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The data that drives Oracle’s Premier League insights

This season’s Premier League is different from past ones for a number of reasons. We are seeing the tentative return of fans in stadiums for example, as well as players continuing to take a knee before matches in the “No Room for Racism” campaign.

For those who are watching from abroad, they also may have seen that the Premier League is leaning heavily into data, with live in-match statistics being powered by Oracle Cloud.

Apart from the usual possession and shots on target, Oracle Cloud is also serving up more interesting metrics such as win predictors. This is something we have seen in other sports recently, such as T20 cricket, so its introduction into football makes sense.

That said, we do not have insight into what powers the Oracle solution for the Premier League, which is why we recently spoke with Lee Bonfield, senior sales manager for Tech and Cloud Systems at the company about the data that drives what viewers see on screen.

Here’s what he told us.

Hypertext: This year we are seeing Oracle Cloud’s influence on the Premier League. How did the partnership come about and what impact on the viewing experience do you expect it to have?

Lee Bonfield: As the world’s most-watched sports league, it was a natural fit that the Premier League selected Oracle as its official cloud, data and analytics, and machine learning provider.

We are working together to bring new match insights to the League’s loyal and passionate fan base. Premier League matches now feature “Match Insights–Powered by Oracle Cloud” – real-time advanced player performance data and statistics that billions of fans can watch on live broadcasts worldwide.

The in-match statistics provide a deeper understanding of the live action on the pitch for fans and broadcasters, enhancing the experience of viewing and reliving the match play. 

In terms of data, what resources is Oracle Cloud pulling from in order to share its live in-game stats with viewers? 

LB: The Oracle Cloud analyses Premier League video content real-time and produces stats data live in-play. This provides a deeper, more engaging experience for the viewer and allows them to create their own narrative around what’s happening on the pitch.

Outside of match days, how is the data that Oracle Cloud being used? Has the company spoken to any teams for example to become a technology provider?

LB: The focus of the partnership is match analysis with the Premier League.

There is more analysis of data than ever in sports, especially in American sports and motoring. How does Oracle look to balance insightful information and stats overkill?

LB: Oracle and the Premier League know from research that their fans are very interested in the use of match data and statistics, especially younger audiences who place importance and interest in integrated data such as match analysis and stats.

Premier League is always looking for new ways to engage fans and enhance their enjoyment of the game, wherever they are in the world. Premier League and Oracle are presenting in-match statistics based on live data streams, real-time tracking data, and facts collected on each of the League’s players and from thousands of previous matches.  

“Match Insights – Powered by Oracle Cloud” are new to Premier League broadcasts and go beyond what some other leagues share, with the goal of providing more real-time in-match data tracking.

The current Match Insights include:  

      • Win Probability: Calculates the chance of a team securing a win or draw by simulating the remainder of the match 100000 times.  
      • Attacking Threat: Measures the likelihood of the team in possession scoring a goal in the next 10 seconds.   
      • Average Position: Tracks the average actual positions of all players when their team is in and out of possession.  

The Win Predictor is quite interesting. It has only been running for a few match days, but how accurate has it been in terms of its predictions to date? 

LB: This is something that we need to evaluate over time to give accurate analysis. It is just too early in the season. 

In terms of the data that influences who will win a match, outside of goals of course, what are the key data sets that Oracle Cloud looks at? 

LB: Goals scored of course is key, but it will also take into account a number of other data points, such as red cards, substitutions and injuries to key players.

Over time we will be able to analyse for example, whether the introduction of a certain key substitute into a game really has an impact – are they really ‘Super-Subs’?

We’ll also be able to look at how the win probability at kick-off changes if a particular player is unavailable for a game – how important are certain players to the team.

It will have a great impact on the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game as well, looking at those ‘talismanic’ players, who we can rely on for FPL points.

Has Oracle Cloud run the numbers in terms of who will win the Premier League this season? Any predictions on that front?

LB: Unfortunately, we are too early in the season to comment on this one. 

Are there any plans down the line to leverage the data that Oracle Cloud captures over the course of the season to present to fans/viewers?

LB: Yes, adding statistical insights to broadcast commentary will further unlock the stories in matches enabling richer storytelling, which leads to a virtuous feedback cycle of better fan engagement and broader viewership.  

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