Shikenso challenges established players with bold move into European football

The landscape of brand logo tracking and sponsorship evaluation in sports has seen significant evolution over recent years, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. This field, long dominated by industry giants like Nielsen and KORE Software, now has a new challenger making waves—Shikenso Analytics. Founded in Germany in 2017, Shikenso has quickly established itself as a leader in esports, offering cutting-edge AI solutions for logo recognition and media exposure valuations. Today, the company has taken a bold step beyond the esports arena, securing a major partnership with the Belgian Pro League, marking its first foray into European football.

A major win in a competitive field

In a competitive tender process, the Belgian Pro League selected Shikenso Analytics to optimise brand exposure, media value, and fan engagement across the league's 29 clubs. This decision is particularly noteworthy as it ends a decade-long relationship with Nielsen, a longstanding provider of such services to the league. The move signals Shikenso's growing influence and ambition to challenge established players in the broader sports industry.

Shikenso’s CEO, Tarik Amhamdi, expressed his excitement about the new partnership, stating, "We are thrilled to partner with the Jupiler Pro League, a league celebrated for its competitive spirit and innovation. This is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate how we can help partners maximise sponsor values through fast and precise data."

Revolutionising sponsorship evaluation with AI

Shikenso’s technology represents a new standard in sponsorship evaluation, offering holistic tracking solutions that cover not only visual brand exposure but also auditory and textual mentions across various media platforms, including TV, print, digital, and social media. This comprehensive approach allows for a more accurate and complete understanding of a brand's presence and impact, making it an invaluable tool for both sponsors and rights holders.

Lorin Parys, CEO of the Pro League, highlighted the strategic significance of this partnership, saying, "The Pro League is always looking for innovative ways to strengthen its clubs. The new collective partnership with Shikenso ticks all the boxes. With its smart application of artificial intelligence, our clubs can build on their commercial strategy in the coming seasons, serve their partners even better, and tap into new revenue streams."

The future of sports exposure tracking

As Shikenso Analytics steps onto the European football stage, the industry will be watching closely to see how this partnership unfolds. With its proven track record in esports and now a foothold in one of Europe's most competitive football leagues, Shikenso is well-positioned to challenge the dominance of established players like Nielsen and KORE. The Belgian Pro League’s decision to embrace Shikenso’s AI solutions marks the beginning of what could be a significant shift in how sponsorship value is measured and maximised in sports.