Thanks to the continuous technological advances throughout many major sectors, data analytics have been able to improve various aspects of life for different members of society worldwide.
Essentially, data analytics organize and make sense of important trends in order to move forwards and proceed in the best way possible for the prosperity of the overall business at hand.
In the U.S., the industry of sports is an extremely lucrative business, and one that is benefitting from the information received thanks to data analytics. In this article, we take a look at how the country’s three major sports leagues are using technology to their advantage.
MLB
To begin, data is changing the game of baseball in various ways. Firstly, all 30 professional teams have an analytics department that sorts through large amounts of data, helping each franchise to operate at maximum efficiency. Before important matchups, coaches can introduce more efficient training practices thanks to these expert insights, and during games, broadcasters benefit from statistical insights on different athletes.
For example, for the successful Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, data analytics are highly utilized in order to create strategies and identify pros and cons within the team’s overall playing atmosphere. The reigning champs are famous for their use of analytics which have helped them win 7 major titles over the years. In fact, the baseball franchise is again a top favorite for another Commissioner’s Trophy in 2021 according to World Series winner betting odds. As the regular season trudges on and the Dodgers continue to identify weak spots with the help of this technology, they are in a better position to secure a back-to-back victory.
NFL
The NFL is also no stranger to data analytics, having used them as great technological tools for the annual Draft and other major recruitment events. After all, choosing the sport’s next big playmakers is an extremely important task as it is one that affects the prosperity of the league and the business of sports as a whole.
Aside from revolutionizing scouting, data collection also plays a big part in the actual playing field as many athletes are equipped with wearable tracking technology that helps management and coaches make better predictions and gain valuable insights for future plays.
NBA
NBA organizations are also equipped with data departments full of expert analysts that sort through every inch of valuable content. The Los Angeles Lakers are one example of a franchise whose data team is top-notch, and this can be seen by their continued success in the Western Conference. Of course, having elite, top-performing athletes like Lebron James and Anthony Davis on their roster undoubtedly helps, but the ability to organize data to create meaningful insights is also extremely valuable.
Overall, the sports industry and its many teams are just another examples of a big business, and businesses thrive when they keep detailed records of their operations. In a similar way, athletic organizations can benefit from calculated data in order to win major Championships.