Wyscout
 | |
| SPA | |
| Industry | Football Scouting, Match Analysis, Football Transfers |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Chiavari, Italy |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Matteo Campodonico (Founder, CEO) |
| Products | Wyscout Platform, Wyscout Forum |
Number of employees | 50 |
| Website |
www |
Wyscout is an Italian company that supports football scouting, match analysis and transfer dynamics. The company was founded in Chiavari, Liguria, Italy in 2004.[1]
History
2004–2010: Early years, B2B commercialization
During the years 2004–2010 the company business was about on demand Football Matches Analysis, WebTVs, Advertising, DVB-T TV broadcasting, and the Capello Index project. A very early version of the Wyscout Platform was released on March 2008. The company changed several names during the years 2004–2010 (Sport Video Service, Wisport, Wi, Wigroup, Wysport, WY, Wygroup) the final and current name of the company is Wyscout since May 2010.
2010–Present: Growth
In 2010 the company published a new major release of its main product, Wyscout Platform 2 (website and iOS versions); this was the release that made the product the visibility in the football scouting business which is now. In 2011 Wyscout organized the first Wyscout Forum, a football related event, in Milan. In August 2012, former Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said that Wyscout was "a good example of Italian IT company".[2][3]
Products and services
Wyscout Platform
Early versions
The Wyscout Platform is a database containing info about footballers, it was published online on March 2008, with the name "Wiscout", that version was called 0.1. The platform consisted in a website where it was possible to order DVDs via Express Courier and to browse the footballer stats as height, weight, etc. In December 2008, the company started to provide standalone online html webpages with an embedded online video player to stream the football matches requested by their clients (Wiscout 0.2). Wiscout Platform 0.3 was released and made accessible from Google Chrome on February 2009, there was the possibility to watch streamed football matches within the online platform, there was a small quantity of games available at the beginning.
Wiscout Platform
In Spring 2009, the company released Wiscout Platform 1.0 through customized Set-top boxes, it was possible to have access to the video database through an HDTV. In Spring 2010 the name of the product was changed in Wyscout Platform.
Wyscout Platform 2
It was published online as website on 5 March 2010. The GUI of this version was very different from the previous one, displaying flags of all the nations in the home page, and the submenus displayed lists of all the championships, teams and players of the selected country.
Wyscout Platform 3
Wyscout Platform 3 was released on 5 March 2012 via website and as iOS App.[3]
Wyscout 4
The latest main release is Wyscout 4, available as website since June 2014.
Wyscout Forum
The Wyscout Forum is a B2B event where football agents, football clubs and players agencies dealt together; it principally served as a hub of connection between them. The Wyscout Forum is generally held in the executive suites of football stadiums or hotels of global cities like London, Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Moscow and Milan. The first Wyscout Forum took place in spring 2011.[1] The Wyscout Forum received good reception from both The Independent and The Guardian.[1][4] As of April 2014, there have been nine editions of the Wyscout Forum.
Reception
During the years 2012–2013, both The Guardian and The Independent wrote about the Wyscout Platform spending good words in reference to the dimensions of its database,[1][4] The Guardian also praised the possibility to spot potential skilled footballers using the online platform.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Scouting enters brave new world as clubs step up search for talent. The Guardian (13 December 2012).
- ↑ Chi è l’imprenditore a cui Monti ha fatto i complimenti? L’ideatore di Wyscout | Il Fatto Quotidiano. Il Fatto Quotidiano.it (20 August 2012).
- 1 2 Big Data gives pro sports scouts an edge | Silicon Valley Business Journal. Silicon Valley Business Journal (12 July 2012).
- 1 2 From royals to the palace boy-scout by appointment. The Independent (14 August 2013).