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Launch of new Centre for Sports Business

Friday 5 February 2016

Some of the top names in sports analytics came together at MediaCityUK to mark the launch of The University of Salford’s new Centre for Sports Business.

Teams from City Football Group, as well as Manchester Storm and Wigan Rugby League Club, among others, attended the inaugural workshop of The University of Salford’s new Centre for Sports Business.

The event featured presentations on analysing player and team performance, the impact of China’s growing importance in world sport and legal issues around transfer windows in football.

Professor Ian McHale, of The University of Salford, looked at how statistics can be used to identify which positions on the pitch a team needs to strengthen. Which team did best from the January transfer window? Are Man Utd now more likely to claim a Champions League spot?  How about City to win the league? Professor McHale analysed all the big moves using SAM - the Sports Analytics Machine that he developed with other members of the Centre’s analytics team.

Professor Simon Chadwick, also of The University of Salford, explored how Chinese state policy has impacted on the business of football in the UK and across the world.  Each talk was followed by Q&As and discussion.

There was also a session looking at legal issues around the transfer window led by specialist law experts Ian Lynam, joint head of the Sport group at Charles Russell Speechlys and Conor Hannan of Gateley Plc, both of whom have extensive knowledge of the legal challenges surrounding modern, global football.

Director of the Centre for Sports Business Professor Chris Brady said: “Simon and Ian are newly arrived and complete our extremely experienced team of sports business experts. It’s an exciting time for the team as we aim to innovate in the world of performance analysis, as well as provide advice and research into analytics,sports law, finance and economics.”

Gavin Fleig, Global Lead, Talent Management for City Football Services, was one of those attending the event. He said: “The event was an excellent opportunity to meet people from many disciplines in sport and business. The content was very engaging across three important and topical areas in football right now and the emerging future trends in the market.”

Find out more

Sam Wood

0161 295 5361