The importance of strategy has been emphasized since the earliest writings in human history. Sun Tzu talks about strategy in his seminal guide to war, The Art of War. Today the book doesn’t see much use among soldiers or generals. But it is often discussed among businessmen and CEOs. They credit the work as the document that inspired them most in their approach to business.

The fascination with strategy does not end with the world of finance and business. It is also a fascinating topic for many scientists and statisticians. A lot of you might take strategy into consideration when you go to place a bet on your favorite team in the sport of your choice. A whole study around strategic interaction has formed, which we call game theory.

Game Theory and Football Statistics

We often talk about game theory in a purely hypothetical sense. But is there a way that we can apply what we learn from strategic interactions to our daily life? There certainly are a few ways for football players and fans. The principles of game theory could be properly applied by football teams and managers during the famous NFL draft which takes place every year.

The draft is a time of the year when college players are given the opportunity to go pro. But not every player is going to make it in the big leagues. The question is how managers decide which young talent they are going to draft? It all comes down to statistics. The managers look at the backgrounds of each player and rate their performance on a scale. They then hone in on the top performer.

At least that is how it would work most of the time. That isn’t always the case for professional football. Sometimes a team may not be interested in the best performing quarterback. They might already have a top-tier quarterback, and are interested in bolstering their defense. Then again there are those teams that apply game theory to the distant future. They might scoop up the best quarterback hoping to make use of the player in the next decade, rather than immediately after the draft.

Strategizing in Football through Game Theory

Game theory can help coaches and players make the most out of their strategy. Crafting strategy is truly just a matter of learning more about statistics and then applying the rules of game theory. A good example can be found in how players manage to anticipate an opponent’s reaction. After passing a team is less likely to pass on the next play historically. A coach can use this statistic to attempt and predict an opponent’s play.

Game theory can also teach us the value of mixed strategies. Making predictable and easy to guess strategies is a sure way to stagnate. Opposing teams could easily create balanced counters to the strategy and leave your team in the dust. That is why mixed strategies is at the cornerstone of game theory. Football coaches and players understand this fact. It is why they commonly mix things up when they go on the offensive.

What Game Theorists Can Learn from Quarterbacks

The football field is the easiest way that we can put game theory to the test. A lot of the hypotheticals that statisticians come up with when it comes to game theory are impossible to test in a real environment. But strategy is what competitive sports are all about. Statisticians can observe football matches in order to learn more about game theory than they ever thought was possible. But the relationship here is symbiotic. Quarterbacks can learn from game theory just as much as game theorists can learn from football.

A quarterback’s statistics can also be greatly improved through game theory. A player might learn where they excel and where their game needs improvement. Through the study of game theory, said player might find that improving certain aspects of their play will increase the overall chances of his team in the future. There is no guarantee of victory as is the case with most things in statistics. But it is a way to improve one’s odds for any future ventures.