Sports analytics are various regressions, equations, and calculations that go beyond box scores to rate certain elements of a team, individual, or lineup. While box scores list statistics that can be readily and easily understood, these advanced metrics determine why certain philosophies work, whether lineups need to be changed, and give a long-term solution to many of the problems a simple box-score analysis could not address. One major account of the rise of modern sports analytics cites Bill James, an avid baseball fan and writer, as a groundbreaker in developing our evolved understanding of sports analytics and giving us a defined term to describe them in 1977. He coined many of the phrases we now associate with advanced baseball metrics, including “win shares”, “runs created”, and “range factor”. Whether it be “runs created” in baseball, “true shooting percentage” in basketball, or “air yards” in football, each sport has its own unique range of advanced statistics that can directly correlate to success.
Just as the athletes being covered are affected by these numbers, certain news organizations such as FiveThirtyEight and The Athletic are producing content almost exclusively under the statistical analysis umbrella. Their stories are filled with numbers, but not the kinds readily available after any game. The capabilities of advanced statistical analysis could theoretically give reporters added knowledge to backup certain claims they otherwise would base off generalization, such as the notion that home-field advantage really plays a factor, certain players having a “clutch gene”, what teams play better in close games, and other often-assumed facts. Through paid services or in-house devotees, coaches, players, and sports journalists can record and document a number of statistics that do not show up on the box score after the games, but certainly play out through each contest and uncover secrets that ultimately lead to better success rates when discovered.
Just as the athletes being covered are affected by these numbers, certain news organizations such as FiveThirtyEight and The Athletic are producing content almost exclusively under the statistical analysis umbrella. Their stories are filled with numbers, but not the kinds readily available after any game. The capabilities of advanced statistical analysis could theoretically give reporters added knowledge to backup certain claims they otherwise would base off generalization, such as the notion that home-field advantage really plays a factor, certain players having a “clutch gene”, what teams play better in close games, and other often-assumed facts. Through paid services or in-house devotees, coaches, players, and sports journalists can record and document a number of statistics that do not show up on the box score after the games, but certainly play out through each contest and uncover secrets that ultimately lead to better success rates when discovered.