Samford’s Center for Sports Analytics was recently chosen by the city's first professional soccer team, Birmingham Legion FC, as a key data analytics partner. The center will derive data-driven insights to enable more sophisticated, precise match strategy before, during and after matches.

“We are proud to support Birmingham Legion FC by uncovering deeper insights into their matches than is possible with traditional methods,” Darin White, executive director of the Center for Sports Analytics said. “Analytics offers coaches precise insights on how players work together and helps them discern the proper formations and strategies to employ."

A team of students and faculty analysts will provide a variety of data including predictive data to identify strategic options to deploy against opponents, real-time insights aimed at helping with in-game adjustments and post-match analysis to help the coaching staff in the evaluation of individual player performance. 

“I’m excited for our club to work with Samford’s Sports Analytics program, the first Center for Sports Analytics in the country,” Legion FC Head Coach Tom Soehn said. “Tapping into the Center’s expertise in data and analytics in sports can only benefit the club’s technical staff and players in training and in games.”