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Friday, September 30, 2011

Bloomberg Sports to Provide Tools for MLB Postseason Broadcasts

Why? They already have Buck and McCarver…

Bloomberg Sports today announced that it has reached a new licensing agreement with Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason broadcasters FOX Sports and TBS to provide custom-designed enhanced statistical analysis, professional analytical tools and a data feed of in-depth pitch analysis for each game of the 2011 playoffs and World Series. TBS is the exclusive television home of all four Division Series and the National League Championship Series, with FOX airing exclusively the American League Championship Series and World Series.

These new features, including very detailed predictive tools for pitcher-batter matchups, will give broadcast teams unique information on player tendencies and the potential outcome of each play, improving the experience and engagement level for the viewer like never before. For instance, broadcasters will have the ability to provide the viewer with the likelihood that a player will reach base, based on count, bases occupied, inning, and number of outs. The tools are a media-designed version of the same analytics system that Bloomberg has built for MLB teams. Currently, the majority of MLB clubs are using Bloomberg Sports’ tools for season-long player analysis and scouting.

Another new and unique feature that is exclusive to FOX Sports is a state-of-the-art on-base percentage predictor for each batter that updates with each pitch. This innovative technology is customized to any matchup and the circumstances of the game.

Repoz Posted: September 30, 2011 at 01:51 PM | 12 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: announcers, business, media, sabermetrics, television

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1. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: September 30, 2011 at 02:11 PM (#3945983)

Well, as long as they don't clutter up the screen with all this ####, and as long as they don't use coolstandings.com to make any predictions. There's a fine line between dispensing meaningful new information and worthless trivia that can easily get crossed when it's in the hands of the typical FOX announcers.

2. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: September 30, 2011 at 02:13 PM (#3945987)

Well, as long as they don't clutter up the screen with all this ####,

Agreed. Less is more on screen and just provide a companion website that should be customizable to the viewer with all kinds of information. MLB GameDay serves a lot of that pretty well which is why I usually watch games with the app on my iPad open.

3. Rants Mulliniks (formerly Cold Prosimian) Posted: September 30, 2011 at 02:54 PM (#3946039)

I have a feeling this is going to backfire and give the haters even more ammo in their anti-SABR war.

4. Jim (jimmuscomp) Posted: September 30, 2011 at 03:31 PM (#3946092)

If there is a dancing robot with a baseball head explaining win probability and "nasty factor" I swear to God, I'll break my television.

5. Shock Posted: September 30, 2011 at 03:39 PM (#3946101)

including very detailed predictive tools for pitcher-batter matchups

ugh

I'm as big a statnerd as anyone, but this horrifies me. If they start saying things like "Evan Longoria is 1-3 against Colby Lewis when there is a runner on 1st and the count goes to 1-2" it's going to re-enforce that stupid strawman that people have about what they think sabermetrics are.

6. Gotham Dave Posted: September 30, 2011 at 03:42 PM (#3946106)

I'm already shuddering at the prospect of hearing that ####### FOOTBALL SONG in the freaking World Series. What a disgrace.

7. Don Geovany Soto (chris h.) Posted: September 30, 2011 at 05:05 PM (#3946207)

If there is a dancing robot with a baseball head explaining win probability and "nasty factor" I swear to God, I'll break my television.

I think I would pay actual money to see this.

8. Bad Doctor Posted: September 30, 2011 at 05:08 PM (#3946217)

including very detailed predictive tools for pitcher-batter matchups, will give broadcast teams unique information on player tendencies and the potential outcome of each play,

Am I reading this right? What the #### sense are very detailed predictive tools for the outcome of one at-bat?

My detailed predictive tools say that the at-bat will result in the batter making an out. That's my prediction for every single at bat of the postseason. What predictive tool is going to be more successful than that?

9. Jim (jimmuscomp) Posted: September 30, 2011 at 06:08 PM (#3946281)

I think I would pay actual money to see this.

Touché...

10. Pat Rapper's Delight Posted: September 30, 2011 at 06:18 PM (#3946294)

My detailed predictive tools say that the at-bat will result in the batter making an out. That's my prediction for every single at bat of the postseason. What predictive tool is going to be more successful than that?

That's actually not a bad system now that John Lackey is done for the year.

11. Voros McCracken of Pinkus Posted: September 30, 2011 at 06:34 PM (#3946317)

What predictive tool is going to be more successful than that?

That Willie Bloomquist will not claim the mantle of "Mr. October" in his first post-season?

12. AROM Posted: September 30, 2011 at 09:04 PM (#3946481)

I think I'd lean towards "reach base" if the batter was Miguel Cabrera, the pitcher left-handed, and runners on second or third with first open. Otherwise I agree with Bob's predictive tool.

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Friday, September 30, 2011

Bloomberg Sports to Provide Tools for MLB Postseason Broadcasts

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