Beyond key performance indicators: Theoretical-methodological discussion of performance analysis (sports analytics) research

Over the past few decades, performance analysis in team invasion sports has become a recognized scientific field. In this paper, we aim to delve into the theoretical and practical aspects of this discipline. To begin, we briefly review the current state of sports analytics, emphasizing its significant role within the professional sports industry. Then, focusing on performance analysis research, we explore three theoretical-methodological challenges at the intersection of theory and practice: (1) measuring what can be easily counted rather than what counts; (2) lack of theorization; and (3) in team invasion sports, knowledge gained about individual and group behavior alters the behavior itself. To conclude, we roughly divide performance analysis into three types of research: (1) fundamental theory-driven performance analysis; (2) practice-oriented applied science; and (3) atheoretical over-simplistic research, which also lacks in practical value. With ever-increasing amounts of data available for analysis and the growing sophistication of statistical tools, the current discussion and the proposed demarcation of performance analysis literature are important for furthering meaningful and ecologically valid research in sports science.