Counterpoints: The Sports Analytics Podcast from MIT Sloan Management Review

Latest Episodes:

Why Analytics Don’t Always Pay Off in the Playoffs Oct 10, 2019

Show notes

In today's NBA, are analytics just a regular season tool? Analytics have a major place in today’s basketball world. At some level, every team relies on data and analytics for roster construction, salary negotiation, and in-game strategy. But the playoffs? They're a different story. In the NBA's second season, is it time to ignore the numbers and let talent, tenacity, and those hated "intangibles" rule the court? It's a question perplexing GMs and coaches alike. We'll search answers with Los Angeles Lakers reporter, Mike Trudell.

Front Office, Disrupted Sep 26, 2019

Show notes

The explosion of streaming media offers fans unlimited access to sports and entertainment. So how can teams entice their audience to the events happening here and now? Sports Innovation cofounder and CEO Angela Ruggiero says success starts with understanding just how fans’ behavior has changed with the advent of digital technology — meaning, executives of sports companies and media outlets alike must be willing to completely rethink how they approach their marketing.

The Running Game Is Only Mostly Dead Sep 12, 2019

Show notes

Recent years have seen an explosion in the NFL passing game and emerging analytics demonstrate that teams that throw the ball more win the game more. So does this mean the run no longer matters? That’s not entirely clear. We talked with The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen who has gone deep on analyzing the value of the run in today’s NFL.

Information Overload? Aug 08, 2019

Show notes

Counterpoints takes on two pressing questions in the sports analytics field: the issue of information overload and whether there is such a thing as too much data, and a very different — but related — issue: Biometrics. We’ll go to the mat over whether or not professional athletes will be willing to share their personal biometric data in real time.

Talent vs. Teamwork Jul 25, 2019

Show notes

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: The rag-tag group of underdogs overcomes the more skilled favorite thanks to nothing more than their belief in each other. That popular sports movie cliché may feel unrealistic at times, but when it comes to building a team in real life, the value of cohesiveness and chemistry is increasingly measurable and provable. Whether it’s the NBA’s 2004 Detroit Pistons, the 2016 Leicester City Foxes soccer club, or the miracle 2003 Penrith Panthers of Australian rugby, there are many examples of the right players in the right system doing something seemingly impossible. But is it actually possible to quantify team chemistry — and if so, can such assessments really make a difference on the field? We speak with Simon Strachan of Gain Line Analytics to find out.

Behold the Big Man Jul 11, 2019

Show notes

In the NBA’s modern era of pace-and-space, small ball, and chucking away from 3, it feels like there’s no more place for the lumbering 7-foot center who used to be the backbone of the league. But the burgeoning field of defensive analytics shows that this "dinosaur" might not be going extinct just yet. Ben speaks with Ivana Saric, data scientist for the Philadelphia 76ers, about how defensive analytics are changing pro basketball and the roles of the people who play it.

What the NBA Gets Wrong About Lottery Pick Protections Jun 27, 2019

Show notes

A herd mentality and a lack of good data have led teams to make some poor decisions about trading draft picks. Is there a better way?

Predicting the College Football Playoff Jun 13, 2019

Show notes

Which teams make it to the college football playoffs isn’t as random as it sometimes seems, says University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Laura Albert. In this week’s Counterpoints podcast, we look at how Albert uses analytics to predict the brackets and how the football playoff selections compare to that other big college tournament, March Madness.

NFL Pass Blocking is Even More Important than You Think May 30, 2019

Show notes

Though lacking in glitz and glamour, the tackle, guard, and center positions make up the backbone of every NFL offense. Without skilled players in those roles — and players who can work as a unit — a team’s entire strategy can fall apart. In the past few years, teams like the Rams, Chiefs, and Saints have used a punishing offensive line to ignite high-powered offenses, while the Patriots have revolutionized O-Line versatility. Even while these once anonymous units are finally getting their due, new analytics measuring offensive line performance just might prove that we’re *still* underrating these guys. In this week’s interview, ESPN's Seth Walder discusses the growing field of O-Line analytics, and just how much winning the battle of the trenches correlates with winning the battle of the scoreboard.

The Secret of My eSports Success May 16, 2019

Show notes

eSports has arrived as a major player in the sports world. Games like DOTA 2 and League of Legends have hundreds of millions of players, and the best gamers have fan-bases and endorsement deals right up there with the stars of "real" sports. As eSports grows, so do the analytics surrounding it. But while the nature of eSports means that the amount of quantitative data for every game is staggering, the volatile nature of team-building and managing in the sport only increases the importance of *people* analytics, and how it leads to success. We explore the role of social science analytics in esports with the head of Shadow and one of the leading voices in eSports analytics, Tim Sevenhuysen.

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