Pedro Schinocca, chief operating officer of Elche CF, attended a Madrid meeting this Monday representing a green‑haired entity. The gathering with Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, focused on advancing technological projects across the clubs in the top two divisions. The aim was to adopt innovations that boost sports performance, data analytics, and other areas where data driven decisions can improve results on the field.
Also present in the photo, the third from the right, was Fernando Roig Negueroles, a representative of Villarreal, who was scheduled to participate. Christian Bragarnik, the Elche owner, acted as a key organizer of the operation, and is related by marriage to the director of operations. The meeting occurred amid controversy over recent refereeing decisions in a match against Betis the previous Friday, raising questions about the arbitration process and its oversight by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. Club representatives, including Schinocca, expressed frustration with decisions that have affected Elche this season.
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Reports from EFE note that the commissioner spoke to club officials about how La Liga and Spanish football have pioneered high tech innovations that advance European football. The attendee asserted that these tools, from anti-piracy measures to visualization technologies, can generate contagious improvements and transformative effects that align with the New European Innovation Agenda.
Mariya Gabriel stressed that leveraging innovation in and through sport remains a top European priority, and that the current discussions show the involvement of the Spanish football industry in reaching that goal. There was mention of joint applications of synergies and solutions designed to deliver real impact, with plans to celebrate the First Innovation Summit on Sports and Innovation in Brussels on May 30. The summit is seen as a milestone for embedding innovation within the European sport model.
LaLiga president Javier Tebas described LaLiga as the most digital sports institution globally, highlighting the collaboration with talent and major technology companies like Microsoft and Globant as crucial to digital transformation. He emphasized that digitization is a right for all clubs, not just the big ones, and called for continued cooperative work across the sector.
Alexander Scannapieco, chief executive of LaLiga Tech, the league’s technology subsidiary, outlined a clear objective: accelerate projects and scale them to set a global standard in the convergence of sports and entertainment. He suggested that major clubs such as Atlético Madrid, Sevilla, Betis, Real Sociedad, and Cádiz would soon reveal initiatives that demonstrate tangible progress in analytics, automation, and fan engagement.
In this evolving landscape, the commitment to innovation is seen as essential for maintaining competitive advantage, improving matchday experiences, and enhancing the overall efficiency of club operations. The dialogue underscores a broader strategy to integrate cutting edge tools across the Spanish football ecosystem, with a view toward sharing best practices across Europe and beyond.