Sports analytics

Sports analytics are a collection of statistics or biometric data that can provide a team or individual a competitive advantage. Through the collection, refinement, and analysis of data, coaches and other staff members are able to inform athletes about their performance in order to assist decision making both during and prior to sporting events. The term "sports analytics" was popularized by the 2011 film, Moneyball, in which Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt) relies heavily on the use of player analytics to build a competitive MLB team on a limited budget.

There are two main types of sports analytics - on-field analytics and off-field analytics. On-field analytics involves tracking key on-field metrics that may influence an athlete's methodologies and in-game strategy. It also involves tracking an athlete's biometric data and vitals to influence their training or performance levels. Off-field analytics deals with the business side of sports. It handles monitoring key off-field metrics like ticket sales, merchandise sales, and fan engagement. Essentially, it provides shareholders with information that would lead to higher growth and profits.

Sports analytics have also had a significant impact on Online Sports Betting as bettors now have access to more information to aid decision making. New avenues of gambling, like parlays and fantasy leagues have lead to the rise of new analytical tools. For example, companies and webpages can now provide fans with up to the minute information for their betting needs.

Sport-specific analytics

Major League Baseball (MLB)

Sports analytics in baseball, also known as sabermetrics, is the application of statistical analysis to baseball in order to measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research, founded in 1971. The field was popularized by Bill James in the 1980s and has since been used by many major league baseball teams to assist in decision making. Sabermetrics can be used to measure a player's performance, a team's performance, and even the performance of individual pitches. It can also be used to make predictions about future performance and to identify undervalued players. Some of the most well-known sabermetric statistics include on-base plus slugging (OPS), wins above replacement (WAR), and runs created (RC). While some traditional baseball analysts have criticized sabermetrics as being too reliant on statistics, many teams have found it to be a valuable tool in player evaluation and team building.