Updates

The NFL announced the seventh annual Big Data Bowl competition powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). The NFL crowd-sourcing competition for the sports analytics community is aimed at challenging applicants to use Next Gen Stats to generate insights to enhance the game.

This year's competition turns to a new set of data collected from what happens before the snap to produce insights and actionable predictions into what the offense or defense does after the snap. Applicants can sign up beginning October 16 to start competing for $100,000 in prize money and the chance to present to NFL teams at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.  

“Year after year, Big Data Bowl participants push the envelope of what is possible when Next Gen Stats data is combined with football expertise,” said Mike Lopez, senior director of football data & analytics at the NFL. “This year’s competition will take us further inside the minds of players and coaches on the field to better understand what they’re thinking in the crucial moments leading up to the snap.”

Previous competitions have analyzed running backs, defensive backs, special teams, pass rush plays and tackling, and have generated metrics that have been used by NFL teams and incorporated into live games. During a game, both teams divulge patterns before the snap and participants are challenged to determine those patterns from player tracking data corresponding to pre-snap team and player tendencies.

Participants can select one of three tracks in which to submit:

• Undergraduate track – Open only to groups or individuals composed entirely of undergraduate students. Verification may be required to prove eligibility.
• Metric track – When using or creating a post-snap outcome, participants will leverage pre-snap data to assess team or player performance or strategy. Participants may focus on offensive or defensive players, teams, or individuals. In general, the narrower the focus, the better the submission.
• Coaching presentation track – This track aims to analyze and present data in a submission designed for coaches (e.g., a scouting report). Participants are encouraged to partner with a coach (or current/former player), though it isn’t required.

The Big Data Bowl has been a pipeline for members of the football analytics community, as well as other professional sports leagues since the inaugural Big Data Bowl in 2018. In total, over 75 participants have been hired in data and analytics roles in sports, with more than 50 joining NFL clubs and vendors.

As part of the Big Data Bowl, the NFL incorporates a mentorship program aimed at increasing diversity in sports analytics by connecting experienced NFL analytics experts with interested novices. This program will include both individual meetings as well as monthly group training sessions and conclude with a virtual forum where all mentees will have the opportunity to present to analysts from the 32 NFL teams.  

Interested applicants can register for the Big Data Bowl on Kaggle.com, which has hosted the Big Data Bowl for the past six years. Participants are allowed to work on their own or form teams with other colleagues. Following the submission deadline, all Big Data Bowl entries will be judged by data analysts from NFL teams. Finalists will be announced in early 2025 and will share a prize of $100,000 provided by AWS. 

For additional information on the Big Data Bowl, visit https://operations.nfl.com/the-game/big-databowl/.