First of all, I believe the conference gets misunderstand.
It’s not only about the benefits of sports analytics and how teams can gain an
edge. It features as much content on sports business and technology as
statistics.
Here’s how one sports agent from the past could leverage
today’s technology, if he actually existed. Back in 1996, Jerry Maguire had it
rough. After SMI fired him, he faced a huge challenge competing with agents like
Bob Sugar. Here are three problems he encountered, followed by solutions that
didn’t exist 17 years ago.
On a shoestring budget, Jerry found it nearly impossible to generate a positive
image for his client Rod Tidwell. Today, Maguire could easily build a
website with dynamic content and blog posts that provide insight
into the real Rod Tidwell. Jerry’s Twitter account (and Rod’s as well) would
link to these updates and share details that never find their way into the
mainstream sports media. Best of all, Jerry could automate his tweets with a
tool like HootSuite. So he could enjoy a night out with Dorothy while his
tweets reach thousands of followers and build Tidwell’s brand.
Maguire
struggled to land quality endorsements opportunities for Tidwell.
He even placed him in one ad that required sitting atop a camel in the desert. Today,
Jerry could use exciting technology like BrandMatch Score, which enables
companies to identify their best potential endorsers by measuring campaign
specific data, athlete statistics, and consumer perceptions. Representatives
from BrandMatch Score explained their tools could also be used by agents to
find sponsorships for their clients.
Unlike
larger agencies like Sugar’s SMI, Maguire could not afford to hire experts in
areas like sports medicine. Fortunately, tools like Dartfish make
it possible for him to compare arm angles for his baseball clients and/or
quarterbacks, using nothing but a Smartphone and $5 iPhone app. Future Hall
of Famer John Smoltz studied his pitching motion with Dartfish, which helps analyze
performance and avoid injuries.
Of course, large sports agencies can
also gain an edge technology. The difference today is that all agents can
take advantage of these and other amazing tools to even the playing field.