Many sports competitions face the problem that the competition is not exciting enough. Too often the outcome of a match is predictable and it is known long in advance who will become champion. This results in fans losing interest and suboptimal athlete development.

Hypercube has become the international leader in competition development. Through a combination of data insights and the input of stakeholders from the sport, we find the optimal solution that advances the sport and creates support amongst all those involved. In this way we ensure that the competition receives a positive impulse in both sporting and commercial areas.

Designing and implementing a successful competition format is an art in itself. How many teams should the competition consist of? How many games should each team play per season? Is a play-off system an interesting option? Usually, other relevant topics also play a role, such as an appropriate distribution of media benefits, the layout of the playing calendar and regulation regarding licenses. We determine the best scenarios for shaping a competition and have experience in all kinds of sports.

Federations and sports clubs want to achieve maximum performance, both on and off the pitch. Using data-driven models, we support our clients in developing a multi-year strategy with which the desired performance can be achieved.

For sports clubs, this strategy is developed based upon scenario analysis. The growth potential of a club depends, amongst other things, on the demographic and commercial environment, the stadium, the youth training and the financial position. The results of a scenario analysis provide insights and help determine the growth strategy.

We also help federations determine their growth strategy. We do this, for example, by researching benchmark countries, conducting stakeholder interviews and using potential analysis to develop a solid vision. We use data analysis and models that provide insight into the consequences of sporting growth in the commercial and financial field and vice versa.

The stadium is the ‘home’ of every club and an important source of income. At the same time, the stadium comes with expenses. That is why it is important that a stadium fits well with the ambitions of the club.

Hypercube creates integrated business cases for stadiums in which, among other things, the suitable capacity and quality of the stadium are discussed. We investigate what is realistic: renovation, new construction or keeping the current stadium. When opting for new construction, we regard the catchment area around the stadium: the number of people living in the area around the stadium, the activity and accessibility of the stadium, but also the presence of competition. These are all things to take into account when making plans and smart choices.

After deciding to renovate or build a new stadium there is an extensive process towards actual realization of the stadium. Hypercube provides guidance and advice throughout the entire process. We bring together the stakeholders that are involved and create a business case that is kept up to date during the project. We have often applied the same research methods and processes to realize or make better use of other types of sports facilities as well, such as sports halls, ice rinks and training facilities.

The goal of a good ranking is to objectively compare teams or countries in terms of sporting strength. The ranking must reflect the current sporting relationships within a sport in a scientifically accurate manner.

A good ranking offers sporting advantages and can be used, for example, for the classification of groups or knock-out rounds of tournaments. This must be done in the most fair and transparent manner. Distributing the right sporting strength to teams or countries is therefore crucial.

In addition to the sporting aspect, rankings also have a commercial application. Supporters like to follow the ranking of their favourite team against other teams. In addition, there is the option for sponsors to connect with the ranking by including their name in the ranking. This in turn provides additional income for the publisher of the ranking.

Apart from many ranking projects, Hypercube itself also has two websites that show rankings. In 2007 we developed the Euro Club Index for football. This index shows the sporting strength of all the football clubs in Europe over time. Also check out Hyperrankings, where you can find all information about the UEFA coefficients.

A well balanced match schedule is essential for the success of a competition or tournament. It is important that the schedule gives every participant an equal opportunity for success and that the physical load on the athletes remains within limits. In addition, a cleverly arranged schedule can increase the commercial value of a sport.

Hypercube uses optimization techniques to create competition schedules for different sports. All preconditions and principles that apply to the sport are retrieved and incorporated into the schedule. This may, for example, concern home-and-away rhythms, availability of stadiums, rest days, travel distances/CO2 emissions, international windows, time zones, climatic conditions.. or any other requests.

We create competition schedules in an effective and flexible manner that meet all the wishes of athletes, clubs and their fans. We create match schedules for both leagues and standalone tournaments, such as World Cups or continental championships.

With our data sources, proven models and years of experience, we ensure that customers gain insight into their sporting and economic performance. We support associations, leagues, clubs and umbrella organizations with monitoring performance, for example after implementing a new competition format. We also provide forecasts for the future. For example, forecasts of supply and demand developments in the sports market, the spectator potential of a club or the chances of competitions to achieve certain positions in the UEFA coefficient rankings.

In addition to standalone analyses, we also develop user-friendly, real-time dashboard tools. Are the matches attracting more attendance? How exciting is our competition compared to other countries? How are my players developing compared to the expectation? We like to make this clear by quickly and effectively building tools that meet the customer’s needs.

We are creative in coming up with solutions that are supported by everyone involved and help the sport move forward. We do this by combining data insights with input from relevant stakeholders. This can be data provided by ourselves, or include integration from external data sources. Hypercube works flexibly and efficiently to ensure that the right information is available to our clients at all times. The insights are used to support strategic decisions, but are also used in communication and social media.

Women’s football is growing rapidly and faces various challenges. Hypercube is an expert in the development of women’s football competitions, and by combining data insights with input from stakeholders in the sport, we find the optimal solution that advances the sport and receives support from all involved. This ensures that the competition receives a positive boost both athletically and commercially.

In addition to optimizing competitions, we help our clients develop growth strategies and gain insight into their performance on both athletic and economic levels. We support federations, competitions, clubs, and umbrella organizations in monitoring performance, for instance, after implementing a new competition format. This can be in the form of reports, but also through user-friendly, real-time dashboard tools. Are more supporters attending matches? How exciting is our competition compared to other countries? We make this transparent by benchmarking the data against other clubs, competitions, or countries.

We help with, among other things:

Development of women’s football competitions

• Example questions we address include: How exciting is the competition compared to other countries? How unpredictable are the match outcomes? How much does each match affect the final result of the competition? Will more supporters attend the matches if we adjust the competition format? How likely is it that the competition will be decided on the last matchday?

Growth strategy for women’s football

• Example questions we address include: What investment is needed to grow in the international rankings? What is the value of the future of women’s football?

Stadiums & sports accommodations for women’s football

• Example questions we address include: What is the optimal spectator capacity of the stadium? What is the ideal number of matches to host per season in the stadium? What is the effect of better performance on the expected number of visitors?

Ranking systems for women’s football

• Example questions we address include: Does the ranking accurately reflect the current standings within the sport?

Data insights & tooling for women’s football

• Situations we address here include: A dashboard that is updated daily provides insights into the current standings, rankings, and performances, both of the team itself and in comparison to other teams (and countries). Specific insights can be implemented in consultation.