Sevilla FC and FC Bengaluru United announce Hackathon and Supporters' Club launch
Sevilla FC has placed their faith in India as an emerging market for football and has secured a foothold in the country through its partnership with FC Bengaluru United. Over the past week, the Andalusian club has sent its top delegates to Bangalore to launch a series of programs that will provide the footballing ecosystem in the city with a massive boost.
The La Liga club has adopted a data-driven approach to their scouting infrastructure and is hosting a Hackathon in Bangalore this weekend. The event reportedly aims to enhance the two clubs' technological prowess and identify innovative approaches to aid their scouting infrastructure.
Some memorable moments from the corporate dinner with Sevilla FC last night 🤝
Swipe for a jumbo surprise! 😉
#FCBU #WeAreUnited #UnitedWeStand #SevillaFC #SevillaIndiaVisit #IndiaVisit2022 https://t.co/qdR14YCIhh
The La Liga giants have also launched a supporters' club in Bangalore and are working towards making their presence felt in the city. According to Sevilla CEO Jose Maria Cruz, India has been identified as a tier-1 market and will play a crucial role in growing the club's global reach.
FC Bengaluru United are also set to benefit from an alliance that will provide them with access to the Spanish club's time-tested methods. The club is only four years old at the moment and has placed a keen focus on growth and innovation.
On Wednesday, Sevilla FC held a press conference in collaboration with FC Bengaluru United. The Spanish delegates addressed questions posed by Sportskeeda's journalists and shed light on the club's objectives in India.
Sevilla FC x FC Bengaluru Press Conference
Q: European football has become quite popular in Bangalore, particularly over the last ten years. How does Sevilla FC plan on leveraging this partnership with FC Bengaluru United to build a community of supporters here?
Jorge Paradela, Business GM: We cannot take on the world all at once. We are targeting four specific countries as our tier-1 markets – India, China, Mexico, and the US. We cannot go over the entirety of India at one time – it is just too big, so we decided to start with FCBU.
When you look at the combined social media data of the two clubs, it is quite promising. We’re only starting, and we really need to increase the rate of growth in that area, both in followership and in engagement.
During this trip, we’re going to inaugurate the first fan club of Sevilla FC in Bengaluru. It’s going to be a long journey, but both clubs are determined to build something that is going to last.
Club President José Castro met @bengaluruunited founder @manchandagaurav on our visit to India! 🇮🇳 https://t.co/A8atmqRWb5
Q: Bangalore is a tier-1 city with an established football structure. Sevilla FC is a club that has adopted a data-driven approach to enhance its scouting infrastructure. Do you also plan to reach out to other villages and towns in the state to tap into their local talent?
Elias Zamora, Chief Data Officer: First of all, our data strategy is mainly directed towards scouting for the Sevilla FC first team in La Liga. It is not directed towards the scouting of children and teenagers in India or Spain. The Hackathon's datasets are primarily directed towards the detection of talent in the top leagues in which we typically find our players.
This doesn’t mean that we are not going to make an effort to include the technical methods and know-how of the club in FCBU’s academy. This is one of the most promising programs of our collaboration. But the core of the Hackathon and the algorithms that will be built there are mainly directed towards the first teams of Sevilla FC and FCBU.