August 16, 2021

By: Henry Malone

Since advances in technology first allowed for the complex and comprehensive tracking of data, it’s almost always resulted in a positive result for those who use them effectively. Regardless of sector, high-level data analysis has proven to be an extremely useful practice that improves performance and eliminates biases.

However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that such analyses began to be popularized in professional sports. Originating with the 2002 Oakland Athletics, General Manager Billy Beane implemented a strategy known as “Moneyball”, in which he and his staff attempted to optimize performance through aggregated data to gain a competitive advantage over their opponents. 

 Moneyball  involved using a modernized process of data collection and interpretation through the development of algorithms designed to evaluate players and make personnel decisions called “Sabermetrics”. Following the remarkable success the team enjoyed that season, the use of “Sports Analytics” has become not only commonplace in baseball, but in almost every other major professional sport as well.

Today, baseball still sets the standard for data-tracking analytics, with some of the game’s brightest minds having never played baseball professionally before. Relying on statistics such as on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) can help provide for a thorough quantitative analysis of a player’s performance and skill.

But some organizations use even more in-depth data analyses to try to predict successful outcomes. The Houston Astros utilize analytics in several of their decisions, collecting data on as many swing factors as possible to gain a competitive advantage from their perspective. The team employs a director of decision sciences, a medical risk manager, and a mathematic modeler, each of which was unique to their organization at the time. 

The team also uses data analytics to determine how their team should play the field based on the batter and circumstance, applying the defensive shift of infielders and outfielders more than any other team in baseball. Houston’s dedication to analytics helped the organization secure its first World Series title in 2017.

The NBA’s San Antonio Spurs are also a noted analytics-driven organization. The Spurs utilize the tracking system SportVU, which collects data on camera 25 times per second to follow the ball and all players on the court constantly and informs the team’s emphasis on resting its key, older players later in the season for deeper playoff runs. The team also places a heavy emphasis on the three-point shot, regarded as the most efficient shot by analytics, often ranking among the top of the NBA in three-point shots each season.

Sports data analytics have made their way to professional hockey in recent years, with the Chicago Blackhawks hiring an outside firm to produce analytical assessments for them in 2009. Using the Corsi Statistic, which tracks shot attempt differential to provide insights into the offensive and defensive play of a team and how long they have the puck, combined with the maximization of undervalued players, the Blackhawks managed to win three Stanley Cups in six seasons.

Using data to make decisions will only continue to evolve in professional sports, as they should, as well in the business and health sectors. Clear Impact’s Scorecard and Compyle allows for the comprehensive tracking of individual data points over time to maximize your collective impact.

About the Author:

Henry MaloneHenry Malone received his B.A. in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2021. There, he served as Deputy Editor for the University newspaper, the Testudo Times. As a marketing and journalism intern for Clear Impact, Henry researches, writes, and edits website content and news articles focusing on the nonprofit and public sectors.