Last week I expressed my opinion on the usefulness of the WAR stat. This week I will continue that theme but with an emphasis on the amount of value a type of stat has in relation from one sport to another. One of my favorite statistical formulas is the defensive and offensive efficiency rating. This particular formula is used for essentially all team sports however my personal opinion is that is more viable for certain sports. Let me explain. The efficiency rating formula is essentially based on possessions and number of points scored or given up per number of possessions. This stat can give an analyst a pretty good estimation on the quality of a teams performance, but first the quantification of what is considered a possession should be easily identifiable and the sample size should be large enough to justify the efficiency rating. For example, in basketball one could easily identify the amount of possessions a team has on a game to game basis, due to the way the game is structured. Each team has 24 seconds to possess and score the ball before possession is transferred. possession are typically conformed without continuous turnover unlike what one would find in a hockey game, and the sample size of possession per game are significant enough to properly analyze a teams effectiveness. In basketball for instance the rating formula is based on every 100 possession a team has the ball or is defending the ball. I think this stat is ideal because possessions are controlled and easily identifiable. In football possession are controlled and identifiable as well, but team efficiency is determined per 100 plays instead of by possession. This method is is a slight alteration from the one used in basketball but it is still ultimately based on possessions.However the difference is in basketball a team is required to score the ball in 24 seconds for every possession. In football their is no requirement to score every play. The dynamic of the sport of football in my opinion limits the viability of this particular formula. Preferably a stat formula such as points per time of possession would accurately describe a football teams efficiency rate. I I am not insinuating that basketball is the only sport where this statistical formula is useful I am just stating that the formula should be configured accurately to fit the dynamics of a specific sport so that it correlates more effectively to the nature of play. Next post I will discuss how the growing trend of sports statistical analysis is using data as not just a means for developing effective teams but as a method for creating real business intelligence.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Validity of Statistical Formulas from one Sport to Another
Last week I expressed my opinion on the usefulness of the WAR stat. This week I will continue that theme but with an emphasis on the amount of value a type of stat has in relation from one sport to another. One of my favorite statistical formulas is the defensive and offensive efficiency rating. This particular formula is used for essentially all team sports however my personal opinion is that is more viable for certain sports. Let me explain. The efficiency rating formula is essentially based on possessions and number of points scored or given up per number of possessions. This stat can give an analyst a pretty good estimation on the quality of a teams performance, but first the quantification of what is considered a possession should be easily identifiable and the sample size should be large enough to justify the efficiency rating. For example, in basketball one could easily identify the amount of possessions a team has on a game to game basis, due to the way the game is structured. Each team has 24 seconds to possess and score the ball before possession is transferred. possession are typically conformed without continuous turnover unlike what one would find in a hockey game, and the sample size of possession per game are significant enough to properly analyze a teams effectiveness. In basketball for instance the rating formula is based on every 100 possession a team has the ball or is defending the ball. I think this stat is ideal because possessions are controlled and easily identifiable. In football possession are controlled and identifiable as well, but team efficiency is determined per 100 plays instead of by possession. This method is is a slight alteration from the one used in basketball but it is still ultimately based on possessions.However the difference is in basketball a team is required to score the ball in 24 seconds for every possession. In football their is no requirement to score every play. The dynamic of the sport of football in my opinion limits the viability of this particular formula. Preferably a stat formula such as points per time of possession would accurately describe a football teams efficiency rate. I I am not insinuating that basketball is the only sport where this statistical formula is useful I am just stating that the formula should be configured accurately to fit the dynamics of a specific sport so that it correlates more effectively to the nature of play. Next post I will discuss how the growing trend of sports statistical analysis is using data as not just a means for developing effective teams but as a method for creating real business intelligence.
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