Why Metadata Deserves a Gold Medal at This Year’s Olympics

By Brian Courtney

First the obligatory reminder that while metadata generically is “data about data,” for most sporting events metadata is contextual information. Most of us don’t know if 7 minutes is a fast time to run 3,000 meters until we get the context that the world record for the 3,000-meter run is 7 minutes and 20.67 seconds. Now we all know that 7 minutes is an amazingly fast time. Thank you, metadata.

Now you can begin to understand how critical metadata can be in an event like the Olympics. These are some of the areas that metadata is playing a role in this Paris games.

Detailed Athlete Profiles – this includes bios, historical results, and any records the athlete may hold

Schedule Management – there are over 300 events at the Olympics taking place in only 16 days which means almost every event will overlap with another. That doesn’t even include the non-athlete events like the opening ceremonies

Performance Analysis – in addition to all the world and Olympic records that are recorded, there are millions of intermittent metadata points on performance tracked. In a four-lap swim, every lap ‘split’ time is recorded to help announcers better understand if a swimmer is on pace

Broadcast and Media – ensuring the right event is broadcast at the right time on the right medium is critical, and metadata is used to find correct recordings, timestamps and even languages and subtitles

Historical Records – beyond the current records, there are hundreds of past Olympics with all sorts of fascinating records that are managed and readily available thanks to intelligent metadata relationships

Logistics and Security – if you’ve ever been to a concert or sporting event you know the logistics of managing the sheer volume of people is astounding. Multiply that by dozens of events in one day and you can begin to understand the value of metadata around things like crowd movements and knowing which events are usually the most popular so you know where crowds may be moving next

Fan Engagement – perhaps the biggest value of Olympic metadata is the ability to engage fans. From keeping the broadcasts interesting (even during downtime and resets) to providing fans with on-demand information, metadata helps link all the items above to build an amazing experience for attendees, viewers and users so they stay engaged and attentive

Metadata allows the Olympics to spotlight international athletic excellence for a global audience, uniting us all as we celebrate and admire our favorite athletes.