Millar’s game changer gives small clubs solace in time of virus

A SCOTTISH comic-book writer with a string of Hollywood hits is hoping his new broadcasting innovation can ensure SPFL clubs have a happy ending in their battle against the financial impact of Covid-19. Coatbridge-born Mark Millar is one of the people behind the Pixellot system — effectively robot cameras filming matches — which will let lower-league sides screen their matches when the season kicks off next month. The initiative began with a conversation between Millar — who is president of Netflix’s Millarworld Division and is worth an estimated £25million — and Stenhousemuir chairman Iain McMenemy. The plan has now been adopted by 22 of the 30 clubs across the Scottish Championship, League One and League Two. The system uses cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to film, record and produce live and on-demand footage. The idea is to be able to produce streams of live games at a professional standard, without the need for a single camera crew member at the game. Fans will be able to stream live or on-demand through an app while having the ability to watch, pause and zoom in on the action on their device during games. Millar, who has worked on some of the biggest Marvel comics and films, has agreed to personally fund boyhood heroes Albion Rovers’ camera set-up for the next three campaigns. He said: ‘This is a game changer for football in general and as exciting to me as any Hollywood premiere. ‘I love Albion Rovers and I love that two modest Scottish clubs are where this whole idea began. ‘My worry when I saw the locked-up stadium in Coatbridge was how all the clubs outside the Premiership were going to survive the lockdown a few months back, so I picked up my pad and pen and startled scribbling possible solutions. ‘The solution we came up with after deep conversations with Iain from Stenhousemuir and my good friend Liam Nugent, the digital platforms guru, is transformative.’ A separate innovation will allow referees to record incidents in games on an app instead of notebooks. The data will then be sent to fans and news services. Stenny chairman McMenemy last night hailed the initiative, saying: ‘From a position a few months ago that was very bleak, we’re hugely positive about the future as this is a huge technological leap forward for Scottish football and just the start of increasing access and exposure to football outside of the Premiership. ‘The past six months have been difficult for Scottish football, but hopefully this is at least one positive thing we can take away and build upon to help our clubs recover.’