This is a well laid out and informative primer on the data revolution and the use of analytics in sports that should serve to educate those with little to no prior NL knowledge of the subject.

For my part, I was expecting something a bit more advanced, and as a sports media professional there wasn’t really anything for me to learn from this. I would expect this to be the case for most well-informed fans as well.

That said, if you’re very new to sports or even just to the analytics component of sports, this would be a great way to get started. Schoenfeld’s research is good and his writing flows well. In all, a good place to start for beginners.

Well researched and presented in an entertaining and accessible format. Schoenfeld delivers familiar ideas and strategies for business leaders to consider implementing.

(4/5 stars) This book was so fascinating! My brother-in-law is a huge MLB guy and I think he would LOVE this book. The transition from using your money to buy a team for fun to using your team as an investment to make money has led to increased reliance on data analytics and statistics to make decisions on who to buy, who to draft, how to play, how to price your tickets, how to target potential new season ticket holders, when to schedule games, and so much more. I'd recommend this for fans of any professional sports, but especially MLB and Premier League soccer fans.

Okay, so me and non-fiction books don't work out. This one was very interesting to be honest. Seeing sports in very different eye than what I usually do. I really enjoyed this book and will be gifting it to my partner.

Did I fangirl when I heard FC Barcelona? Yes.

Game of Edges
Bruce Schoenfeld
RB Media, Recorded Books
Publication Date: June 6 2023
272 Pages

Game of Edges profiles analytical uses in professional sports through a behind the scenes view into how sports franchises are run today. The book largely focuses on the business side of analytics versus the more widely covered on-the-field side. If you closely follow professional sports, especially Major League Baseball, some of the information will be familiar to you (Billy Beane and the Athletics, Theo Epstein, the Rays and Kevin Cash/Andrew Friedman) though there was enough new content that the book was definitely still enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the chapters on the NBA, Premier League soccer, and a chapter on the traditional, anti-analytical Ned Yost.

There were 2 chapters in the middle of the book that were light on analytics and were more observational about the changing landscape in professional sports. The first is on the social justice stances that are now prevalent throughout sports and the second on the legalization and implementation of sports betting. I point this out because these two chapters stuck out as quite different from the rest of the book, but they were interesting nonetheless.

Through interviews with various front office figures in sports, the book provides loads of insightful entertainment. For those who enjoy reading business, current affairs with a focus on sports I would highly recommend this book. The audio version is narrated by the author, which is usually a plus and that holds true here.

4.5/5

Thank you to Netgalley, RB Media, Recorded Books for access to a review audio copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The word is changing, and that includes professional sports. Bruce Schoenfeld catalogs the diverse changes the sports world has experienced, and the trends that are shaping the industry. The author investigates why we are seeing more investment groups purchase portions of sports franchises. Schoenfield shares the story of Red Sox owner John Henry, purchasing Liverpool F.C., despite saying he didn't want to buy a soccer team. Even though he admitted he didn't understand soccer, the business mogul turned around a nearly bankrupt franchise, leading it to the FIFA Club World Cup. The author points out how data points, metrics, and analytics have reshaped the mindset in the sport world. Schoenfield also discuses how the sports world has changed philosophies, and now openly embraces gambling companies. Another change has seen sports figures sharing their political viewpoints, and publicly fighting for causes such as social justice. "Game of Edges" is an enjoyable look at the changing sports landscape, and where it may be heading in the future.