19 January 2024
PFF announces landmark partnership with leading colleges nationwide, cultivating the next generation of sports analytics leaders
(Cincinnati, Ohio) — PFF, a pioneering force in the data and analytics sector, is thrilled to announce its strategic partnerships with several esteemed colleges in the United States.
This alliance will provide invaluable experiences and learning opportunities for budding professionals aspiring to enter the sports analytics industry.
PFF’s groundbreaking work in data analytics has revolutionized how sports teams strategize, make recruitment decisions and fine-tune performance. By collaborating with academia, PFF aims to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application, creating an ecosystem where future leaders in sports analytics can flourish.
About PFF
PFF is a leading data and analytics company dedicated to changing the game when it comes to sports insights. Through innovative technology and advanced statistical methodologies, PFF offers an unparalleled perspective on sports performance.
Why This Partnership is Crucial
• Industry-academia collaboration: This partnership heralds a new age of cooperation between industry and academia, ensuring students are equipped with the latest tools, techniques and practices right from the classroom.
• Hands-on experience: Students will gain unprecedented access to PFF’s vast repositories of data, analytics tools and industry professionals. This hands-on experience is invaluable in the rapidly evolving domain of sports analytics.
• Futureproofing the industry: As sports analytics continues its upward trajectory in importance, there’s a burgeoning need for skilled professionals. This collaboration ensures a steady influx of well-trained and experienced individuals who are ready to lead.
• Diverse learning opportunities: Beyond just number-crunching, students will learn about the nuances of team dynamics, player performance metrics and other critical facets that go into making strategic decisions in sports.
Testimonials
A few programs, including Duke, Purdue and Ohio State, have shown tremendous engagement, work ethic and exponential growth after just six months of collaboration.
“We have enjoyed a great relationship with PFF and hope to continue going forward. I hope to continue and expand the program in the future,” says Dr. Ryan Ruddy, a Senior Lecturer from the Department of Economics at Ohio State University. Dr. Ruddy is an assistant director of the Sports & Society Initiative and faculty co-advisor of the Sports Analytics Association.
Ben Thorpe, President of Duke University’s Sports Analytics Club, says, “Partnering with PFF on student-led projects has been a valuable experience. Working alongside data scientists from a leading sports analytics company has given us a unique and enjoyable opportunity for our undergraduates to learn and get feedback directly from those in the industry.”
Anmol Sapru, Project Lead at Duke University Sports Analytics Club, says, “Working with the PFF coverage data has allowed us to explore the defensive schemes used by teams while saving the watching of countless hours of games and getting a preset standard for breaking down plays.”
Gia Peduto, Teacher Assistant at the Purdue Data Mine, says, “I have enjoyed getting to work with the students who love football just as much as me and seeing them be able to use their technical knowledge and past experience for a real-life company.
It has also been great working with PFF, as they are fun to work with, have so much to teach us and it’s fun to talk about sports. I personally want to work for a football team as a career, so I thought that this would be a perfect chance to work up close with actual football data and to get a different perspective on how the data can be manipulated and used in real-life situations.
Our PFF mentors genuinely care about the students and me as a TA and my Co-TA. They answer any questions we have and elaborate on other relevant topics and interests we may have.”
Mark Daniel Ward, Ph.D. Professor of Statistics and Executive Director of the Data Mine, added, “Students’ interest in data science is pervasive across all areas of study. Our team in the Data Mine works with students from every type of major. Sports analytics and player performance have emerged as one of the students’ top requests for projects. In particular, the Data Mine values the partnership with PFF, which has enabled students to have an active, first-hand understanding of the powerful effect that a football player’s performance has on all aspects of the game.
Indeed, it seems that the future of the NFL and the future of data analytics are permanently intertwined. We love the opportunity to offer student projects with our friends at PFF, and we look forward to building a deeper and bigger partnership with PFF in 2024 and beyond.”
A Statement from PFF Chairman Cris Collinsworth
“Our mission at PFF has always been to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sports analytics. By fostering the next generation of analysts, we’re investing in individuals and the industry’s future.”
For further information about PFF’s academia program, please visit b2b.pff.com.
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