2021

StatsBomb Conference 2021: Call For Research Proposals

By StatsBomb | June 15, 2021
2021

StatsBomb Conference 2021: Call For Research Proposals

The second ever StatsBomb conference will be held at Stamford Bridge on Friday October 8th 2021. There will be presentations from industry experts in analytics from across the sporting spectrum, as well as moderated panels and sessions with football professionals operating at clubs in the best leagues in the world.

StatsBomb has always had a close connection to the wider analytics community and it’s important to us that this group is represented at this conference.

For that reason, we’re once again inviting you to send us your research proposals. The best submissions will be offered the chance to write a paper using exclusive StatsBomb data and present it to an audience of industry professionals. StatsBomb data has multiple features that are primed for investigation, both in the base data and now with the addition of 360 data. Our base data still stands out as the most rich and contextual dataset in the industry, containing information such as pass footedness and pass height, shot impact height, pressure events and also attacker, defender and goalkeeper location on all shots. Player location is something that has been hugely expanded on with the creation of 360 data.

360 is contextual event data that adds a snapshot freeze frame around every single event we record, detailing player positioning at the moment each event occurred. It goes without saying that this allows for deeper analysis than ever before of events such as line-breaking passes, ball receipts in space, and defensive shape around each event, to name just three.

Available Data

The research competition gives everyone the unique opportunity to work with the most comprehensive and contextual event dataset in football. Participants will be given access to: 170 or 190 games of StatsBomb Data AND StatsBomb 360 Data from either the 2020-21 German Bundesliga or Spain’s La Liga respectively. It will be all matches for the top 10 teams in either league. Submissions based on the publicly available StatsBomb Data (2018 Men's World Cup, 2019 Women’s World Cup, Messi Data Biography, 2018-19 FA WSL season, and Arsenal 2003-04 Invincibles season) are also welcome.

Proposal Details
The proposal will be judged on the following criteria:

  • Originality: StatsBomb have the richest event data in the world, and 360 data is the first dataset of it’s kind. We’re looking for innovative approaches to analysing it
  • Application: Can your work be used to help clubs make better decisions or be the basis for future research?
  • Feasibility: Is your proposal a realistic one for the given timeframe?

Both foundational and applied research is welcome. We are dedicated to providing a platform for the most innovative research in football analytics, whether that means theoretical or practical work. All proposals should include the following information:

  • Paper Title
  • Summary (max 500.) What are you researching? Why do you think this is an interesting question? What is your expected outcome?
  • What organization do you work for?
  • What is your experience in football?
  • What is your experience with data analysis?
  • What experience do you have presenting?

Proposals should be sent to conference@statsbomb.com Only one proposal per person or group.  The deadline for submissions is 31st July 2021. [EDIT: Deadline extended to 6th August at the request of several participants.]

Candidates will be informed at the latest by 9th August whether or not their proposal has been accepted. The deadline for submission of the final papers is 29th September ahead of the event on 8th October.

Successful proposals will be given free admission to the conference (1 ticket per accepted submission).

Proposal Review
The proposals will be judged by a team from the data science and analysis departments at StatsBomb, led by James Yorke. Assistance to everyone who is chosen to present their paper will also be available.


The accepted papers for our 2019 conference can be read here.