A spatio-temporal graph-based model for team sports analysis

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel spatio-temporal graph-based model for analyzing team sports, capturing complex tactical behaviors influenced by external constraints, validated on rugby data and applicable to other sports.

Contribution

A new generic graph-based model for team sports analysis that incorporates spatial, temporal, and semantic information to study tactical phenomena.

Findings

Notable effects of coaching pedagogy on team tactics.

Impact of initial defensive positioning on play outcomes.

Model successfully applied to rugby, with potential for other sports.

Abstract

Team sports represent complex phenomena characterized by both spatial and temporal dimensions, making their analysis inherently challenging. In this study, we examine team sports as complex systems, specifically focusing on the tactical aspects influenced by external constraints. To this end, we introduce a new generic graph-based model to analyze these phenomena. Specifically, we model a team sport's attacking play as a directed path containing absolute and relative ball carrier-centered spatial information, temporal information, and semantic information. We apply our model to union rugby, aiming to validate two hypotheses regarding the impact of the pedagogy provided by the coach on the one hand, and the effect of the initial positioning of the defensive team on the other hand. Preliminary results from data collected on six-player rugby from several French clubs indicate notable effects of these constraints. The model is intended to be applied to other team sports and to validate additional hypotheses related to team coordination patterns, including upcoming applications in basketball.