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Professor of Business and Sports Analytics, University of Leeds

Bill’s principal research focus is sports analytics defined as the statistical analysis of performance data within an evidence-based coaching regime in both individual and team sports to support decisions on talent identification, player recruitment, athletic development, training priorities, team selection, game tactics and injury management. He has published academic papers on player valuation, managerial efficiency, the sporting and financial performance of football clubs, and the relationship between wage costs and sporting performance. Bill has worked with a number of elite sports teams around the world.

He currently acts as technical analyst for Saracens in the Aviva Premiership (rugby union) as well as providing statistical analysis to support the SkySports coverage of Super League (rugby league). He has also worked with Billy Beane, the General Manager of the Oakland Athletics in Major League Baseball, whose application of sports analytics has been the subject of the Hollywood film and best-selling book, Moneyball. The practical application of Bill’s research in sports analytics has been developed into a REF impact case study.

Experience

  • –present
    Professor of Business and Sports Analytics, University of Leeds