Category
Theoretical Proposal
Description
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a fairly new and prevalent part of collegiate athletics, especially in how teams examine and scout athletes. Scouting is the process of watching and evaluating athletes’ performance with the intent of recruitment. The purpose of this study is to explore how division 1 collegiate recruiting teams can use AI as a tool to guide them in their process of scouting. Traditionally, scouting involves a lot of travel, film watching, and stress on team scouts, which can bring about problems such as emotional and opinionated decisions, whereas AI could bring a more statistical, less stressful scouting process. We intend to solve the research question, “How do Division I scouts perceive the role of AI in athlete recruitment decisions?” through a qualitative research design. To do this, will be conducting interviews with division 1 recruitment teams to better understand how AI influences scouting decisions. The process begins with identifying players to track throughout their high school careers. Under the assumption that AI turns out to be a useful tool for scouting, it will give organizations a chance to find quality players who are overlooked or under the radar. This tool could benefit teams with the chance to flip their struggles and disappointing seasons into successful ones, with the goal of winning conference and even NCAA championships. Fans alike would benefit from this, as their experience would change along with the newfound success of the organizations they cheer for.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Division I Collegiate Scouting: A Qualitative Study of Recruiter Perspectives
Theoretical Proposal
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a fairly new and prevalent part of collegiate athletics, especially in how teams examine and scout athletes. Scouting is the process of watching and evaluating athletes’ performance with the intent of recruitment. The purpose of this study is to explore how division 1 collegiate recruiting teams can use AI as a tool to guide them in their process of scouting. Traditionally, scouting involves a lot of travel, film watching, and stress on team scouts, which can bring about problems such as emotional and opinionated decisions, whereas AI could bring a more statistical, less stressful scouting process. We intend to solve the research question, “How do Division I scouts perceive the role of AI in athlete recruitment decisions?” through a qualitative research design. To do this, will be conducting interviews with division 1 recruitment teams to better understand how AI influences scouting decisions. The process begins with identifying players to track throughout their high school careers. Under the assumption that AI turns out to be a useful tool for scouting, it will give organizations a chance to find quality players who are overlooked or under the radar. This tool could benefit teams with the chance to flip their struggles and disappointing seasons into successful ones, with the goal of winning conference and even NCAA championships. Fans alike would benefit from this, as their experience would change along with the newfound success of the organizations they cheer for.
