The Game Has Changed

Did you happen see the movie 'Moneyball'?

The movie is based on the book by Michael Lewis - "Moneyball: the Art of Winning an Unfair Game." The Amazon write up for the book says:

"Moneyball is a quest for the secret of success in baseball."

That is what it is about - a discerning, knowing formula. The film did an amazing job of revealing the notion that one could just pay attention to the math of the game, and see the optimum choices an underfunded team could gain an advantage by 'playing the numbers game.' We all want that - right? Take THESE steps in THIS order, and you have a sure-fire winning strategy.

My wife is a numbers person. She balances the checkbook for fun. Seriously. She loved this movie for the math element and the idea that MATH wins the day. I really liked the movie too. Brad Pitt (played Oakland A's General Manager - Billy Beane) and Jonah Hill (plays the Ivy League Grad - Peter Brand) did a phenomenal job of capturing the drama of doing things differently from an entrenched 'way things are done' system. But that is just the thing... what happens when it ALL becomes a numbers game. Everyone takes on the role of playing it safe by only doing what the numbers have proven - works.

Where does that land us - creatively?

Look at the following illustration:

This is the cumulative way the NBA plays basketball. When you make all your decisions based on numbers, the only practical place it makes sense to take shots in a pro game of basketball, is from outside the 'D' (3-pnts) or right in front of the basket (2-pnts).

But the quantitative revolution does not stop with professional Baseball and Basketball. It is in everything...

Did you notice that of the top 10 movies of 2022 were - Top Gun, Jurassic Park, Avatar, Minions, a Shrek spinout, 3 Marvel movies, and a re-imagined Batman - they all were beginning to feel a bit 'too familiar'?

2023 in film gave us 4 sequels - 2 Marvel films, another Fast & Furious, another Mission Impossible - a toy anchored film (Barbie) and another Video Game anchor - (Super Mario). We also saw a re-imagined Little Mermaid and Wonka (rehashed films, based on rehashed stories.)

Sure, I know that the 'story framework' is a fairly simple model that works, because it delivers. But the complete shift from a human-centric to a data-driven approach can have wide-ranging implications, not just in sports, but in various sectors. Similar transformations can be easily observed in other industries.

1. Marketing: The adoption of big data analytics in marketing has shifted many strategies from creative guesswork to data-driven targeting. Most companies now use detailed customer data to personalize advertising, often at the cost of broader, more creative campaigns that appeal to a diverse audience.
2. Film Production: Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc - use vast amounts of viewer data to decide which shows to produce. This reliance on algorithms can sometimes lead to formulaic content designed to satisfy specific viewing habits, potentially stifling more innovative or risky projects.
3. Finance: Quantitative trading strategies in finance have replaced some of the traditional decision-making processes. Algorithms can analyze large datasets to make trading decisions in milliseconds, focusing on what is statistically likely to succeed rather than on the financial insights that might require deeper, more nuanced understanding.
4. Art and Literature: Even in creative writing and art, algorithms are beginning to play a role. In my own field of Artificial Intelligence and Creativity, AI tools can now generate texts and artwork that mimic human creativity, raising questions about the future role of human artists and the uniqueness of their creative expressions.

All of these examples reflect a broader trend of reliance on data analytics across fields, suggesting a potential loss of some elements of human intuition and creativity. This tension between analytics and creativity is why every Sunday, I press people to tackle the "Human Element"... It is my grasp at holding onto what is not formulaic or prescribed. Get out of your rut and surprise us with something fresh and never seen, heard, tasted, felt... Sure, it is risky that it just might flop, but at least it will be something - different. I for one, would really appreciate that.

The risk of the imperfect, is what makes us relatable. After all, “to err is human…” It's our imperfections that add depth to the human experience. They're a core part of our narratives, whether in sports, film, or any other endeavor. This touch of unpredictability and the possibility of failure make achievements all the more thrilling.

It's why a game can be changed by a single moment of human brilliance or error, and why stories that embrace flaws and complexities can resonate so deeply. The true beauty of life, perhaps, lies not in a perfectly calculated trajectory but in the surprising and the serendipitous — the grand slam that no one saw coming, the indie film that captivates the world, the simple gesture that becomes an enduring symbol. These are the elements that can't be captured by algorithms alone.

Brian Sykes