Half of the fun in watching sports is in the commentary and the insightful information that we hear during the entire course of the match. It is the reason why sports are so entertaining for the viewers no matter who is playing and who wins! These broadcasters have come a long way too in terms of their analysis which was once just a simple description of the events on the field has now turned into data analytics-driven insights which is what makes the games unique and builds the interest of the audience 

Off-field, big data has become an important part of sports almost inseparable because of the synergy both create together. It has become the hook for the audiences and the reason why some of the broadcasters are competitively achieving better results in the same market. 

While the application of sports data analytics is relatively new, the term itself has coined in the 1990s its popularity grew multifold as industries across the world realized the true potential of data analytics and the role it can play for companies. 

Since it was successfully adopted in the sports industry as well athletes have relied on it to enhance their performance, sports data analytics companies use it to find innovative ways to engage audiences and even use it to evolve new ways of marketing and branding strategies and guide sports organizations in a better manner. 

But what is the reason for big data analytics' sudden growth and popularity across the sports industry? What is its impact on the future of the sports industry?

Let's look at a few reasons that have driven the importance of sports analytics!

Coaches have evolved the recruitment process through data analytics 

The players that join any professional sporting team play an important role in defining the future of the team, whether they would build the image of the team, help them bring trophies home, or be an icon, fans can relate to. This helps the teams win championships as well as brings in the right talent and sponsorship as well. With the use of analytics athletes' performance could be carefully scrutinized and a prediction model could also be created which would tell the coaches the real value of the player. 

The real reason this is done is to weed out overvalued players from the herd and hire the right talent at the right cost to the team as was done in the movie Moneyball which exposed the way data analytics could be applied to baseball and even help the teams win championships. 

Later soccer, cricket, football, and basketball all adopted the techniques and tried to perfect them as per the specific rules. Now while recruiting the use of data analytics has become almost indispensable. 

Elevating the viewing experience

True sports fans would know how broadcasting has undergone a revolution over a few decades. As we discussed in the article above, Sports commentary has matured from just calling out the names of the players to offering compelling information about their past performance and other relevant facts to the game. 

Broadcasters have been known to add ‘stats gurus’ behind the mike in the hopes that viewers would enjoy the fact-rich experience.

Next came graphical elements 

While viewing sports events just stating the numbers on the screen became less and less appealing to the audience so, with the use of big data analytics, graphical elements were added to the screen to break down complex stats for the end users in a digestible and attractive manner. 

A new way to boost fan engagement

Broadcasters and other sports organizations are aware of the effect of fan engagement and to improve it Big data became the new tool at their disposal to increase revenue. 

Fantasy sports and Online Sports Betting have become a profitable and easiest way to involve fans outside of the field. With the use of advanced technologies, Fantasy football is carving a niche for itself it alone has 25 million active participants most of which are based in the US. 

Big data-driven gameplay strategies 

For the success of any sports team, strategizing has become an important part of the preparation process before any game. Using big data analytics, the performance of athletes and teams could be mapped out and studied in detail which would reveal the weak areas of rival teams that could be used to develop strategies accordingly. This approach was actively applied by Liverpool FC during their Premier League winning campaign a few years back, with the use of data science they devised strategies that would help them overcome their opponents on the field.

It is clear the applications of data analytics in the field of sports are limitless and it is time to be part of the big data analytics revolution so that we can unlock the next phase of development as well. 

Data analytics could be used to revolutionize sporting events and it is clear with the way we measure an athlete's performance by driving invaluable insights. You can too do it all and more with Data Sports Group, Get in touch for more details and get access to live sports scores today.