GameChanger is a mobile app and website that provides scorekeeping, stats, Live GameStreams, and recap stories to thousands of baseball, softball and basketball teams and their fans. Over 10 million games have already been scored on GameChanger. GameChanger has over 200,000 active scoring teams across three sports in every age group. GameChanger is completely free for coaches, scorekeepers and team admins. Instead, GameChanger uses the Freemium model to generate most of its revenue. Some content, such as live game scores and game stat overviews, is free and accessible to all with a GameChanger account. Premium Fan Content, such as a live GameStream of plays, box scores, season stats, recap stories, and in-game alerts, requires a monthly or yearly Fan Subscription.
How it works
The concept is that by providing free software to coaches in exchange for their information, GameChanger can collect and manage a massive pool of information that is valuable to parents and fans, making an impact in a market that is inherently decentralized. Any coach, scorekeeper or team representative can create their team, roster and schedule on the GameChanger website or the GameChanger mobile app. During the game, a Team Admin records the action on the free GameChanger app—tapping simple menus to score every play. A live GameStream of plays and stats is instantly delivered to fans following from the GameChanger website or their mobile devices. After the game, 150 stats, spray charts and game recap stories are available online.
History
GameChanger was launched in 2010 by co-founders Ted Sullivan and Kiril Savino. In fall of 2010, GameChanger and Little League teamed up to launch the Little League Scorekeeper. Powered by GameChanger software, it is the only Authorized Little League scorekeeping application. MaxPreps, the Cal Ripken World Series, Perfect Game, and USA Baseball all became partners in 2011. On May 31, 2012, the 1 millionth game was scored on GameChanger. Given that fewer than 1 million games have been played in the history of the "Big Four"professional sports combined, GameChanger has a claim to having collected the largest collection of sports data in the world. In late 2016, GameChanger was acquired by DICK’S Sporting Goods. In April 2018, GameChanger announced a partnership with the National Federation of State High School Associations. In June 2018, the company branched out to the clinic business, thanks to a partnership with USA Baseball.
Stats
GameChanger automatically calculates over 150 stats for baseball and softball teams. GameChanger is the first company to attempt to quantify the Quality At-Bat when it created its QAB stat. The QAB stat is a developmental stat that attempts to minimize the effect of luck while valuing the batting process over the results of the at-bat.
A huge part of coaching now includes analytics. An article by Manyika writes, "Innovations in digitization, analytics, artificial intelligence, and automation are creating performance and productivity opportunities for business and the economy, even as they reshape employment and the future of work. " Analytics have also been implemented into baseball more than any other sport. Analytic software have been created to track tons of data on the most likely scenario of all players on all teams. A quote from MLB.com claimed, "One thing virtually every baseball executive agrees on is that we have just started to scratch the surface on the impact analytics ultimately will have on the sport. " I use a very basic software called Gamechanger. This software allows coaches to track each and every pitch, at bat and play that occur during the games the coach. It collects data for both teams and then presents the data to the coaches like a hitters most likely place to hit the ball, or the likelihood that a batter will hit a curveball better than a fastball. This is used by almost all high school coaches and has really changed in game coaching. Gamechanger uses multiple other artificial intelligence technologies like an automated journalism report after each game and giving a live play by play to any fans or parents that cannot attend the game but would like to follow along.
