Adidas Match Tracker [adidas.com] succeeds in demonstrating the incredibly rich and detailed dataset that is generated during each single international soccer game. Each meaningful event, such as each pass, each shot, each block or each goal, has been tracked and recorded for the full 90 minutes of a typical match. The Match Tracker thus provides sports statistics enthusiasts and data addicts alike the power to explore and analyze a match from a completely different perspective.
An interactive timeline at the bottom of the screens allows users to select or animate a specific timespan. Filters can be set between “blocked” or “off target” shots, “successful” and “unsuccessful” passes, “successful” and “unsuccessful” tackles, and of course goals. Views can be varied between a dual-tone heatmap and a pass-centric representation, while specific players can be filtered and compared.
The obvious attractiveness for sponsors, together with the future vision of “social visualization” (GoogleTV anyone?) and television spectators interacting with each other (and, why not, data?) during a sports game, will surely push this new area of visualization much further in the foreseeable future.
See also UEFA Champions League MatchCentre and The Guardian Interactive Chalkboards.
Is there any equivalent for basketball or baseball out there?