Reading Football Club has announced a landmark partnership with Score, a Vision Intelligence platform operating as Bittensor Subnet 44, to advance data-driven football performance and club operations. The collaboration, which marks another bold step in Reading’s commitment to technological innovation, will see the club and Score co-develop next-generation video intelligence systems.
The partnership focuses on building a “Reading Model” — a vision system capable of analysing matches, players, and tactical performance with unprecedented depth. Leveraging Score’s decentralized infrastructure and advanced video analytics, the system aims to support coaching, recruitment, and even fan engagement operations.
Building the ‘Reading Model’
Through the one-year collaboration, Score’s team, led by Dr. Peter Cotton (Co-Founder and former Executive Director of Data Science at J.P. Morgan), will work closely with Reading’s performance and analytics departments. Together, they will develop a suite of tools designed to:
- Deliver rapid match and player analysis across leagues
- Provide objective, data-backed performance metrics
- Enhance tactical preparation and opponent scouting
- Support recruitment and broader decision-making processes
Beyond the pitch, the research could extend to other club operations such as CCTV, retail, and fan experience optimization — demonstrating how decentralized video processing can enhance both sport and business performance.
A Shared Heritage and Technological Vision
The project also carries a personal connection: Score founder Nigel Grant is the son of the late Ron Grant, Reading’s iconic kit man who served the club for nearly 20 years. The partnership thus bridges innovation with tradition, combining Reading’s football legacy with Score’s decentralized compute expertise.
Driving Decentralized Innovation in Sport
Operating as Subnet 44 within the Bittensor network, Score utilizes blockchain-powered compute to process football video at scale. Its models run 240 times faster than conventional computer-vision systems, enabling real-time insights without centralized dependencies. The partnership represents one of the first real-world integrations of decentralized compute infrastructure in professional sports.
Stuart Fenton, Head of AI at Reading FC, said:
“We’re thrilled to partner with Score on this groundbreaking Vision Intelligence initiative. Together, we’re building tools that can redefine performance analysis and create the foundation for the ‘Reading Model’.”
Maxime Sebti, CEO of Score, added:
“This collaboration makes elite-level data analysis accessible beyond the biggest clubs. Reading’s forward-thinking approach positions them among the most progressive organizations in global football.”
As Subnet 44 continues to expand within the Bittensor decentralized ecosystem, the Reading–Score partnership highlights how open networks can deliver high-performance, real-world applications — bridging sport, technology, and decentralized infrastructure in a single framework.
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