feel very comfortable.

They feel like they were using it for, for a long time and this, this is exactly what we wanted to do. So, you know, sometimes you get some new software and then it’s become a little bit difficult. So it’s okay. You know what? I’ll deal with it over the weekend and then weekends come and you do, you have other tasks, you know, you need, sometimes you have kids, sometimes you have games, sometimes you have, uh, other missions to, uh, a wife, uh, ask you to do some stuff.

And then you said, okay, I’ll deal with that later. And then that’s what happened. You don’t, you don’t deal with it. That’s why it’s very simple. It’s very straightforward and it’s very added value. So as soon as they get it, as soon as they use it, they understand the value. And you did, you said it. Uh, the best.

They are taking the information there and being able to improve the level of the [00:13:30] player as well as their level of coaching. Cause if I see something that was happening in the uh, last match. And then I said, okay, I wanted the, the back four to keep the, maintain the straight line and not breaking the offside line.

And then I see that this was broke down, uh, a few times during the game. I know right away that this is something I need to work on during the practices over the week and make sure that it’s not gonna happen for the next game. 

Matt: So in terms of, uh, A team or club who, who, who maybe wants to implement this, this awesome technology.

You know, who is this really geared for? Is it, you know, uh, of course youth clubs, the, the problem’s always gonna be price, right? But, uh, so, so who is this really? Targeted towards and who might be able to take advantage of, of some, some traffic. 

Track160: So, uh, as, as we, we focused on, on the youth. So within the youth, we can see the layers of, uh, high schools and, and you know, there are out there, uh, a lot of high schools who, who seems to be very competitive and, and they.

Uh, both, uh, goals, uh, to, to have good results for the, for the high school and to improve the program over the high school as well as to develop the players. So, so, um, this is for high school, of course, college and universities, definitely, uh, on our radar [00:15:00] and, and target audience and, and, and taking it also to the youth clubs and those, uh, who participate in leagues and, and would.

To, uh, improve and, and, you know, get better and improve the level of the, uh, teams underneath the club as well as, you know, develop the player for getting into sometimes to a professional way or sometimes to get a good scholarship in, in good, uh, academic schools or, or, Universities. So definitely this is kind of like our tier and that’s where we, uh, feel that our system could be, uh, great value.

We are not looking at the. Top tier, although we do cover, uh, some, uh, first premier leagues around the world. Like in Hungarian, like in Saudi Arabia, like now the third league in, in, in Germany, uh, uh, men’s third league as well as, uh, women first league. Um, but uh, this is not our main focus. Our main focus is definitely the, the.

And if, if going a little bit underneath to the community level, you know, it’s, it’s becoming kind of challenging cause, cause these guys, they’re not really looking to, uh, you know, develop and, and improve and, and not very competitive. So for us it’s kind of challenging bringing all these. Very, uh, uh, granulated [00:16:30] data and, and, uh, for them.

So, so they probably will, will go with the video solutions and, and rather than taking it to the next level with data analytics and, uh, and, um, you know, having all the, the events that were during the games track and, and being presented as a performance aspects. 

Matt: So with this environment, I mean obviously AI is changing so rapidly and, and there’s being, advances are happening, you know, every day.

So where do you see this going next? What kind of new and innovative things might be just down the road, either six months, two years, whatever. 

Track160: So it’s funny cause you know, we, we, and, and you, you are right, we were very, very, uh, high sophisticated system using the AI and the algorithm that, that we develop, which is, uh, IPS for the companies.

And that’s like kind of magic, you know, getting all this information just from the video and, and not, uh, having the need to use the wear. And, and you know, one thing that we are. Creating and generating over the, the process, which I mentioned, the, the, the skeleton of the player, which can tell position, which can tell movement.

And then based on the ai, [00:18:00] we know what to anticipate, what is going to happen with the player in specific, uh, occasions. So in the process of, um, solving the game, we are creating those, uh, ske. Now those skeletons are already the basis for the next to come future metaverse. So imagine in the future, and this is not too far from, for, for us to take it to the next, uh, level, take those, um, skeletons and put some avatars on them, and then have their, their viewers or the fans, whoever would like to, uh, Um, to see the game, like he is playing it, like he is part of it.

And, and from the, the vision of, let’s say, from the goalkeeper vision or from the striker vision. So all of this, we already have it. It’s already structured, so now it’s just taking it, uh, and getting all together, putting some avatars and boom, it’s ready for, for the next, uh, I would say futuristic, uh, metaverse.

Matt: Wow. That, that, that could be interesting. Uh, that’s for sure. Well, the, the, the last, one of the last questions I have for you is, as soon as I saw it, why the name Track160. 

Track160: Okay. So it’s, it’s, it’s very simple. It’s probably the first [00:19:30] question I’m getting every meeting and, and the answer is kind of like, Simpler than whatever everybody thinks so.

So one 60 is the value of the letter. Of the founder, founder name is Mickey. And the, the value, or if you add the values of all the letters in his name is one 60. So it’s not the angle of the camera, it’s not what we cover on the pitch. It’s not, uh, how many seconds, uh, per, uh, frames per second. It’s just simple as the value of the letters of the name.

And, and with that, I wanted just to add one more. Uh, and I didn’t mention, so the, the system is, um, certified and qualified by fifa. So we’ve been running through tests every year and, and getting this, uh, certification and approvals and also Bundesliga in Germany and invested in, uh, in track like three years ago.

And they are kind of like the part of, of the, um, uh, total, I would say, board in, uh, of track. And we are very proud, uh, that they are part of it. And, and we’ve been, uh, using it to, to expand throughout the European, especially the German market. Working with Huff and I and, and now I’m starting to work with the third League men and, uh, first Women League, which [00:21:00] by the way, gonna be the first Women League worldwide.

They’re going to get tracking data from the games. So this is, uh, yeah, it’s, it’s quite an accomplishment. 

Matt: Yeah, that’ll be awesome to see. Well, Ron, I really appreciate the time. It’s, uh, it’s been an interesting conversation. I know that the data and analytics space is growing like crazy in the soccer world, and it’ll be interesting to see, uh, hopefully some, some places where Track one 60 makes some headway into, into the us, whether that’s at the college level or at the club level.

Uh, I know I would, I would love to have that, this kind of, uh, data and. Stats and camera angles and all the things you talked about for, for some of my daughter’s games. And, and hopefully we’ll get there in the not too distant future.

Track160: Yeah, for sure. And, and, uh, so, so you mentioned, uh, getting data. So, so is is probably, uh, most of our audience, uh, were, uh, able to see the Money Ball movie, uh, uh, Brad Pit a great, uh, So, so it’s all about data and the future is going to data, and I think we have the revolutionary system to provide this with not huge investment like the elite club and something that is, is suitable for youth clubs and hopefully sooner the later in, uh, your daughter’s club, uh, being able to get you.

And we will get you the, uh, mobile app so you can get all the analytics straight to [00:22:30] your. Without having to, uh, even go, uh, what’s going on on the. 

Matt: Well, it, it’s also useful for when, you know, when dad’s the coach and dad’s telling her what she’s doing wrong and she doesn’t believe me, it’s much easier to grab the phone and show it to her.

Track160: But, uh, yeah. Yeah. That’s gonna make your life easier. 

Matt: Yeah, absolutely. Well, folks, I, I, I recommend checking ’em out online, track one sixty.com. You’ll see the, the level of, of clarity and the different types of statistics and an and analysis that they provide is really cool stuff. So, Ron, thank you for the time.

Really Appreciate it. 

Track160: Thank you very much. Have a great day.