There has been significant recent discussion regarding the role of artificial intelligence in sports. An interesting announcement from France’s Ligue 1 revealed a new partnership with Camb.ai, which was announced last week. Camb.ai will serve as their “Global Language Solution Provider,” offering AI-powered translations—including on-the-fly translations and voice emulation—of Ligue 1 broadcasts in 150 languages. This follows other Camb.ai partnerships with MLS, the Australian Open, Comcast, and more.
This partnership comes at a time of growing global interest in Ligue 1, especially in Paris St. Germain following their impressive journey to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Now, fans around the world will have significantly more options to enjoy PSG’s domestic league matches and other Ligue 1 action. In light of this deal, LFP international media rights director David Labrune and Camb.ai co-founder Akshat Prakash shared their insights with Awful Announcing on the importance of this collaboration. Labrune pointed out that translation was a “blind spot” for their organization, stating, “LFP Media invests millions each year in producing high-quality content for broadcasters and media partners worldwide. However, we identified a blind spot in our strategy: many of our partners lacked the time and human resources to translate or dub our programs.” He stressed the need for a fast and scalable technology that can maximize the reach of their content: “We are now able to efficiently deliver localized programs to broadcasters, and ultimately to Ligue 1 fans, even in the least spoken languages.”
Prakash noted that the need for translation technology in sports is particularly acute. “Sports are the ultimate catalyst for cultural connection,” he explained. “No matter our backgrounds, if we both like PSG, we are family. A soccer broadcast sent out in any language allows fans in Tokyo, Chicago, or Athens to share the same experience as those in Paris. This technology allows leagues and broadcasters to expand their global fan bases.” Despite its potential, Prakash acknowledged that sports present unique challenges in translation, especially given live content’s urgency and nuance. “From a technology evolution perspective, sports represent the toughest type of content—the nuanced language, game-time excitement reflected in commentary, and fan engagement are all factors that complicate mastery. We have always used sports content as our benchmark.”
Labrune emphasized the timeliness of implementing this deal due to recent advancements in translation technology. “We have been evaluating AI-driven translation solutions for over a year, and it has become evident that these technologies have advanced significantly,” he stated. “Our tests of Camb.ai in languages such as Portuguese, Chinese, or Danish received positive feedback from our partners. With the competition for global attention fiercer than ever, it’s the perfect moment to adopt a tool for content distribution across various platforms.”
He pointed out what distinguishes Camb.ai among AI translation companies: “We were impressed by Camb.ai’s performance during tests at the Australian Open. Their solution offers flexibility in dubbing or subtitling different parts of the same program, allowing for various tones or neutral voices. Crucially, having a dedicated local account management team in France ensures smooth integration and ongoing support.” On Camb.ai’s side, Prakash remarked on the alignment between their brand goals and those of the LFP: “LFP is the perfect blueprint for sports embracing AI positively and constructively. With stars like Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, we can reach fans all over the world. They’ve already proven to be a fantastic partner.”
Reflecting on previous endeavors in soccer, Prakash noted that the demand for this kind of access is high among the global soccer community: “One key takeaway is understanding how engaged fans are and how they want to interact with the sport. The real objective should be to become completely multilingual, catering to fans and stakeholders alike. This partnership allows us to focus on what makes the most significant difference for the average fan with improved execution.” He continued that soccer leagues are ideally positioned to adopt this translation technology due to the sport’s extensive international audience: “Soccer has cultivated its global audience over decades and is ready to activate it for content localization. Other U.S. sports can learn from this approach.”
However, there are still challenges, particularly with less-common languages that have limited resources for Camb.ai’s learning system. Prakash acknowledged this but remains committed to the pursuit: “Low-resource languages are indeed challenging, but handling them makes our technology universal. We aim to provide access to diverse linguistic backgrounds without sacrificing their culture and identity.” Labrune added, “Since the start of the season, we have produced over 10,000 pieces of content across various areas, ensuring localized experiences for fans in different languages.” He also mentioned LFP Media’s broader integration of AI across multiple operations: “We focus on high-impact AI applications that enhance LFP Media’s operations, ranging from instant highlights to player scouting and marketing initiatives.”
Labrune emphasized LFP’s commitment to embracing AI as a transformative force in sports media: “Our goal is to set new standards in content production and fan engagement by effectively integrating AI across touchpoints.” Meanwhile, Prakash believes this translation technology is only beginning to roll out: “We’ll see this as standard operating procedure among major sports leagues. But it goes beyond sports; we’re collaborating with IMAX to bring AI translation to the big screen.” He sees a significant untapped market for personalized feeds, stating his goal simply: “Every story, any language. I want to eliminate the phrase ‘I wish I could watch that in…’ with our innovations. Our focus is on providing natural-sounding voice translation that maintains the emotional tone of the original performer, allowing everyone to have the same experience.”
