ABSTRACT
Social network analysis is concerned with various types of associations and communication between people and organisations. This pre-dates the emergence of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter and includes business transaction data and telecommunications records. The chapter covers the use of social network analysis in sports performance analysis. The main metrics used in network analysis relevant to sports performance are described but the importance of graphical presentation is also emphasised. This is done using three examples: the first is an analysis of transfers in professional soccer; the second considers passing between players in team games; and the third extends the use of social network analysis of passing in team games to examine temporal patterns within play.
