Analytics FC has collaborated with Harvard Business School (HBS) to provide a case study for its world-renowned MBA course on negotiation. The module, led by Assistant Professors of Business Administration Livia Alfonsi (pictured teaching the course) and Jillian Jordan, focused on Analytics FC’s groundbreaking work supporting Alex Greenwood’s contract negotiation with Manchester City.
Becoming a Harvard Business School case study is a prestigious and highly selective process, signifying that a company, leader, or strategy is considered highly influential in the business world. Companies like Apple, Netflix, Tesla, and Airbnb have all been studied at HBS.
Case studies are a dynamic learning tool that bring real-world challenges into the classroom. At Harvard Business School, they are at the core of the learning experience, immersing students in real decision-making scenarios. Rather than relying on passive lectures, HBS case studies create an interactive environment where students debate, analyze, and think critically—just like top executives navigating complex business decisions.
In 2020, Analytics FC supported Greenwood with a data-driven analysis of her performance and its sporting and financial worth, which helped Greenwood secure a record deal with City at the time. This was the first deployment of our Signature service in women’s football and the first time such work had been carried out by any consulting firm in the space.
Assistant Professors Alfonsi and Jordan worked closely with Analytics FC, with additional input from Sam Stapleton at REPT, Greenwood’s agent, to craft a case study that detailed how Analytics FC approach working with a client for the Signature service.
Alfonsi and Jordan conducted long interviews with the Analytics FC team and were able to build a picture of the initial scope of the project, its aims and approach, and the outcomes. They interrogated how and why certain data were used and built a superb case study which addressed such key issues as the difference between men’s and women’s football, the use of data in negotiations, how Analytics FC maintains impartiality and objectivity while working for clients, and how data is changing the face of sports in general.
Assistant Professor Alfonsi said, “The Analytics FC Greenwood case provided such a unique lens into the role of data in football negotiations, which led to rich discussions on the interplay between analytics, persuasion, and strategic decision-making.
One of the most engaging aspects for the students was grappling with how negotiation isn’t just about having the right data, but about crafting a persuasive narrative around it. They were particularly struck by how Analytics FC’s Signature Service translates complex analytics into a compelling story that influences contract outcomes — challenging their assumptions about the power of data alone. This dynamic was especially thought-provoking in the context of women’s football, where making an evidence-based case for fair compensation carries even greater stakes.”
Analytics FC CEO Jeremy Steele, who together with Head of Content Alex Stewart sat in on the teaching and took part in robust Q&A sessions at the end of each session, said, “Football is a relentless, 24/7 world. When you’re deep in the day-to-day work of supporting clubs and players, you don’t always stop to think about how impactful that work looks from the outside. Being invited to collaborate with Harvard Business School—where some of the biggest decisions in global business and leadership have been studied—was a real eye-opener in that sense.
Working with Professors Alfonsi and Jordan made us step back and see our work in a new light. It really hit home how much football is changing—analytics isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore; it’s a core part of how the game operates at the highest level.
The seminars and Q&As were brilliant. The discussions were sharp, the students asked great questions, and I actually walked away having learned a lot myself—not just about what we do, but why it really matters”.
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