Analytics FC have provided insights into the use of data in women’s football as part of Sky Sports‘ ‘Future of Football‘ series.
The series, which “investigates what football could look like in two or three decades’ time, as [the] rapidly evolving sport changes across a broad range of areas”, runs on the Sky Sports website, but also draws on interviews, like that conducted with CEO Jeremy Steele in April.
In the piece, written by Maryam Clark, Steele talks about the work done with Alex Greenwood as part of our Signature service. The report used our proprietary Goal Difference Added algorithm to assess her value compared with top-level male centre backs to show just how undervalued the England and Manchester City defender was. In addition, Analytics FC was able to quantify the potential loss of revenue caused by City not qualifying for the Women’s Champions League, and the percentage likelihood of that not happening should Greenwood leave. The work was used by Greenwood’s agency, REPT Sports, to negotiate her contract.
“When we started working with Alex, we recognised it would be a bit more difficult than a standard report. We took different angles and different approaches to bring about the information that was required,” Analytics FC CEO Jeremy Steele tells Sky Sports, and the article excellently covers how those differences relate to the use of data across the women’s game.
Analytics FC’s Head of Content Alex Stewart expands on this too, going into detail about how “As the amount of money going into women’s football increases, and the availability of information on good players in other leagues increases, data will be increasingly used.” Stewart also explains how increasing investment yields greater coverage: “Companies are getting past that hurdle [of data collection expense] as they see that the financial interest in the women’s game is growing. If you’re a data provider, they’re looking at it and thinking, ‘people will start paying for this soon even if it’s not happening now”.
The article also touches on Analytics FC’s partnership with Lewes F.C., and then goes on to look at other uses of technology in the women’s game, especially around officiating.
The coverage comes as Analytics FC have increased our coverage of the women’s game, adding nine new leagues to the TransferLab platform. You can read about that here.
Header image copyright IMAGO / Beautiful Sports / Jones
