SVG Sit-Down: CBS Sports' Kimani Morales on Pushing the Analytics Envelope With ShotQuality College-Hoops Broadcast

SVG Sit-Down: CBS Sports' Kimani Morales on Pushing the Analytics Envelope With ShotQuality College-Hoops Broadcast The aim is to provide familiar concepts in more visually appealing, easier-to-understand way' By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor

Thursday, February 9, 2023 - 1:09 pm

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Having launched the analytics-driven Beyond the Box Score series two years ago, CBS Sports continues to innovate on the shot-tracking front. On Tuesday, the broadcaster deployed computer vision using ShotQuality technology to provide analysis of the expected field-goal percentage of shots taken in the Dayton-VCU college basketball game.

Prior to the game, SVG sat down with CBS Sports producer Kimani Morales, who co-produced the game alongside James Peretzman, to discuss how analytics-focused storytelling differs from traditional telecasts, how far the technology has come, and where he sees this type of broadcast headed in the coming years.

.@DaytonMBB @VCU_Hoops starts NOW, with an analytics focus using @Shot_Quality technology. pic.twitter.com/oIVFKgsnRv

CBS Sports College Basketball (@CBSSportsCBB) February 8, 2023

Tell us about the ShotQuality technology being used for this broadcast. What data does it provide? How will it be integrated into the CBS broadcast?

ShotQuality uses computer-vision technology to give us player-tracking data - notably, the precise location of players on the floor. [It has] an algorithm based on tons of variables that give us the percent chance of each shot going in during the game. We'll use this ShotQuality FG Pct on individual shots throughout the telecast to help with the age-old shot-selection debate on whether a particular shot was good, okay, or terrible.

We're also very excited to feature a live ShotQuality score at certain times in the game. Based purely on the quality of shots and possessions each team has, the SQ score factors out a lot of the luck and variance to give us what the score of the game should be. If a team gets out to a big lead, the SQ score will tell us if the lead is real or if it's lucky and likely to disappear during the rest of the game. The SQ score is calculated by adding up the expected score on every possession based on shot and possession quality.

We're using ChyronHego to display the ShotQuality FG Pct on selected replays and packages. The ShotQuality data will also power a bunch of our graphics, so we'll be able to highlight not only the SQ score but things like the expected vs. actual score for each player, the average distance of shot attempts, and how closely each team is contesting shots.

https://twitter.com/CBSSportsCBB/status/1623118868695732224

How will the production operation have to adapt to using ShotQuality, from the perspective of both technical ops and front-bench production philosophy?

From a technical-ops perspective, running tests beforehand to get the ShotQuality data fully integrated into our graphics and setting up and adding the Hego to the show are the biggest adjustments. From a production-philosophy standpoint, the game is one of the biggest this season in the A-10, so we're not trying to take over the telecast or overwhelm the viewer with these concepts. We'll let the evolving storylines of the game be the guide. It may lead us to more-traditional analysis at times, or it may fit with the ShotQuality component.

How will the announcers have to adapt and think differently compared with calling a traditional college-hoops broadcast (and how will you and your director work with them to do so)?

It's an adjustment for the announcers. They have the challenge of clearly and concisely explaining the ShotQuality concept along with all the graphics and video elements that we'll potentially use. The goal is to get to the level where we are clearly conveying why this data is so useful. The way that we explain things is also important. A lot of the concepts we'll be featuring are fun conversation-starters, and we want to present it that way as opposed to a drier lecture-style. Play-by-play announcer Tom McCarthy and analyst Chris Walker are experienced announcers well-suited to a unique telecast like this.

Using @Shot_Quality, @TMacPhils and @CWalkerSports break down the first-half shots. pic.twitter.com/SqZGYB7Gfu

CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) February 8, 2023

What do you believe computer-vision/data-heavy technology like this adds to the broadcast? From a production perspective, will you cater the broadcast toward more-hardcore hoops fans?

I think computer-vision/data-heavy technology can add to the telecast in a couple ways. It can help us present concepts we're already familiar with in a more visually appealing and sometimes easier-to-understand way. There is also a huge amount of new data we're being exposed to with this stuff that can spark new ideas and new ways to talk about the game.

Since coaches and players are using this data and technology, we talk to them to hear what is important and how they use it, and we try to bring that to the viewer. We realize that fans in general and younger fans specifically are more educated and want to learn more about the teams and players they follow. While we're not specifically catering the telecast to hardcore hoops fans, hopefully, it will be refreshing for the viewers who have watched VCU or Dayton a few times this year, and they can learn something they wouldn't have heard anywhere else.

ShotQuality technology displays percentage of likely success of a shot by a particular player during a game.

How excited are you to be blazing the trail for analytics-driven storytelling like this? How does it reflect CBS Sports' innovative, forward-thinking approach to sports production?

Very excited. College basketball is evolving. The way these teams,

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2023/02/09/svg-sit-down-cbs-sports-kimani-...
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