ESPN’s Stats and Information Group (SIG) is always striving to support sports fans by enhancing the company’s content through industry-leading analytics, BottomLines for 17 English and Spanish networks, research for studio, event and digital/social and delivering fast and accurate data for all platforms. 2019 was a banner year of innovation for the team working with groups across the network and The Walt Disney Company.

ESPN’s heritage of incessant innovation carries forward in the work of the best-in-class SIG team, consistently finding compelling new ways to serve the sports fan – anytime, anywhere.

Mark Walker, ESPN SVP Business Development and Innovation

Advanced NFL Storytelling

Groundbreaking Metrics

Utilizing NFL player tracking technology and data, the Sports Analytics Team continued its development of creations like the Pass Rush/Block Win Rate and Pass Coverage Classification metrics which were seen on Monday Night Football, SportsCenter and more.

PlayStation Player Impact Rating

The SIG-created metric measures every FBS player’s impact when they are on the field relative to others at their position.

NBA Coverage Enhancements

Basketball Shot Graders

SIG developed a tool which uses player tracking and/or play-by-play data to determine the quality of shot opportunities. It debuted on SportsCenter:AM during the NBA Playoffs.

(NBA footage courtesy of NBA Entertainment)

NBA Second Spectrum Telecasts

SIG provided statistical support, including original BottomLines and worked closely with many technical and production teams to support ESPN’s customization drive when the network implemented alternative viewing experiences for NBA games with Second Spectrum technology.

Studio Augmentations

Virtual NFL Stats

SIG NFL Draft projections and many more marquee metrics were integrated into virtual presentations throughout the season.

Sports Betting

ESPN continues to become the go-to source for sports betting analysis and SIG assisted in making great strides by building research tools like FPI+ to help tell differentiating stories.

SIG also drove the new ESPNEWS screen compression featuring continually updating information on the bottom and left sides of the screen, 24/7.

Who’s In?

SIG fueled the College Football Playoff debate all season by working with teams across the network to integrate Playoff Predictor touchscreens. The enhanced data allowed studio analysts to play out a variety of outcomes and have the probability of each happening at their fingertips.

Early in the 2019 season, NFL Playoff Predictor touchscreens were also unveiled.