Is NASCAR going to use AI to fix playoff format?
NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell has shared his opinion on using Artificial Intelligence to fix controversial playoff format.
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NASCAR Clash at the Colosseum 2024 (Via IMAGO)
The 2024 NASCAR Cup season, according to many in the racing community, exposed the issue with the playoff format. There was a significant group in the stock car racing community that was disappointed with Joey Logano winning the title, as he took advantage of the system, peaking at the right time after having an average regular season.
Following the controversies and debates around the post-season format, NASCAR has shown interest in making some tweaks going into the 2025 season. It seems the sanctioning body might use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to fix the format. COO Steve O’Donnell has confirmed that AI has the potential to play a big role in finding ways to efficiently apply the NASCAR formats.
Just around racing, the strategy that now goes into a race, how that applies to our formats of the future, I think AI can play a really big role in that.
Steve O’Donnell said via SBJ.
He pointed out that, when thew playoff format was initially crate, it was done with the data available for the sport at the moment and the human resources. Now with the availability of AI, they think it can used to make some significant tweak.
.@NASCAR is evaluating how it can use generative AI for competition matters such as asking a model how playoff format changes could impact the sport, per COO Steve O'Donnell.
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) December 27, 2024
🗨: "How that applies to our formats of the future, I think AI can play a really big role in that." pic.twitter.com/wbNituf4tm
When we created even the stages or playoff format, you did that with the best data you had and best minds you had, but now being able to plug in and work with AI in terms of, ‘OK, if you tweak the playoffs this way, what should we be watching out for’ or ‘How much could that affect the sport?’
Steve O’Donnell added.
Steve O’Donnell sees AI being very helpful for the sport
In the same conversation with Sports Business Journal, O’Donnell pointed out that there are AI model available that can be very helpful. He also sees opportunities to use AI to make business side of NASCAR more efficient as well.
There’s so much data and technology out there that you can now throw into a model, I think it’s going to be very helpful in looking at some predictive analysis of where the sport can go in the future and then there’s the whole business side of things too.
Steve O’Donnell said.
The comments from Steve O’Donnell shows NASCAR seems determined to use technology to make the sports better. But they have to make sure the tweaks that are going to be introduced align with fans expectations.
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Justin P Joy
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