The vast pool of data available on the internet has helped many businesses and industries in ways once unheard of. The sports industry has significantly gained from the tremendous distribution of online data whether related to relevant historical information or real-time statistics. The advances in technology have helped data collection to become more in-depth and can be conducted with ease & flexibility.

However, the standout feature for sports data is not just its awesome rise in ranks over the years. The applications of sports data and the value additions it offers – which the different domains benefit from – takes the cake. Here are quick glimpses of the different sports data applications.

• Resources for sports analytics: Sports analytics is basically the application of already collected data using science & technology for individuals and teams to have a competitive edge in their respective sporting events. Both on-field and off-field analytics can be measured for performance & business purpose. The origin of sports analytics could be hailed as the 2003 book ‘Moneyball’ by Michael Lewis chronicling the journey of Billy Beane. From there, the gargantuan rise in the field of sports analytics saw it becoming a mandatory stay for almost all sports franchises and companies.
• Wearable technology: Wearable technology as an industry has given rise to more influence on the part of sports data and analytics. Being the biggest merit on the product side of the sports data part, this self-tracking evolution is helping professional sports like no other before it. With categories including implantables, smart bands, fitness trackers, display-oriented devices and similar products, the sky is the limit for wearable technology in sports.

• Scorekeeping/live score apps: Live on-field data collection which ideally transforms into on-field analytics is an important phase for scorekeepers and live score apps or subsidiaries. Real-time collection of sports data and live scores are much necessary to engage the audience of the 21^st The top benefits of scorekeeping include making in-game adjustments, identifying mistakes, preparing cumulative stats and supporting non-attendees to follow the game updates.
• Drive fan-engagement: Driving fan engagement is another pinnacle achievement for sports data. The sports industry has constantly been using innovative data technology to drive fan engagement. The different data-related activities to leverage sports fan engagement are asking in fan surveys & opinion communities, listening and engaging with social media activity, gathering data using apps and technology and bringing customised, personalized experiences for fans.
• Sponsorship preferences: Sports data by its very nature of enhancing the live game experience can contribute to the cause of sponsor participation as well as sponsorship revenue generation. Sports teams can use their collection of in-stadium data to enable themselves with laser-focused sponsor targeting and authentic engagement. Sports data can help in creating stadium advertisings and generating future sponsor targeted promotions. Loyalty marketing also plays a role in the domain.
• Influence coaching decisions: Like some sources convey, data analytics will not replace the future of coaching & management. However, it offers a huge supporting role for personnel and staff associated with coaching in sports. Data collected alone won’t be enough. But the experience, expertise, knowledge and insights combined with this data can constitute rational interpretable decisions. These decisions will hold a huge role in the sports team management and player analysis for competitive purpose.
• Contract negotiations: It’s a very important deal for sports agents and agencies to have some sort of tracking data to help with contract negotiations. This would strictly apply to the business end of sports alone. Merging available recorded data with validated technology can be a huge boost for contract opportunities and engagements. Top business agencies can maintain their professional aura by sticking to the relevant data statistics for player & team profiles.
• Career opportunities: Data science and data mining with analysis have taken a huge role in the careers’ domain for a lot of economies. Sports data is no different. Having already termed as the ‘Sexiest job of the 21^st century’, data enthusiasts can have millions of job opportunities the way it’s being created. There would be subcategories for sports opportunities involving the likes of heat map tracking, predictive analysis, data journalist in sports media & entertainment, covering sports data feeds for live apps & websites, etc.
• Betting services: Betting/waging odds companies have a huge benefit by following sports data statistics. Sporting bodies and betting companies can converge to devise commercial strategies using data licensing, fan engagement, sponsorship partnerships. Betting companies can rely on sports data to perform predictive analytics which will help with their business activities and effective implementation of reliable and accurate sports data.
• Customised products/services: This is an area which will have huge potential and will adequately be tapped by sports organizations around the world. The idea of creating and proposing unique value mediums for sports domain all around the globe will definitely align with the likes of many ambitious sporting companies to top the industry. A lot of these value propositions would be in the form of customised/enriched products or services that will genuinely create interest for sports enthusiasts. The already existing domains of sports data feeds and score apps can itself be modified and regenerated to create interesting and unique services.
• Advanced metrics/augmented data: Sports data can cater towards the needs of empirical analysis in sports by measuring advanced metrics. The major reflected areas are statistics related to productivity and in-game efficiency. Augmented data tracking & analysis is also a possibility which some industry toppers already employ. This would help in providing more clarity to the covered context and complete a much more perfect picture for concerned authorities.

Sports data and its value is not limited to the above-mentioned features as it is a growing domain and the capability to adapt to latest technologies is well-documented. Sports data began by changing the course of sports industry itself and is now poised to become a leading insight for multiple subgenres. We all are eagerly waiting to be amazed!