{"id":785145,"date":"2026-01-16T18:36:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T18:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/?p=785145"},"modified":"2026-01-16T18:36:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T18:36:01","slug":"from-guarding-the-goal-to-opening-player-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.abnewswire.com\/pressreleases\/from-guarding-the-goal-to-opening-player-data_785145.html","title":{"rendered":"From Guarding the Goal to Opening Player Data"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kwon Jeong-hyeok, CEO of SPOIT, and His Vision to Reshape the Sports Ecosystem<\/strong><\/p>\n

“After 16 years of guarding the goal, we’re now opening player data.”<\/p>\n

With these words, Kwon Jeong-hyeok<\/strong>, CEO of SPOIT<\/strong>, summarizes his transformation—from Korea’s first goalkeeper to compete on the European stage to the founder of an AI-based sports data platform. Once defined by his reflexes on the field, Kwon is now focused on reshaping how athletes are seen, evaluated, and given opportunities through technology.<\/p>\n

A Player Who Wanted to Think Freely<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kwon Jeong-hyeok spent 16 years as a professional footballer<\/strong>, building a distinguished career that included European league experience and the record for Korea’s longest goal by a goalkeeper. Yet he admits that, beyond achievements, what he truly sought as a player was the freedom to think.<\/p>\n

After retiring, he spent his final season as a playing coach in the K3 League. The moment he returned home after his last match, his entire football life—from the day he first kicked a ball to that final whistle—flashed before him.<\/p>\n

“Those 30 years passed like a dream. I felt the next 30 years could pass just as quickly. That’s why I wasn’t afraid of trying something completely new.”<\/p>\n

Identifying a Market Gap from Personal Frustration<\/strong><\/p>\n

The idea behind SPOIT was born from discomfort Kwon experienced firsthand. When transferring to a European club, he discovered there was no specialized company in Korea producing professional player highlight videos<\/strong>. Analysts and video teams filled the gap, but quality and pricing were inconsistent and inefficient.<\/p>\n

“What we do at SPOIT is solve inconveniences I personally experienced as an athlete. I understand how things work on the field.”<\/p>\n

However, founding a company required skills far beyond football—finance, accounting, labor law, and human resources. While the learning curve was steep, Kwon credits his athletic career for preparing him.<\/p>\n

“As a professional athlete, I learned how to endure extreme pressure. That experience helps me navigate the uncertainty of running a startup.”<\/p>\n

Choosing Steady Growth Over Speed<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rather than chasing rapid expansion, SPOIT has prioritized sustainable growth<\/strong>. The company has steadily increased sales and secured multiple government-backed programs, including TIPS.<\/p>\n

Kwon explains SPOIT’s internal philosophy clearly:<\/p>\n

“The most important ability we value is how well someone uses autonomy. We don’t judge people by short-term performance. We work with people who can focus, produce results, and still finish within a 40-hour workweek.”<\/p>\n

SPOIT avoids forced company dinners and unnecessary hierarchy, fostering a culture where employees concentrate during work hours and deliver results through self-directed responsibility.<\/p>\n

Scoutbox: 99% AI, 1% Human Expertise<\/strong><\/p>\n

SPOIT’s flagship service, Scoutbox<\/strong>, automatically analyzes a full 90-minute football match using AI, extracting around 30 key scenes. These clips are then refined by human experts.<\/p>\n

Kwon is firm about why SPOIT chose a hybrid model<\/strong> instead of full automation:<\/p>\n

“Our algorithm identifies key moments with over 99% accuracy. Vision AI is already replacing human recognition, judgment, and recording. The remaining 1%—expert curation—ensures trust and quality.”<\/p>\n

The company is actively accumulating sports data through smart polling systems, a directly operated football center, and large-scale video acquisition—moves that required bold, sometimes risky decisions.<\/p>\n

“Soon, all sports footage will be viewed, judged, categorized, and recorded by AI. Every decision we make aligns with that future.”<\/p>\n

Expanding From Scouting to a Sports Data Platform<\/strong><\/p>\n

SPOIT serves both B2B clients<\/strong> (player agencies and professional teams) and B2C users<\/strong> (youth and amateur athletes). Looking ahead, the company plans to evolve into a Netflix-style sports platform<\/strong>, offering:<\/p>\n