The initiative creates an open platform for collaboration and applied innovation to accelerate the development, validation, and adoption of technologies tackling digital piracy in sport.
Madrid, April 21, 2026 – The Global Sports Innovation Center (GSIC) has announced the launch of its Anti-Piracy Technology Observatory, a new initiative developed in response to the evolving needs of its partners and the wider sports industry. The project has already received early backing from leading organizations including LALIGA and Microsoft.
The Observatory is designed to accelerate the development, validation, and adoption of technologies that help combat digital piracy in sport, bringing together stakeholders from across the sports, technology, and media landscape. The initiative was officially unveiled at the PEAK Conference in Las Vegas, in front of a global audience of sports industry leaders and innovators.
Digital piracy remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the sports industry today, undermining the value of audiovisual rights, reducing revenues, and impacting fan trust. As piracy ecosystems become more sophisticated, decentralized, and harder to control, the Observatory provides a collaborative and technology-driven approach to addressing this challenge at scale. The initiative is open to participation from sports organizations including clubs, leagues, federations, broadcasters, and event organizers. GSIC will also extend invitations across its international network of more than 200 sports entities.
Through the Observatory, key stakeholders—including sports organizations, broadcasters, agencies, technology providers, and startups—will work together to identify, assess, and test solutions in areas such as real-time detection and disruption of illegal streams, AI-powered monitoring and predictive analytics, traceability technologies like blockchain and watermarking, and new approaches based on user behavior insights.
With this initiative, GSIC further strengthens its position as a global platform for innovation in sport, connecting technology with real industry needs through three core pillars: continuous technology scouting, structured engagement between solution providers and sports organizations, and the activation of pilot projects and business development opportunities. These initiatives will be supported by GSIC’s global presence, including the GSIC Testing Lab in Valencia as a key hub for real-world testing and validation.
“With the launch of this Observatory, we are taking another step forward in our mission to drive applied innovation in sport,” said Iris Córdoba, Managing Director of GSIC. “This initiative is the direct result of listening to our partners and the industry, and aims to create an open, collaborative space to protect the value of sports content through technology and cooperation.”
By joining the Observatory, participating organizations will also strengthen their positioning at the forefront of audiovisual rights protection, sending a clear signal to the market about their commitment to tackling piracy through innovation and reinforcing their role in international innovation ecosystems.
Know more about this initiative here
Know more about this initiative here
