The Evolution to Data-Driven Journalism

Once, the best sports journalists were those who could craft a compelling narrative from 90 minutes of football, four quarters of basketball or nine innings of baseball. Now, a new player is dominating the game: data. But as analytics transforms sports, it's also reshaping the journalists who cover it. Can storytelling and statistics coexist?

The more data a person has access to, the deeper their understanding of a subject becomes… right? In modern sports, data analysis has grown into an essential tool, as every aspect of fitness and performance is carefully measured and compared, with the end-goal of identifying improvements that could give athletes a competitive edge.

For instance, football players are monitored to assess their positioning, sprint speeds, and total distance covered. NFL wide receivers have their reflex times examined, along with every intricate aspect of their movements, such as stride length and release angle.

Even in sports like Formula 1, although always a highly technological and advanced sport, racing was much more focussed on driver ability than leaning on technology to shave thousandths of a second off a lap. Nowadays, it has been said drivers race the clock, more than their competitors, making for a less exciting viewing experience and overall product.

In 2024, the global sports analytics market was valued at approximately USD 4.47 billion and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.6% between 2025 and 2030. This rapid growth is fuelled by the growing need for performance optimisation in both professional and amateur sports.

This isn't just a business statistic, it's a clear signal of how deeply analytics is becoming woven into the fabric of sport. These figures represent far more than economic momentum, it highlights a cultural, professional and financial transformation that journalism must reckon with.

The incorporation of wearable tech and AI-driven analytics is providing deeper insights into biometric and physiological data. Furthermore, improvements in computer vision and video analytics are broadening applications beyond player performance to include strategy development, fan interaction, and talent scouting.

Sports clubs and franchises are truly leveraging data to gain a competitive edge, investments in sports analytics solutions continue to rise. 

While data now fuels modern sports, it begs the question, what advantages does it really offer to fans and the people that make a living writing about them?

The main counter argument for the use of data analysis in sports is that, to many, it can take the magic out of the games we love. The consensus is that sport used to be much simpler before data became widely incorporated and athletes had to rely on their own perceptions of their own skills, abilities, and ways to better them, leading to a more level playing field and more fruitful viewing experience.

For decades, sports journalism thrived on instinct, experience, and access. The best writers weren't crunching numbers; they were obtaining exclusive interviews, completing match reports and moulding narratives.

But then came the numbers.

Stats have always been a part of sports reporting, box scores in baseball date back to the 19th century, but the rise of big data in sports has changed the game. Popular media such as Moneyball wasn't just a book or a movie, it was a movement. Suddenly, clubs, coaches, and media outlets were embracing data like never before.

For context, Moneyball (2011), based on Michael Lewis's book, tells the story of how the Oakland Athletics baseball team used data and statistical analysis (known as sabermetrics) to build a competitive roster on a limited budget. The film popularised the idea of using overlooked metrics to find hidden value in players, challenging traditional scouting wisdom. In regards to this project, Moneyball represents a cultural turning point, not just in sport, but in sports journalism, too, by showing how data could fundamentally reshape how we understand and tell stories about performance, success, and strategy.

How journalists use data

As sports journalism evolves, data is no longer just a tool for coaches and analysts, it's a core part of how stories are told. From heat-maps and expected goals (xG) to player efficiency ratings (PER) and even basic examples such as win probabilities, today's journalists are blending stats with narrative in an attempt to provide deeper, more insightful coverage.

However, using data well requires more than just copying numbers into an article. Journalists must interpret, visualise, and translate complex metrics into meaningful context for their audience, without alienating readers who may just want to understand why their team won or lost.

It is interesting to uncover how modern sportswriters, from traditional media to digital-first platforms, use data to enhance their reporting and look at the tools they rely on, the challenges they face, and how they strike a balance between elementary numbers and compelling storytelling.

To better understand how this shift is developing, I spoke with a range of journalists working across three major sports: Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Football League (NFL) and football. These professionals represent diverse media outlets and specific styles. Some focus on real-time coverage while others write in-depth analytical features, and a few crossover between both worlds.

Eno Sarris, National Baseball Analytics writer and Editor at The Athletic said "Data should help us tell a story. It should give us an insight into the context of a player's achievement, into the work they've done to improve, or into the struggles they've undergone. If the data doesn't help tell the story, it's superfluous."

Sarris, a renowned figure in baseball journalism, reflects on how his early experiences as an immigrant shaped his career. "I immigrated to America from Germany and Jamaica as a child, and baseball was a way to be more American, to make friends, and to understand my new culture better."

This connection to the sport not only helped Sarris navigate his new environment but also sparked a lifelong passion. As a voracious reader with an interest in creative writing, he found that baseball journalism allowed him to blend these interests seamlessly.

He explains, "As I got to know baseball better, I really appreciated how many different rabbit holes it provides. As a sport, it just becomes more interesting the deeper you delve into its mysteries." This evolving fascination with the sport's many complexities led him to a career in baseball journalism, where he continues to explore its many layers through storytelling and analysis.

Sarris focusses on Major League Baseball, the sport the most synonymous with an array of analytics and tools which are unavoidable whenever tuning into any baseball game. From the examples such as RBI (Runs Batted In), a stat that has been prevalent in baseball since its inception, to OPS+ (On-base Plus Slugging Plus), a more advanced stat that even avid baseball fans have some difficulty understanding.

As mentioned earlier, media such as Moneyball revolutionised advanced metrics in baseball. Many advanced stats have long been tied to sabermetrics, a reference to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), a term defined by Bill James in 1980 as "the search for objective knowledge about baseball."

Whether or not traditional stats like batting average and RBIs still have a place in media coverage is something baseball writers contend with each and every story due to the concern that they have they been completely overshadowed by advanced metrics.

Sarris said, "They [traditional stats] do capture something. They are also linked to a whole history of the sport, and a sector of the fandom that will always be more comfortable with them. But the problem is that they capture too much. For example, RBI captures not only a player's ability to make contact, to make powerful contact, but also how many times his teammates were in scoring position for him. That's a lot of noise."

It's clear that in baseball, simply presenting the stats is not enough, journalists have to think diligently to apply the appropriate stats to their given piece.

As Sarris said, in baseball reporting, stats are engraved into the conversation. Readers expect them.

However as Greg Tompsett, who covers the NFL, pointed out, American football fans are often more focused on the "why" behind a particular play rather than the raw data behind it. This creates a slightly different responsibility for NFL journalists, to translate complex concepts into digestible content.

Tompsett grew up playing the game of American football, and developed an interest in statistical and financial analysis, including contract reviews.

"I enjoy the more intricate parts of the game."

Baseball is a naturally slower, more segmented game with thousands of carefully curated data points per season which naturally lends itself to statistical storytelling.

American football, by contrast, is faster-paced and strategically dense, with fewer games but more variables per play.

"Instead of it being overwhelming, one versus the other. It's one helping the other. So there are going to be things that you're never really going to be able to pick up from a data standpoint," Said Tompsett.

Tompsett used an example of the advanced metric known as Defence-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) which calculates a team's success based on the down-and-distance of each play during the season, then calculates how much more or less successful each team is compared to the league average.

DVOA has only recently grown in use in NFL media, and like every piece of data, how it's presented is just as important as the data itself.

"We are a negative 6.3% DVOA in special teams. Well, if I tell you that the Bills are -6.3% DVOA, what does that mean? But if I tell them that we're ranked 29th out of 32 teams, everyone can go, oh, that's not good.. it's up to the person presenting the data to make it relevant to the audience."

"Is that data useful to me? Is that something I can take value from? That's something I always think is incumbent on the person presenting the data… it's easy to get lost in the numbers."

While data is rapidly becoming embedded in sports reporting, football continues to wrestle with how best to blend emotion with analysis. For Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer at The Independent, this isn't a conflict, it's a coexistence.

Miguel Delaney, a prominent voice in football journalism today, often reflects on how his career path was shaped by his early interests. He credits his "love of football" as the driving force behind his professional journey. Alongside this passion, Delaney also had a strong interest in English and history, subjects that naturally led him to journalism as a way to combine his academic strengths with his enthusiasm for the sport.

As he prepared for his Leaving Certificate, the Irish equivalent of A-levels, Delaney began to see journalism as the ideal way to bring these interests together, setting him on the path to becoming a respected football journalist.

"I actually think we're now past that point," he told me when asked about balancing data and narrative. "That was maybe the case a decade ago, but now you see managers routinely referencing xG and it's included in TV coverage. It complements the narrative, which I feel is how it should be."

"The data only tells part of a story," he explained. "A large part of football journalism, and especially match reporting, isn't just summing up what happened. It's about capturing the emotion, as well as the key narrative."

This idea that storytelling in football is about more than just facts is something many seasoned journalists have grappled with. Stats can add context, but as Delaney pointed out, how do you tell the story of the 2022 World Cup final, for example, with data alone? You can't. The tension, the drama, the sudden swings of momentum, those are felt, not charted.

Delaney also emphasised how data becomes especially powerful when it confirms what fans and writers already suspect.

"When your gut suspects something is true from what you see… the underlying data suggests they have been over-performing and that will eventually self-correct. It really happens without fail. This is where it's very useful."

Whether calling out a team's inconsistent performances or highlighting under-the-radar trends, data can validate instinct, and when paired with sharp writing, it can give readers something richer and in turn, a story that feels true and proves true.

Someone making ground in the realm of tactical analysis is Harrison Oldham, better known as HTO to his hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.

For many, breaking into football media is a dream. For HTO, it became a reality, one built not just on passion, but on numbers, nuance, and a relentless drive to simplify the complex.

The rising analyst and content creator shared how a mix of social savvy, tactical nous, and grounded communication helped him carve out his space in one of football's most passionate corners.

After initially working for Social Chain, HTO was hired by Salford City as a videographer while also continuing his tactical analysis on his various personal social media platforms.

Shortly after working for Salford City, HTO recalls when things started to shift. "People from work started picking up on what I was doing. I got recognised at a couple of matches. It didn't take long before the coaching staff knew." That included Neil Wood, then Salford City's manager and formerly Manchester United U21 boss, and his analyst Sam Hall.

"They realised I had valuable skills in terms of coaching," HTO said. "I became kind of like an opposition analyst, going through data, watching tactical cams, prepping games for Salford."

Salford made it into the playoffs that season but lost a tough second leg at Stockport County on penalties. After the season, with the club restructuring and his personal brand growing, HTO knew it was time to pivot.

"I wanted to go self-employed," he said. "Take what I was doing to the next level. Then Gary Neville found out I was about to take another job, and brought me into The Overlap as Senior Host Analyst."

That was 14 or 15 months ago. Since then, he's produced a show that pulled over 5 million YouTube views and launched his own podcast, The Overlap Breakdown. "It's been some journey," he says. "Didn't think I'd get into football or football media. It's such a niche market. But here we are."

HTO first gained traction via TikTok, delivering tactical content that went beyond surface-level analysis. What stood out was his ability to blend data with storytelling and make it resonate with fans of all levels.

"I don't want to pat myself on the back too much, but I think I was one of the first people to make football tactics content digestible in short form," he says.

Inspired by shows like Monday Night Football, which introduced fans to terms like xG and field tilt, he sensed there was an opportunity to bridge that kind of analysis into formats like TikTok.

"I knew if this was on mainstream TV, there had to be a market for quick, sharp data content too. So I leaned into my social media background."

Using tools like Wyscout, StatsBomb, and Opta, he began crafting content that made even complex stats accessible. "We didn't want to hide it behind a paywall. We wanted to make it available to everyone, understandable by everyone."

When asked how to connect with fans who might be skeptical of data or overwhelmed by terminology, HTO is clear: communication is key.

"I want a 50-year-old bloke to watch my video, understand it, and talk about it with his mates in the pub," he said. "That's the bar."

Field tilt might sound complicated on the surface, but reframing it as "how high up the pitch you are with the ball, compared to your opponent" makes it instantly digestible.

HTO has seen first hand how coaches, like Neil Wood and others, simplify their instructions for young players. "It's not, 'go invert.' It's, 'when the ball's here, be here. When it moves, you move there.' Simple. That clarity is everything."

So, can data be misleading?

"Absolutely," HTO says. "One thing we worked on at Salford was game state data. It's all about context."

A team's stats when they're 3–0 down aren't the same as when they're at 0–0. "You can't just take raw numbers without understanding how they came about. Liverpool might have amazing xG stats in a game they lost 3–1, but if all of it came after they were already down three goals, it paints the wrong picture."

The same applies to judging players. He references the buzz around Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo. "People said his progression stats were low. But if he beats four players, wriggles out of pressure, and plays a sideways pass? That shows up as nothing in the data, but anyone watching knows it changed the game."

As social media floods with "Twitter tacticos" and self-proclaimed visionaries, HTO urges creators and analysts to stay grounded.

"Football isn't about looking smart," he says. "It's about connecting. Your job is to explain it in a way that helps people feel smarter, not confused."

And that, ultimately, is his mission. To make stats speak. To bring fans closer. And to make sure that whether you're a coach, a person with a TikTok account, or someone shouting in the pub after a 2–1 win, you understand the beautiful game just a little bit better.

Beyond the Numbers: What Fans Really Think About Data in Sports Journalism

While creators like HTO are finding smart, innovative ways to bring data to life for modern audiences, the real test of progress lies in how it resonates with the people who matter most: the fans.

In a series of interviews across generations, a complex and often contradictory picture emerges. From cautious curiosity to outright rejection, fans are not passive recipients of analytics, they're questioning how, when, and if statistics actually enhance their love of the game.

The Traditional View: Data as a Tool, Not the Story

For longtime fans like David Stansfield, Ian Wilkinson and Michael O'Connor, data has its place, but it must know its limits.

"It's good to be updated with a small amount of stats during breaks like halftime," Stansfield says. "But too much, and you lose interest."

Stansfield prefers interviews and summaries, not dense breakdowns. He trusts his experience of the sport and worries that modern journalism sometimes overcomplicates things: "Experience in sport is irreplaceable… just giving data is overwhelming and boring."

Wilkinson echoes this sentiment but takes a more analytical view. He sees the value of stats, but only when paired with context and personality.

"Data adds colour to the coverage," he explains. "But raw data is overwhelming. It needs to be interpreted, not just dumped in front of the reader."

Ian is skeptical of how stats are used to frame narratives, often noticing that journalists cherry-pick numbers to reinforce their own opinions. Still, he believes the right balance can elevate storytelling: "Just like chatting with mates in the pub, never a final conclusion, but always entertaining."

O'Connor, meanwhile, is deeply resistant to the dominance of data, especially when it overshadows the emotional heart of sport. He finds little value in stat-heavy breakdowns.

"Sport is ultimately about emotion," he says. "Too much data just switches me off."

A Younger Voice: Frustrated by the Numbers

If the older fans are skeptical, the younger voices are starting to push back more forcefully.

Matthew Smith, a Gen Z football fan, makes his stance crystal clear: data has become a barrier rather than a bridge.

"Stats should back up what I see, not replace it," he says. "I get bored the second someone starts bringing them up."

Though he uses apps like FotMob and tracks American sports through RealApp, Smith draws a line between access and emphasis. He wants control over how he consumes stats, not to have them forced into every broadcast or article.

He also challenges the entire premise of objectivity in sports coverage. Where older fans caution about bias, Smith rejects the idea that AI or analytics can ever "tell the full story."

"Sports should always be subjective. Context matters. AI doesn't take that into account."

For him, the problem isn't just overuse of data, it's the loss of authentic, passionate storytelling. "I used to love watching interviews when you had rogue personalities like Klopp. Now it's all bland and robotic."

Shared Concerns, Diverging Attitudes

Despite generational differences in tone and tolerance, some key themes unify all four perspectives:

• Stats should support, not dominate. Fans across ages appreciate helpful insights, but not when they replace actual storytelling.
• Context is crucial. Whether it's the impact of game state, player mentality, or environmental factors, everyone agrees that numbers alone are never the full picture.
• Skepticism is high. From misused metrics to cherry-picked narratives, fans are wary of how journalists apply data.
• Emotion matters. Above all, fans want to feel something from sport, not just read numbers about it.

The Future: A Need for Balance

Albeit a relatively small sample size, all four fans agree that sports journalism is becoming more data-focused. Whether that's welcomed or feared, it's seen as inevitable.

But the message is clear: if journalism wants to keep fans engaged, it must strike a careful balance one that blends insight with instinct, facts with feeling.

"Statistics will never tell the whole story," Smith says, a sentiment echoed in different ways by every fan interviewed.

In a football landscape that's becoming increasingly digital, analytical, and algorithm-driven, the greatest challenge might not be explaining the data, but humanising it.

Because no matter how many numbers appear on the screen, the magic of sport still lies in what can't be measured.

Conclusion: Where Storytelling and Analytics Intersect in Sports Journalism

Modern sport is no longer just about instinct or spectacle; it is increasingly governed by data, whether we like it or not. From tracking metrics in training facilities to the statistical overlays on TV broadcasts, analytics are now embedded at every level of sport.

This trend has fundamentally changed not only how games are played but also how they are understood. Coaches base strategic decisions on data like expected goals or player load data. Analysts use software to interpret passing patterns and possession value. Fans, too, are engaging with sport differently, with mobile apps delivering real-time metrics that once belonged only in coaching manuals.

But these transformations extend beyond tactics and technology. They raise pressing questions for those who narrate sport for public consumption. What happens when data begins to displace description? What is lost when storytelling leans too far into abstraction, and what is gained when numbers provide clarity?

The analysis conducted in this project points to a key theme: successful sports journalism does not reject data, nor does it surrender completely to it. Instead, it adapts. Storytelling evolves, it becomes more informed, more layered, and sometimes more concise. Rather than relying purely on anecdotes or individual brilliance, modern reporting often contextualises performance through data, but this only succeeds when those numbers are translated with care, not simply inserted.

Many journalists are no longer just writers, they are interpreters. Their role is to bridge the gap between raw performance data and human experience. This demands fluency in both language and metrics — the ability to understand advanced statistics, but also to explain them in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, the narrative.

This balance, however, is not universally accepted or appreciated. One key insight from fan interviews is the clear generational and cultural split in how data is perceived. While younger fans are more likely to engage with analytics, particularly in online formats, there remains a strong desire, even among them, to preserve the emotional core of sport.

Data is welcomed, but not at the expense of spontaneity or storytelling. Among older generations, skepticism is more pronounced. Many feel that statistics, when overused, diminish the joy of watching and discussing sport by turning it into a technical exercise.

The project's findings suggest that sports journalists must become increasingly audience-aware. Different platforms, formats, and demographics demand different degrees of analytical depth. For instance, a long-form article for a football magazine might include detailed breakdowns of expected threat and progressive carries, while a 90-second post-match video for a general audience might use a single stat to frame a broader narrative. The skill lies not in how much data is used, but in choosing the right amount and integrating it with clarity and purpose.

Another important outcome of the research was the risk of misinterpretation. Statistics can mislead when used out of context. A player's poor pass completion rate might suggest inefficiency, unless one knows that those passes were high-risk, attacking balls into the box, something we learn from watching the game with our eyes. A team's low possession might imply weakness, unless one understands their counterattacking style. Therefore, sports journalism must go beyond surface-level statistics to provide interpretation, not just information.

This also speaks to the wider evolution of sports media. The increasing commercialisation of analytics suggests that data literacy is becoming essential, not optional. As teams, broadcasters, and fans demand more insight, journalists must be able to meet that demand while maintaining narrative integrity. The challenge lies in making data meaningful without making it mechanical.

Ultimately, storytelling and statistics each bring something vital to the coverage of sport. Storytelling captures tension, character, and meaning. It evokes emotion and memory. Statistics, meanwhile, provide structure, evidence, and clarity. They can reveal patterns and probabilities invisible to the eye. But neither, on its own, is sufficient. Without narrative, data becomes sterile. Without data, narrative risks becoming unanchored.

The ideal, then, is not compromise but collaboration. The future of sports journalism lies in synthesis, not alternating between stats and stories, but fusing them into a single, coherent voice. This synthesis does not diminish the role of the journalist. On the contrary, it elevates it. It demands a deeper understanding of the game, more rigorous preparation, and more creativity in presentation.

Moreover, journalism must remain attuned to the emotional truths that data cannot fully capture. Metrics cannot explain the roar of a crowd, the weight of a missed penalty, or the unpredictability of sport's most iconic moments. These are the elements that make sport more than competition, they make it culture. Data can enhance our understanding, but it cannot replace our connection.

This project set out to explore whether storytelling and statistics can coexist in sports journalism. The conclusion is not only that they can, but that they must. Each enhances the other when used thoughtfully. Analytics, properly framed, deepen the story. And storytelling, responsibly anchored in data, becomes more credible and compelling.

This is the journalist's new role: not simply to describe what happened, but to help audiences understand why it happened and what it means — intellectually, tactically, and emotionally. This means engaging critically with data, but never losing sight of sport's human heart.

In an age where information is abundant but attention is scarce, the most powerful journalism will be that which informs and moves. It will speak in the language of both reason and passion. It will not choose between numbers and narrative, but make them work together.

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