ABSTRACT
The media applications of performance analysis have led to the development of the armchair fan or spectator into a savvy consumer of sports performance analysis data. As the print and television media have utilised statistics and graphics to enhance the enjoyment of their broadcast content, the concomitant availability of match and individual data has led to an enlightened viewer. This new domain of ‘infotainment’ occurs at the nexus where information is blended with entertainment. Traditionally, sports newspapers, radio and TV media typically provided low-level data in match reporting, such as the score as a function of match time. In modern sports broadcasting, this simple data set is now amplified with complex statistics and real-time, in-game data to provide unrivalled information sets for both decision support by coaches and infotainment. Statistics have always played a role in sports performance monitoring, to evaluate either an individual’s performance or that of a team. Leading the way are undoubtedly the bat games of baseball and cricket, which capture and record ever-increasing amounts of facts and figures. Such accurate and comprehensive data sets are easily accessible, which is leading to an increased interest in modelling and simulation of games. Commercially available statistics – for example, from Castrol Index (www.castrolfootball.com) or Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack (www.wisden.com) – can be used very effectively by a diverse consumer group, ranging from the progressive coach to the sports gambler. A representative illustration was provided by Michael Lewis in the bestselling book Moneyball, in which Billy Beane’s interpretation of players’ baseball statistics changed the fortunes of the Oakland Athletic team. When this type of ‘raw’ information is augmented with the addition of bespoke video data from commercial notational analysis systems, such as Amisco™ (Amisco France, Nice, France) or Prozone™ (Prozone Sports Ltd, Leeds, UK), the resultant enlarged data sets provide a sound basis for decision support.
