Chelsea launch Performance Insights Vizathon
Written by
Training Ground Guru
March 23, 2025
Chelsea have launched a ‘Performance Insights Vizathon’ for people to try and create “the most compelling physical performance interface for elite football players and their coaches.”
The open-access competition is aimed at “data analysts, sports scientists and designers” and there is a top prize of £500. Competitors have access to a mock dataset (GPS, physical capability, recovery status and individual priority areas data) and can use any visualisation tool (Power BI, Tableau, Python, R, Figma and more) to create their interface.
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The submission deadline is April 7th, with a judging round in late April and the winners being announced in early May. Entries will be judged on five criteria – engagement and clarity, actionability, intuitiveness, visual appeal and innovation – with each having an equal weighting.
The judging panel is Richard Akenhead (Chelsea Head of Performance Insights), Emmanuel Fajemilua (Chelsea Performance Insights Analyst), CJ Mayes (data visualisation expert), Peter McKeever Senior Visualisation Editor at Stats Perform) and an as yet unnamed Chelsea first-team player.
The £500 first prize is for best combination of all data modules and categories and there are individual £200 prizes for ‘best component or module’, ‘best positive behavioural nudge’ and ‘most functional design’.
As well as the cash prizes, Chelsea said the competition would offer “industry recognition in professional football”, “real-world challenge with Chelsea FC’s Performance Insights team” and the “opportunity to showcase your work to football professionals.”
The Performance Insights department is headed up by Akenhead, who joined Chelsea as Head of Performance Insights in February 2024. He had previously worked for the Football Association for seven years, latterly as their Head of Insights.
Fajemilua joined the Blues in August 2024, having also previously worked for the FA, as a Data Analyst.
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