Computer vision, tracking and specific software has allowed Opta to successfully collect data from football matches in real time. Every part of the game is now analyzed by the company, producing between 1600-2000 individual pieces of data each match (Wiggins, 2014). The data is then used by pundits, managers, teams and players a like. The sport is therefore not just based on opinions but based on actually checkable facts.
How does Opta do it?
Tracking players during the game is one thing, but actually turning each touch, movement, goal, pass, block and run into actual data is another thing. First thing that gets taught is that everyone in the data collection centers need to have the same definition of the terms, so that each match the data output is consistent with the last match. As for the actual game, each time three data collectors track the game. One watches the home team, the second one watches the away team and the last one fact checks every data point and analyzes the actions in the game that were missed upon first seeing it (Wiggins, 2014).
Why do we need it?
The need for such data has increased after the first few data outputs. Before the use of real time tracking in football, the data used to describe number of goals or saves. However, the potential now is almost limitless. Statistics such as percentages tackles won, percentage arial duels won or chances created could now be documented. These statistics help teams to capture the value of players based on actual data more extensive than goals scored or matches played. This can be helpful for teams to evaluate their players or to evaluate potential players.
This has been done before. Normally players will go with their agent to negotiate a contract. However, with the fairly recent data outputs player can do this themselves. Kevin de Bruyne is a perfect example. He did not like the contract renewal his team Manchester City, proposed to him, which would make him earn less than presently. He opted to join forces with a data providing agency which one goal in mind; to get a contract with a pay rise which would reflect his importance in the team. And he succeeded as we now know, as he signed a two-year extension.
This is just one example of a data driven opportunity that has arisen these years. The future still has a lot to offer as we have just seen the surface of the capabilities of data analytics in football.
Interesting and current subject, as more and more technologies are entering the world of football. Personally, as a big football and data fan, I am very excited about this development. Using data and technologies offers limitless opportunities to improve the beautiful game and get more potential out of certain situations, such as the one you describe with the contract renewal. In addition to these situations, data tracking and analysis offers teams an improved scouting system, as they have more information about previously unknown players. This is not only beneficial for teams, but naturally also for young players who have a higher chance of being scouted.
With all these advantages do come some disadvantages though. Football has to be careful with all this data and these statistics. Football is the world’s most popular sport, significantly due to its non predictive nature. Anything can happen in football, which makes it so fun to watch and anyone who shares this feeling should be careful not to ruin the charm and magical aspect that comes with ‘the beautiful game’.
Very interesting read! Data analytics has become more and more prevalent in the recent years, and I’m always amazed by its far-stretched possibilities and capabilities, such as within the football industry as the post describes. I’m curious about the ethical side of tracking the players like this, as they themselves might not gain any benefit from it if its done by an external company. Furthermore, I also agree with the last comment by Tijmen, essentially about the importance of keeping football authentic. Incorporating too much data and statistics might lead to the games becoming more static and less spontaneous.