Measuring Play Success

The GametimeAI Efficiency Indicator is a key performance indicator that we employ to help analyze the effectiveness of plays/formation/characteristics in different situations. Similar to simple indicators like yards/play, the Efficiency Indicator measures how successful a play is at achieving success in specific moments and on the aggregate level. However, going beyond yards/play, the efficiency indicator takes into account the given situation (down, distance, field position) to measure effectiveness.

Take this example: In most situations, a gain of 6 yards per play would be deemed pretty effective. But let’s look at more specific situations:

• 3rd and 8, ball on your own 20 yard line: Your goal in this situation is to get a first down, otherwise you’re punting. If you get a 6 yard gain in this situation, you’d fail to achieve your goal.
• 2nd and 5, ball on your opponent’s 15 yard line: Your goal in this situation is to move towards a first down and ultimately to score. With a 6 yard gain in this situation puts you at 1st in goal, greatly increasing your likelihood of scoring.

By taking the situation into account, our Efficiency Indicator ultimately measures how successful a play was at increasing your likelihood of scoring. This superior performance indicator gives you more tools to break down how successful different plays have been at achieving success in different situations, better equipping you to make the right decisions in each situation.

Our Efficiency Indicator powers both the front end—so coaches instantly recognize each play’s impact—and the GametimeAI Engine, where it surfaces meaningful patterns and drives smarter recommendations.

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