NFL, Insurance And The ’Scouting Potential’ Of Big Data

NFL teams are constantly bombarded with data. Since 2014, the NFL has been collecting in-game player tracking data through tiny sensors in the shoulder pads of every single NFL player in all 32 teams. In February, the NFL’s Competition Committee signed off a plan to release that data to all teams in the league, which it says provides “massive scouting potential”. Data also has “scouting potential” in the insurance industry. What’s the difference between making a data-driven decision around which quarterback prospect to select in the first round of the NFL Draft or finding the appropriate price for an auto policy covering a single mother with points on her license?