ABSTRACT
P erhaps one of the most popular examples of the use of statis-tics in sport is described in Michael Lewis’s book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game (2004). In essence, the book and subsequent movie describe how the Oakland Athletics’ front offi ce, especially general manager Billy Beane, was able to overcome the team’s fi nancial limitations by making use of baseball statistics,
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Statistics are used in many facets of life, including sport man-
agement, but for one reason or another, people become apprehensive when they hear
the word statistics. For example, some people may immediately envision complicated
formulas. While it is true that certain statistical formulas can be quite involved, sport
managers do not necessarily have to memorize these formulas in order to make use
of statistics. As long as they know the uses for the tests and how to analyze and
interpret the results, sport managers should be able to use the information statistics
provide in their jobs. Statistics are simply ways of interpreting a collection of observa-
tions or data obtained through appropriate sampling techniques and valid measures,
and this information can help sport managers make informed decisions.
