Sports analysis has been in use for decades, but the latest advancements in data collection and management technology have significantly broadened the scope of sports data analysis. Data and statistics are now being used throughout major sports events. In fact, the services of professional statisticians are now being hired in major sports events to conduct data analysis. Let’s take, for example, keeping track of a Baseball Player’s batting average to evaluate his/ her potential.
What is Sports Data Analysis?
Sports analytics involve the application of mathematical and statistical principles to sports and related peripheral activities. Although many factors and priorities are specifically related to the sports industry, sports analysis still involves applying the same basic methods and approach just like any other analytics. The basis of the analytical process includes the establishment of parameters for measurement like hit or fumble rate and consistent collection of data from a broad sample. The data collected is then refined to enhance the accuracy and usability of the results.
On-Site Application
There are multiple on-site applications of analytics in a sports environment that includes the management of both individual and group performances. The data obtained from sports analytics can be efficiently used by coaches to refine exercise programs for the team players and design efficient nutrition plans to promote maximum fitness. Besides, sports analytics are also utilized to craft strong tactics and team strategies. Sports analysts can obtain data from multiple games to evaluate specific patterns like counter strategies and other key variables.
How Does Sports Data Analysis Help to Predict the Winning Team?
Listed below are the ways that data science help to predict the game outcomes:
Readily available information
There is a long way that’s taken by data science to suggest optimal strategies for a team to win a match. Sufficient information is provided to the sports team, which can be utilized to win a match. The sports industry is flooded with statistics-oriented websites and organizations which provide detailed information about particular sports.
Let’s take the example of ICC (International Cricket Council), which makes use of sports data analysis to analyze the player’s data and compare it to the tournament data.
Keeps Sports’ Fans Engaged
The statistical data related to a single player highlights his score, how he dealt with a particular situation, his score rate, etc., enable the sports fans to grasp an in-depth understanding of the game and thus predict the outcome of the game.
Refining Back-Office Intelligence
Analytics from different areas of sports facilitate the sports company in making operational improvements in areas like procurement, supply-chain management, and logistics. Now, the question is that how are these related to sports data analysis.
Well, the latest analytics technologies facilitate the companies to refine their human resources practices and customer relationship management. Sports teams and organizations can make important decisions about their products and services, which refine the player’s experience and help maximize revenue.
Impact Coaching Decisions
The sports data analysis and predictive algorithms provide significant information to team coaches who help them produce better results on the field. This data facilitates the team coaches and players to make better and planned decisions that eventually decide about their winning or losing a certain match.
Collection of Data by Wearable Technologies
The sports industry has got wearable technology from multiple technology vendors. The advanced wearable technology includes gadgets like Google Glass and fitness trackers etc. Another impressive wearable technology is by Adidas, which is its system called miCoach, which requires the players to attach its wearable device to their jerseys. The data obtained from the wearable device let the team coach know about the players performing the best and the players who need rest. The device delivers real-time stats about each player, like his heart rate and acceleration. This type of real-time data facilitates the players and physicians to conduct better training, formulate better training, and predict if the players are in the form to win the next game.
Formulate Better Team Strategy
The use of data analytics becomes quite crucial for a team when it wants to evaluate its opponents. The data facilitate the team to predict the preparation of its opponent team and how the opponents can react to a certain in-game situation. Now, by utilizing trusted insights and data collected over the course of multiple seasons, teams can analyze their competition and formulate their strategy accordingly to neutralize their opponents. In this way, data science is playing a key role in facilitating the teams to increase their win ratio.
Sports Betting
Sports data analysis is also used by different sports betting companies to calculate the odds for different events that happen in-game. The net worth of the sports industry is more than $1000 billion, and it is continually growing with new sports betting websites like 22Bet emerging every other day where all it takes is 22Bet login, and you’re good to start predicting the winning team and earn money.
As the game keeps proceeding, the betting algorithms calculate the odds in real-time to reflect the performance better. The data collected as a result of sports analysis is processed through multiple predictive models by betting companies to balance the odds offered to the players.
Sports analytics is a growing field of data science wherein new and exciting uses are being formulated day by day. In order to gain a competitive edge, data collected by various sports teams can be leveraged in many ways. Besides, sports enthusiasts also love to indulge themselves in data-driven presentations and discussions as this data holds significant value for gambling and other gaming operations.
Sports data analysis provides pinpoint performance and competitive edge, and such that it plays a key role in crafting targeted training programs and tweaking athletic performance. The credits of sports analytics getting significantly important goes to numerous practical applications both on and off the field. The virtual aspects of players, team, and sports organization management is extensively dependent on sports analytics in many ways!
With the continuous advancements in technology, more and more private analytic companies are emerging, providing data about different players on sale!
