Major League Soccer (MLS) and IMG Arena have announced an expanded agreement. As part of this partnership, IMG Arena will supply MLS Next Pro with player and ball monitoring data.

IMG Arena will get data for player performance analysis through its cloud-based, deep tech platform.

The overall running distance of each player, speed zones, sprints, player-to-player distance, and other data will be included in this data.

In order to assist with training, information on the match officials will also be gathered and forwarded to the Professional Referee Organisation (PRO).

"One of the areas of focus for MLS Next Pro is innovation, so we are thrilled to be bringing this new player and ball tracking technology to the League," stated Ali Curtis, Senior VP of Competition and Operations at MLS Next Pro.

"IMG's dedication to providing the best possible experience is evident in their ongoing efforts to develop new solutions for football fans worldwide,"

IMG Arena uses machine vision to gather location data from video streams after acquiring Signality last year.

Since the collaboration was announced in 2022, IMG Arena, a sports data provider, has been providing marketing tools and fan analytics as an official partner of the Major League Soccer (MLS).

It is anticipated that the league would incorporate the player and ball monitoring data into its Sport Services platform at IMG Arena.

"With this expanded partnership, we're able to provide MLS Next Pro an all-encompassing data collection system," stated IMG Arena President Freddie Longe.

"Enhanced performance insights will be obtained by adding captivating ball tracking data and player analysis to our next-generation fan engagement analytics and creative content solutions, which are empowering the MLS universe of the future."

IMG Arena recently revealed that it has bought the data and streaming rights for the National Women's Soccer League, so this isn't the only development between the football community and the organisation.