Bloomberg launches sports analytics blog spinoff, Stats Insights, for fans enjoyment. BSports continues to pioneer the sports technology applications industry this time via a web based, daily blog that features a multi-sport format and is driven by customized data. Their new blog will contain original content and analysis of the five major European football leagues as well as the NFL, MLB, and NBA. Sports Techie was fortunate enough to ask company President Bill Squadron a few questions about Stats Insights and BSports.
Stats Insights Breaking Down the Latest Sports News, Notes and Numbers: http://www.bsports.com/statsinsights.
“We are very pleased to launch Stats Insights as the latest extension of our work in sports analytics and especially our work in European football,” Bill Squadron, head of Bloomberg Sports said. “Our staff of analysts includes many of the leading minds in a variety of sports. We receive constant requests for our analytical perspective, and this content provides passionate sports fans with innovative insights. Over time we will continue to add even more information so that the blog will become the ‘must follow’ for sports fans worldwide.”
Stats Insights
Stats Insights offers interested readers unique articles and expert commentary about team performance and fantasy sports centered on the proprietary data produced by their market leading analytics engine. The new web pages also serve as a launching point for other Bloomberg social media properties including Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.
Stats Insider is free and considered to be a compliment to the BSports subscription model. Growth plans are to include data and information from football leagues in North and South America next year.
Stats Insights Team
One key to a blogs success are its writers. Stats Insights has a team of young content generators in place but no established bloggers. Rob Shaw is the Head of Broadcast and a Youtube mainstay. Head analyst Logan MacPhail has a baseball name but the rest of the team is relatively unknown.
I suppose when the analytical data is derived from the world’s leader in analytics for the global financial markets, practically anyone could deliver the proprietary sports information in theory, otherwise, we probably would have seen a few more well known names on the Stats Insights team. Everyone started somewhere; perhaps @RealGrassHopper is the next @DarrenRovell.
BSports Tools
Football Match Analysis – https://www.bloombergsports.com/football/.
This app is a match analysis tool that provides data-driven projections and in-depth analytics for all the major European football leagues by using current and historical data. Get an edge in forecasting results, correct scores and many more key elements of football matches.
NFL Decision Maker – https://n5y.1cd.myftpupload.com/bloomberg-sports-upgrades-decision-maker-nfl-fantasy-football-app-2012-season/.
The ultimate sit/start fantasy tool applies science to the management of your team. Decision Maker features the most accurate fantasy projections in the industry and will give you an edge in your league all season long.
for people to enjoy whatever sporting event they are passionate about.
THE Sports Techie Q&A with Bill Squadron, President of Bloomberg Sports –
1. How does Stats Insight differ from ESPN Stats & Info?
The info provided will be pulled from the analytic analysis done by our data team. We think it will serve a wide variety of fans much in the way Nate Silver’s NY Times blog services the political world over time.
2. Are fantasy sports fans, sponsors, gamblers, and media, ideal Stats Insights blog frequenters?
It really will be geared for anyone with an interest in unique statistical analysis in sports
3. Does Stats Insights subscribed content come at a cost or is it completely free?
The blog is free. We have created a tiered pay service for soccer fans as well.
4. Will you develop a Stats Insider App?
Right now our goal is to get people used to the blog. We have a number of products coming in soccer down the line.
5. Are hashtags #StatsInsights and #InsightsOfThe Day the ones to follow on Twitter?
The best place to follow is Bloomberg Sports…which will have all the info linked.
7. Is Bloomberg Sports analytics of the five European soccer leagues by Match Analysis a new sports technology tool that is catching on?
We have been building this for three years now and see a need for data analysis in every sport. It is part of the Bloomberg DNA. So we see this as the next progression of providing information for people to enjoy whatever sporting event they are passionate about.
Summary of Q&A
Add Stats Insights to Bloomberg’s impressive suite of online and mobile sports data products sold in the United States that include Match Analysis and Decision Maker. BSports’ Stats Insights is free and their unique content is produced for any kind of sports fan which is sportsbiz smart in a global sense. Cricket stats are as important to their fans as football numbers and trends are to hardcore and casual NFL fans.
Much like our pioneering Sports Techie blog, the Stats Insights web page will serve as their content hub and a social media launching point. Social media is an important component to Stats Insights overall design and functionality.
Many in sports and tech business understand there are less and less original thinkers and more and more copy cats so asking Bill about Stats Insights comparisons to ESPN Stats & Info is fair game. I understand better now why BSports feels they have a competitive edge over ESPN because of their top sports analytical technology and staff of analysts, however, we all know ESPN is no second fiddle to anybody.
ESPN now has a new sports technology reporter in place so rest assured that ESPN Stats & Info will probably match and exceed Stats Insights analytical products and content should they want to, and they most likely will at some point. For now, BSports helps to legitimize the sports analytics market and is THE competitor to ESPN.
Bill shared how the public has increasingly wanted data analysis over the past three years which is one of Bloomberg Sports core competencies, making the timing of this new BSports blog a good one. Mobile device apps are a must upgrade for the Stats Insights blog and look for a new soccer application tier by BSports in the near future.
Since social media is something most Fortune 500 CEO’s don’t truly get, I was not surprised that Bill did not dive a bit deeper when I asked him about using hashtag #StatsInsider on Twitter which is a no-brainer in terms of helping with social media branding and marketing execution. I created the hashtag #InsightsOfThe Day from their Stats Insights web page name and feature so keep your virtual Sports Techie eye on that one too.
About BLOOMBERG SPORTS
Recently named by Mashable as one of its “Five Most Innovative Sports Brands for 2012,” Bloomberg Sports takes the technology developed by Bloomberg, the leading global provider in data and analytics, and applies them to the vast data analysis opportunities in sports. Working with MLB.com and other partners since its launch in 2010, Bloomberg Sports fantasy products give fans the most powerful easy to use resources as they draft and manage their fantasy teams. Additionally, Bloomberg Sports provides a professional product that delivers Major League Baseball clubs with a secure, virtually unlimited set of analytical functions to assist them in personnel evaluation and game preparation and with a tablet application used by many professional players. Bloomberg Sports has also created products customized for broadcast use, as well as professional tools for several professional baseball organizations in Latin America and recently launched a consumer soccer product in Europe. BSports was also selected by The Sports Business Journal as a Finalist for “Best In Sports Technology” in 2012 and named as one of the “Most Innovative Companies in Sports” in 2011 by Fast Company Magazine.
Sports Techie, We love sports technology related business and BSports is right in the middle of an application development industry push. One thing for sure is we need more choices in all things, sports analytics included. ESPN is fast becoming the sports hegemony. The online birth of Stats Insights could not have come soon enough if you like choice.
Bloomberg Sports is consistently increasing their slice size of the sports analytics business pie by offering innovative Solutions, software and content such as what’s on the new Stats Insights blog. I like the pioneering techie spirit Bill and his BSports team emanate. If enough loyal readers interested in sports, statistics, fantasy play, or gambling, follow along and make Stats Insights a daily part of their lives, they may never look back on ESPN Stats & Info. Bravo BSports.
I will see ya when I see ya, THE Sports Techie – http://twitter.com/THESportsTechie
Sports Techie Twitter: @sportstechieNET, http://twitter.com/SportsTechieNET
Sports Techie Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/SportsTechie
Sports Techie YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/sportstechie
Sports Techie Google+: http://gplus.to/SportsTechie
Sports Techie Linkedin Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Sports-Techie-2958439
Sports Techie Mobypicture: http://www.mobypicture.com/user/sportstechieNET
Sports Techie MySpace (Bob Roble): http://www.myspace.com/549000677
Sports Techie Flicker: http://www.flickr.com/photos/67964145@N05
Sports Techie Klout: http://klout.com/sportstechieNET
Sports Techie Blog: https://n5y.1cd.myftpupload.com/