Unified data ecosystem: How the NFL boosts performance & engagement

The NFL is reshaping how professional football is played, managed and experienced through data. At the core of this shift is a unified data ecosystem — centralizing collection, storage and usage to accelerate decision-making, deliver sharper insights and fuel continuous innovation.

By adopting a unified data ecosystem, the league has modernized operations end to end. The approach is advancing on-field performance, strengthening player safety, streamlining management, personalizing fan engagement and driving commercial success, according to Joe Steinke (pictured), senior director of data management at NFL Enterprises LLC.

NFL’s Joe Steinke (right) talks with theCUBE’s Rob Strechay about how a unified data platform is transforming football.

“We got direction and commitment to really dive all the way into building out this central data analytics function, and at the heart of that was really the data ecosystem, making sure that we could take it to the next level and modernize our approach to producing data products at scale and living up to the idea that we can cover all business domains throughout the organization,” Steinke said. “The idea that we could bring a central function in that could produce some standards and operational consistency throughout the league is really what drove our decision to step back and create this ecosystem.”

Steinke spoke with theCUBE’s Rob Strechay at the Future of Data Platforms Summit, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed how a unified data ecosystem is transforming NFL operations. (* Disclosure below.)

The five pillars powering the NFL’s unified data ecosystem

The NFL’s unified data ecosystem rests on five pillars — data governance, data engineering, data solutions, data operations and end-to-end delivery. Data governance ensures compliance, quality and strategic alignment with all of them driving optimal results, according to Steinke.

“I work within the data and analytics department, and my job is to lead the data management team,” he said. “The way we approach that is we really break it down into five main pillars with our resourcing.”

The NFL’s unified data ecosystem framework begins with data governance, followed by the engineering and architecture team. A separate group focuses on data solutions, while operations provide 24/7 support, monitor SLAs and assess ecosystem opportunities. The final pillar emphasizes complete end-to-end delivery.

Collaboration has been key to the NFL’s unified data ecosystem, advancing on-field analytics and player safety while enhancing fan engagement and operational efficiency, according to Steinke. He noted that the team has focused on aligning with stakeholders’ most important needs as part of that process, he added.

“It’s a continual journey … putting more emphasis into building models that are fit for consumption … looking at different applications to use for metadata management and data dictionaries and serve that up in a meaningful and fit for purpose way,” Steinke said. “It was collaboration all around the entire end-to-end ecosystem.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Future of Data Platforms Summit: 

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the Future of Data Platforms Summit. Sponsors of theCUBE’s event coverage do not have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE