Delivery Robots Show Up at Youth Soccer Tournament, Set To Launch at Tampa Bay Rowdies Games

At last weekend's United Soccer League youth tournament in Tampa, self-driving robots zipped between crowds, bringing refreshments to spectators. This test run marks the start of a bigger plan to add these machines to professional matches.

"The USL is focused on delivering unforgettable fan experiences, and we're focused on enhancing real-world engagement through cutting-edge robots," said David Pinkhasov to St. Pete Catalyst.

USL joined forces with Nickelytics, part of Kiwibot, to make this happen. While serving fans, these wheeled assistants doubled as moving billboards with bright screens.

This summer, fans at 45 USL Superleague matches will spot these mechanical helpers. They'll soon roll through Al Lang Stadium during Tampa Bay Rowdies matches.

After buying Nickelytics for $25 million last September, Kiwibot now runs machines across 21 college grounds. They aim to add nine more spots by year's end.

These smart machines work through QR codes and GPS tracking. Their sensors watch crowd patterns and movement, giving brands useful data about their ads' success.

At the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans, ESPN put these robots to work. While they can't climb steps yet, they bring snacks right to section entrances.

CBS and ESPN will broadcast the Fall Pathway Classic from San Antonio this September. It stands out as the only youth competition run by a U.S. pro sports group that welcomes all players.

Running on clean power, these machines fit into green initiatives. They've started showing up in city streets, too, not just sports venues.

Through a GrubHub partnership, they now serve stadium food. New models will hit the ground in coming months.

Young fans at the Tampa tournament couldn't get enough of the robots. A special system tracks every wave and smile the machines get as they work.