The Challenge
The objective for teams will be simple: use data and developer software to create commercial or sporting value for a soccer federation, league, or club. The most compelling projects will have application to U.S. Soccer, but it does not need to have unique utility for our organization. For example, a model for valuing/comparing players from different leagues around the world would have value to just about any club or federation, including U.S Soccer.
There are different developer skillsets and profiles that fit within the hackathon theme. While many people have full-stack capabilities, we have created a framework for people with only back-end or front-end skills to still compete and contribute ideas.
That said, we will encourage teams to create either A) an analysis or model that delivers new insights or predictive power or B) a data-intensive application (mobile or web) that improves user experience.
Teams are encouraged to come up with their own ideas to explore and questions to answer, but we are providing example topics where we see opportunities that can guide teams in their thinking.
Back-End
- To what degree does on-field success drive commercial opportunity off the field?
- Geographic dynamics – what communities (zip codes) display the highest soccer engagement? Are there any common variables or correlations with other market factors?
- A new metric or model for valuing individual defensive performance
- How is performance affected by environmental factors like stadium, weather, elevation, travel, or rest days?
- A model for more accurately comparing players across different leagues
- Does age composition affect team performance? Is there a right mix?
- How have the most successful playing styles in the World Cup evolved over time?
Front-End
- Fan engagement solution to improve the second-screen experience
- A web or social app that uses data to connect Millennial and Gen Z soccer fans
- A solution for incentivizing and gathering more data from fans in the stadium
- A custom tool for scouting teams and individual players
- A web app for comparing team playing styles