Menu
Download the app

SBJ subscribers – Enhance your experience with the revamped iOS app

In-Depth

Data and analytics: Myth Takes

Popular misconceptions in the world of data and analytics that those entrenched in the field most often hear.

russell scibetti

Vice president, strategy and business intelligence, New York Giants

It’s not a magic pill. Any use of analytics needs context and application. What do we do with what the numbers say? The numbers themselves don’t change anything.”

■ ■ ■ ■

aj maestas

Founder and CEO, Navigate Research

The myth is that our industry has truly embraced data and analytics on the business side. It’s certainly true on the field, but off it, there are plenty of sports professionals that dismiss data and insights as biased or something that can be used to tell any story someone wants to tell. There are still far more decisions made with bias stemming from someone’s personal experience than from biased analytics, and when decision-makers are still largely from older generations, it’s no wonder sports has struggled to adapt to younger generations.”

■ ■ ■ ■

 

neda tabatabaie

Vice president, business analytics and technology, San Jose Sharks

Sometimes people think more is better. It’s the whole Big Data. Then they have it and they’re like, ‘OK, now what?’ I’d rather have one piece of data that I can make actionable versus all of this data that I’m not doing anything with.”

■ ■ ■ ■

jeff eccleston

Global head of insights and analytics, CAA Brand Consulting

Sometimes we deal with clients who feel they have to report on every single metric that is available. What we like to remind clients sometimes is that not everything that can be measured actually matters, and not everything that matters can actually be measured. I think it’s really about understanding what is important, what does success look like, what are we trying to achieve from this partnership and then putting a set of metrics in place that actually align with that.”

■ ■ ■ ■

jessica gelman

CEO, Kraft Analytics Group

The definition of analytics is inconsistent. People who have the role and title of analytics, some of them are just working in Excel, others are coding in Python. The level of sophistication really varies widely. That’s in part because the sophistication across leagues and organizations varies widely.”

■ ■ ■ ■

brendan mcgeehan

Director of SPAN-360, Spectra Analytics

Some organizations, teams or clients may feel they need to go to from zero to 60 right away. That’s going from no capability to having full built-out predictive modeling and advanced analytics. You maybe need to crawl before you walk and understand what you do have and what you draw conclusions from based on that before you go [all in] into advanced analytics.”

■ ■ ■ ■

don white

Co-founder, Satisfi Labs

A myth is that it’s easy to interpret and insights are clear. That’s not the case. Data is meant to fortify what you are trying to prove is true or not true. It doesn’t always give you obvious things. It usually supports a case you are already considering.”

■ ■ ■ ■

brandon schneider

CRO, Golden State Warriors

There are cases where people get too cute. They’re like, I’m going to measure everything and then figure out later what’s actionable. We want to be a little more efficient.”

■ ■ ■ ■

cam kelly

CMO, Complexity Gaming

That esports eclipses the viewership of traditional sports. Pick one, they [some brands, media rights holders] have done it. It’s like saying, ‘Entertainment eclipses sports,’ like, what are we talking about? That stuff drives us nuts. It’s a failure and disservice overall.”

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2020/03/02/In-Depth/Myths.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2020/03/02/In-Depth/Myths.aspx

CLOSE