Sports and Analytics, the Perfect Combination to Achieve Victory

Sports teams generate and take data from a wide range of sources. It allows us to know the physical condition and performance of the players, how operations are being managed and even the experience of fans when they attend a sporting event in a stadium. Analytics allow those teams to gain the insights that will give them a competitive advantage and make the difference between victory and failure.

That sports clubs have been using data for a long time comes as no surprise to anyone. They do it constantly to analyze the performance of the players on the court, supported by audiovisual material, watching every play. They even use GPS systems to analyze their movements across the field.

However, these sources have been studied separately and by different people. The problem for many sports teams is that they cannot consolidate data from all these sources to create a comprehensive view of the players, and of the team as a whole.   

This means that they cannot take full advantage of the large amount of information they have to establish links between departments and sections, nor can they maximize a very valuable resource: the time of team members on the field. 

Tailored Training

This is where analytics takes to the field to unify the enormous amount of data. Teams can use analytics to improve athlete performance by reducing the risk of injury, improving training and predicting performance.

They have even realized that their profitability can improve dramatically by offering tickets at attractive prices based on demand and season, increasing fan loyalty through personalized offers, and improving marketing and promotional merchandising campaigns.  

In the first scenario, analytics can help reduce injuries by better managing the intensity of training sessions, and understanding how each player or athlete responds, so that coaches can determine whether to raise the level, reduce it or maintain it in each case.

Therefore, everyone receives the exact amount and type of training that will help them achieve the ideal condition to compete effectively against other competitors. This can be done in real time, using a mobile device in the field, working from predefined limits or adjusting preparation.

In addition, computer vision provides a greater picture of the body's behavior in a given sporting activity, and its relationship with the sports devices used. This technology is capable of mapping the skeleton and muscles, their position and movement, and how specific movements can improve the service of a tennis player or the kick of an American football player to improve their chances of scoring.

Together, these elements make it possible to design a more effective training program, highlight the points to be improved, reduce possible injuries, and determine which factors may play for or against an athlete or team.

Enhancing the Fan Experience 

Interaction with fans has a strategic objective. Therefore, after doing a thorough analysis, the ideal price can be determined to ensure that the stadium is full for every match. Analytics can even help to adjust prices according to demand and level of play.

In addition, with image recognition, it is possible to determine when fans are very excited about the game and send them statistics and coupons to their mobile phones in order to maintain their enthusiasm and improve their experience.

Through notifications, analytics can direct them to the least saturated ticket offices, doors and food kiosks so they don't have to stand in long lines. The analytics even make it possible to identify fans who are unlikely to renew their season tickets for the following season to give them incentives to do so.

The fan experience is further optimized by offering them more accessible tickets and in better seats, increasing their loyalty, and developing an ecosystem of innovations, such as mobile applications and cameras with facial recognition, that observe their reactions and can send them information and promotions that enhance their emotions when watching a match or competition.

Even at the partner level, it is possible to more effectively manage efforts to attract more members, obtain donations and sponsorships, participate in altruistic activities and give back to communities.

Analytics, therefore, can give sports teams, and athletes in general, a great competitive advantage. And in an area such as sports, where the smallest margin can make the difference between victory and failure, that advantage becomes even more relevant.