ISTAT’s Post

Enjoyed reading The Athletic’s piece on misused football stats (https://lnkd.in/e4-W-wYY) and it inspired me to post this deep dive using principal component analysis on several seasons of Premier League data. It uses about 40 different variables, reduced to three principal components, with analysis of variance to determine which variables can be included from past, complete seasons as well as the current unfinished season. The principal components reveal both significant correlations with outcome variables, such as the number of games won or lost, plus linkages to the different categories of league table standings, i.e. Top 4, Relegated. The data was collected at the start of the year, so it is interesting to see how some of those linkages have evolved during the current season, notably for those teams which were miscategorised. On the plus side, according to the analysis, Brentford have not managed to make it into the top half of the table, but they have climbed a few places. And West Ham were classified as residing in the bottom half of the league and have indeed slipped three places. There are some detractors. Burnley were expected to climb a few places out of the relegation spots but remain firmly implanted. To the contrary, Nottingham Forest, were anticipated to be in the drop zone, yet have managed to move up out of danger. At the same time, this was not intended as an exercise in prediction. In general, the main principal component underlines the importance of the attack-defence balance in a team, which is not rocket science to football fans. Nevertheless, it enables us to clearly see what variables contribute positively or negatively to this quality and how aligned they are to the outcome of matches. It will be interesting to see how well the linkages with categories hold up by the end of the season, especially whether the Red Devils continue to surprise. 😉 The full analysis and code is available here: https://lnkd.in/eQFdbsQT

Excited to share my latest article for The Football Week, where I explore the intricacies of the Protected Player Rule in Major League Soccer. ⚽️📖 Understanding these regulations is key for anyone navigating the unique structure of the MLS, whether you’re a player, agent, or club executive. Dive into how this rule shapes team strategies and ensures competitive balance. 🤝 https://lnkd.in/eXsf7UqT

The NBA's first two-night draft is halfway done, and it's clear: French ballers are the new market inefficiency. Four French players in the first round, including picks 1 and 2. Zaccharie Risacher's first presser question? En français. U.S. media left in the dust. This isn't just globalization, it's a full-blown French revolution. The league's new format is creating winners and losers off the court too. Front offices are thrilled with the extra time to wheel and deal. Agents? Not so much. They're crying foul over lost leverage in the second round. The real genius? Ending at 11:15 PM. An earlier bedtime for execs means fresher minds for day two negotiations. The NBA knows the best deals happen over coffee, not 2 AM energy drinks. Bottom line: The National Basketball Association (NBA) continues to innovate, arbitraging global talent and time itself. Other leagues, take note. This is how you stay ahead in the attention economy. Oh and my team, Orlando Magic, picked up "One of This Draft’s Most Versatile, High IQ Players" 😁 so I'm using his photo to spread the word. #NBAdraft #BusinessOfSports #Innovation

Revolutionizing Recruitment Through Advanced Football Data ⚽️ In modern football, staying competitive requires more than intuition or relying solely on raw statistics. The game demands smart, contextualized analysis tailored to a club's unique vision and tactical needs. Advanced data-driven approaches now empower clubs to uncover hidden gems and build winning teams. Let’s explore how this works: 🔄 Transitional Midfielders: Instead of just counting passes, we analyze Packing Rate (how many opponents are bypassed) and xT post-recovery (expected threat created after regaining possession). These metrics spotlight players who can seamlessly transform defense into attack. 🛡️ Central Defenders: Beyond tackles and clearances, metrics like Progressive Defensive Actionsand their effect on xGA blocked (expected goals against prevented) reveal defenders who dominate in transitional phases. 🎩 Creative Wingers: Evaluating successful Zone Entries and Expected Assists (xA) helps pinpoint wingers who can unlock even the tightest defensive lines with their vision and execution. By customizing and integrating these insights with a league’s style, club identity, and the coach's philosophy, recruitment transforms from educated guessing to precise decision-making. ⚡ Advanced analytics isn’t just about following trends—it’s about setting new standards. #FootballAnalytics #DataScience #SportsTech #SportsData #FootballScouting

Here we have a blog post where Trade on Sports NFL expert Matt Haynes takes a look at the NFL future markets with 5 weeks of the season remaining https://lnkd.in/eEzwhvYp #TRADEBETTER

🏈 The NFL’s Rising Popularity in London: A Shift in Sports Culture? ⚽ As I walk through London and visit sports bars, there’s one trend that’s becoming hard to ignore: the NFL is rapidly gaining ground alongside the Premier League. Nowadays, it’s common to see NFL games shown right next to premier league matches, with fans sporting jerseys of stars like Marvin Harrison Jr., Derrick Henry, and Baker Mayfield. It’s fascinating to see fewer jerseys with names like Phil Foden or Cole Palmer in comparison. Could we be witnessing a new era of international sports influence here in London? This shift raises a few questions: • What’s drawing fans to American football? • Could the NFL ever reach Premier League levels of popularity here? • Are global sports becoming more universal, or are we just looking for new excitement? What are your thoughts on this trend? Is it just a phase, or does the NFL have real staying power in the UK? #NFL #PremierLeague #London #SportsCulture #Trends

Scott Cange and Angela Caputa among our friends at Hoffmann Brothers wanted to know: How likely are Major League Soccer fans to recall stadium signage? Since sideline and scoreboard signage is in camera-view, 17.6% of fans who don't attend will recall seeing a brand sponsor. Each game a fan attends increases recall of in-bowl signage by about 2%. The rate is faster for the first four games, then the rate of increase slows a bit from five games on. The fan who attends all home matches is more than 2X (36.7% recall) more likely to recall the sponsor's in-bowl signage compared to a non-attender (17.5% recall). How does this compare to other leagues? Check back. We'll share more in the coming weeks. Peter O'Brien, Chris McGowan, Cory Bildstein, Ryan Dastrup, PhD Jennifer Cramer, Josh Kramer Data from 143,730 fan observations among six MLS teams measuring assets of 208 sponsors from 2021-2024.

We are exploring effective ways to measure our investment in our sports partnerships, and one method is by surveying the team's fanbase to gauge brand recall. Below is the benchmark from Wakefield for MLS fans that we are using for comparison. It will be interesting to see how the brand recall percentages compare to other leagues, given the vast difference in the number of advertisers allowed in an MLS stadium versus an MLB stadium. There are many factors to consider when making this decision, but are the percentages below enough to convince you to continue a partnership?

Finding market discrepancies can give you an edge and help construct your ideal roster on draft day. Find out which players are rising and falling in ADP this week using NFBC draft data https://lnkd.in/gJK-y-Rx

We're 8 days out from the start of The Premier League season so naturally we decided to do a deep dive into how teams in the world's most popular football league are using data to inform strategy 😄 Teams like Liverpool Football Club have previously made headlines for their great use of data when recruiting players for lower prices than the competition. However, the use of analytics in football goes much deeper than analysing player purchase scenarios. 👇 P.S: Can you guess the admin's favourite team based on the content of this post? #EnglishPremierLeague #DataInFootball #FootballAnalytics #DataDrivenDecisionMaking