A Pilot Comparison of Open-Source and Proprietary Player Tracking Systems for Collegiate Athletics

This pilot study compared open-source and proprietary player tracking systems for collegiate athletics applications. A single collegiate athlete performed one pure acceleration trial and one standardized ‘10-0-5’ change-of-direction trial (which involves an acceleration, rapid deceleration, and directional change, ending with another acceleration in the opposite direction) with identical video footage processed by both a custom open-source pipeline (YOLO+MediaPipe+OpenCV) and a commercial proprietary system. Both systems generated comprehensive biomechanical reports with key metrics like step length, frequency, and max speed. The open-source system provides detailed kinematics, transparency, lower costs, and unlimited customization. It offers automated reports on metrics like ground contact time and leg stiffness with minimal technical skill. The pilot shows both open-source and proprietary options are feasible in colleges. Open-source systems are good for resourceful institutions seeking cheap customization, while proprietary systems are better for routine monitoring. Findings support larger studies to determine the best system for college athletics.