Throughout professional soccer, clubs have been rapidly adopting data-driven match analysis tools as their philosophies have shifted towards utilizing objective data for evaluating player performance. Built on dissecting each match into specific, quantifiable events, this principle is already firmly embedded in sports such as baseball and football.
Unlike baseball however, most analysis metrics in soccer don’t provide clear indicators of a player’s true performance, such as WAR (wins above replacement) or OPS (on-base percentage), and how their individual efforts contribute to their club’s success (or lack thereof). With that said, this issue can be mitigated by overlaying the statistical depth of data analysis with the visualization of video playback. This integration can illustrate a team’s behavior and provide a breakdown of a club’s (or their opponent’s) strengths and weaknesses. Simply put, this marriage of match analysis tools enables the objectivity of statistics to combine with the subjectivity of video.
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There have been several approaches towards integrating data analysis and video playback; however, a company by the name of Match Analysis has not only succeeded in this venture, but they’ve also redefined how clubs analyze players and strategize against their opponents. Gavin Wilkinson, GM of the 2015 MLS Cup Champion Portland Timbers, recently stated, “…Match Analysis’ toolset is head and shoulders above the competition. [Their] tools are cutting edge, still extremely accessible, and easy to use for both coaches and players.”
Fifteen years ago, Match Analysis began its journey as one of the leading companies to infuse analytics into soccer. Match Analysis’ founder, Mark Brunkhart, developed a proprietary system that he used to help players see the game objectively. Beginning with a paper and pencil shorthand, this unique system quickly evolved from a collection of printed reports and infographics into the ground-breaking video and data analysis platform it is today.
Since its inception, Match Analysis has revamped the standard model in which players are spoon-fed information from their technical staff. By providing every player and coach access to the raw materials necessary for detailed analysis, Match Analysis has empowered clubs to transform themselves into dynamic, championship-winning teams. In fact, clients of Match Analysis boast some rather impressive accolades:
- 12 of the last 14 MLS Cups
- 12 of the last 14 US Open Cups
- 7 of the last 10 NCAA Division I National Championships
It’s a series of accomplishments that are a testament to the superior, high performance analytical tools that Match Analysis has created over the years.
Primarily, Match Analysis’ products revolve around a club’s players and its technical staff; however, there are additional tools specific for TV that allow broadcast crews to feed fans with statistical insights and enhance their TV viewing experience.
For all clubs, Match Analysis provides access to their Mambo Studio 5.1, Tango ToGo, and Tango Online tools as part of the base package. From there, clubs may add-on tools such as the K2 Panoramic Video Camera System to enhance their knowledgebase and improve tactical thinking.
When combined under a single platform, these tools provide players and coaches with highly visual, in-depth performance analytics that can be accessed and shared at any time.
Mambo Studio 5.1
Built as the flagship product, Mambo Studio is a state-of-the-art search and retrieval tool designed for video editing and analysis. The simple UI provides coaches and players with a quick and user-friendly medium for evaluating and communicating player performance through the use of video.
Defined as “every touch by every player”, match events are the lifeblood of Mambo Studio 5.1. During a single match, Match Analysis analysts may record over 3,000 events and synchronize each event against multiple video feeds. In fact, Match Analysis has already documented over 10 million match events.
Suppose Caleb Porter, head coach of the Portland Timbers, is interested in analyzing Diego Valeri’s MVP performance during MLS Cup 2015. Caleb would select Diego from the roster list within the UI, and all of the on-the-ball events coded to Diego would instantly appear. From there, Caleb would use the grid at the bottom of the UI to filter for specific events such as ball touches, lost possession, or shots on goal to organize Diego’s outstanding performance. As an added bonus, Mambo Studio 5.1 gives Caleb the ability to layer on other players, such as Darlington Nagbe and Diego Chara, and extract all events where these three players combined in possession.
But perhaps what puts Mambo Studio 5.1 in a league of its own is Match Analysis’ backend video ingestion capabilities that facilitates video analysis from up to eight different camera angles, including TV broadcasts or the immensely popular K2 Panoramic Video Camera System. With more than 56,000 gigabytes of compressed video to sift through, coaches and players have an impressive search platform at their disposal.
Tango Products (Online, Live, ToGo, & Broadcast)
- Tango Online is a comprehensive online analytical and video library that’s accessible 24/7 and archives every corresponding match event. Video of every match can be instantly streamed through the Online platform, and this provides every club member the opportunity to re-visit, re-analyze, and re-learn from prior matches.
- Tango ToGo is a direct-to-mobile communication tool that supports the instant sharing of video clips and comments between coaches and players. For example, a coach can splice together a sequence of video clips using Mambo Studio 5.1 and distribute the video to a player’s iPhone, iPad, or other mobile device. By expanding how players and coaches share analysis, Match Analysis is helping to improve the dynamic between coaches and their players. It’s a product that has garnered quite a bit of attention during its lifetime. In 2014 alone, Match Analysis clients distributed over 6,500 videos using Tango ToGo.
- Tango Live was designed as a player performance monitoring dashboard that enables technical staff members to make judgements and assessments on player performance in real-time. Accessible via any web connected device, coaches are able to monitor trends as they develop and make tactical adjustments from the sidelines.
- Tango Broadcast is a live statistics and in-game graphics onboarding tool that expands Match Analysis’ clientele to media broadcast partners. It seamlessly transfers match statistics from the Match Analysis database to TV in the form of high quality 3D graphics. To utilize, broadcasters monitor in-game data visualizations via Tango Live, populate interesting content into Viz scenes, and then launch the graphics directly inside the live broadcast.
K2 Panoramic Video Camera System with TrueView Visualization
Unveiled in 2013, Match Analysis’ unique K2 Panoramic Video Camera System with TrueView Visualization presents an unrivalled interactive experience for its users. The video system features three high-resolution cameras that seamlessly stitch video into a single, HD view of the entire playing field. After three years of development and the acquisition of Spinsight in 2012, Match Analysis’ K2 video product replaced rudimentary, wide-angle solutions. As a result, Match Analysis answered one of the fundamental problems faced by a club’s technical staff by ensuring that no action or off-the-ball movement goes unseen.
Additionally, TrueView Visualizations is a revolutionary system that supports interactive touch panel visualizations and player tracking directly within the video feed. For example, coaches can select a player within the video and draw directly on the screen to highlight where a player needs to be or where the ball needs to be played. The visualization appears within the actual video and moves fluidly as the video playback occurs. As another use case, coaches can draw a line connecting all defensive players to monitor their shape and overall positioning.
The K2 video system is fully integrated into all of Match Analysis’ product suite; therefore, its combination with Mambo Studio 5.1 creates one of the most advanced, educational, and visually effective analytical tools available. On average, each of Match Analysis’ MLS clients uses the K2 video solution for over 180 matches throughout the season as they study the performance of their own teams and opponents.
A product demo of the K2 Panoramic Video Camera System can be seen below:
Especially over the past decade, Match Analysis has experienced tremendous success and client growth throughout the soccer world with a stronghold on the North American market. They’re currently contracted with all 18 clubs in Mexico’s Liga MX, 17 of the 20 MLS clubs, the Mexican national team, numerous universities and amateur sides, as well as media partners such as The New York Times. With nearly 10,000 analyzed soccer matches under their belt and numerous championships won by their clients, Match Analysis has firmly positioned themselves as a leader within the soccer analysis market.