Over the last few years, analytics in MLS has been turned on its head. Five years ago, if a team had one person “doing analytics,” it was a big deal. Now, questions are asked if a club doesn’t - and it is not uncommon for clubs to have multiple people on staff. The Tiers of MLS Analytics are now based upon the number of full time analytics staff members a club employs. This year, however, we did poll MLS analytics staff to get a sense of who are the most and least advanced teams and finally answer the question, “Is finishing a thing?”

Former ASA Contributor Kevin Minkus, now Director of Analytics for Chicago Fire, wrote Soccer Analytics 101 over at MLSsoccer.com where he defined analytics as “using data and statistics to better understand something.” For the purposes of deciding what MLS teams have an analytics staff member the “something” is player recruitment and tactical analysis. I’m talking about using numbers and mathematical models (e.g., xG, xA, g+) to help evaluate transfer targets and team and player performance.

The starting point here is math, not video, although video and the eye test will always be an important step in the process. We’re defining this as separate from sports science, where data and statistics are used to mainly evaluate a team’s own players’ physical performance, things like training loads and injury prevention. Furthermore, it is different from business analytics where data and statistics are used to drive more monetary value for a club, but is not focused on the sporting side.

There is no doubt that MLS staff members wear multiple hats. Just because you have the job title of “data analyst” doesn’t mean you won’t be recruited to film a training session, break down video, or drive new players to Canada to get a visa. Similarly, a sports scientist, video analyst, or performance analyst may spend part of their time looking at statistics or even coding. But there is a difference between using analytics as part of your job and analytics being your job, and for this we will be counting the latter.

Based upon public knowledge and some private communications, and knowing full well that anyone outside a club can’t really know what is going on inside, here are the tiers of MLS analytics and what we know about each team in 2023:

Tier 0: Nerd Boss.

If you appoint a General Manager/Sporting Director from an analytics background you end up in tier 0. Them's the rules.

Colorado Rapids: Fran Taylor, previously profiled on this site and who previously worked at analytics pioneer StatDNA, was recently named Sporting Director. Long time data analyst, Matt Pfeffer, was promoted to Director of Analytics and former John Hopkins men’s soccer captain, Liam Creedon, was hired as an Analytics Engineer. The Rapids have also advertised a position for a data modeler. Colorado undoubtedly has one of the most analytics influenced front offices in the league.

Tier 1: “F” is for friends that do math together.

These are MLS clubs that have at least two full time analytics staff members, an actual department.

Atlanta United: American Soccer Analysis alumnus Arjun Balaraman was hired as Atlanta’s data scientist following Lucy Rushton’s move to DC. American Soccer Analysis Patreon Discord member Akshay Easwaran was also recently hired as Atlanta’s Data Engineer. New President and CEO Garth Lagerwey also revealed that Atlanta is using Sarah Rudd and Ravi Ramineni’s SRC FTBL as an analytics consultancy.

Charlotte FC: Charlotte makes a big jump this year. Lisandro Isei is now Head of Analytics in addition to his previous role as Head of Technical Scouting. Daniel Wicker, the former proprietor of Mint City Analytics, tweeted himself into a job with Charlotte FC as Data Analyst. Additionally Charles William was brought on as a Data Scientist (I highly recommend his post on uncertainty in possession value models). Thomas Schaling and Vincent van Raam in Charlotte’s recruitment department also have familiarity with data.

Chicago Fire: ASA contributor, 2018 US Soccer Hackathon champion, Chicago native, and SpongeBob SquarePants aficionado Kevin Minkus is the Fire’s Director of Analytics. The Fire have Software Engineer Rob Madden in Chicago as well as analytics staff at sister club Lugano in Switzerland.

LAFC: In the last year Max Odenheimer, Director of Scouting and Analyitcs, has moved to Amazon and Will Kuntz, VP of Soccer Operations, has moved to the Galaxy. LAFC, however, remain in Tier 1 due to the hiring of two Data Analysts, Scott Burrola and Darian Ignatius.

Nashville SC: One of Nashville’s first front office hirings was Oliver Miller-Farrel from the data provider Opta (now StatsPerform). Nashville also employs Data Scientist Addison Wood and Software Developer Austin Wills.

New York City FC: NYCFC is able to tap into the City Football Group analytics group including Lead AI Scientist Laurie Shaw. Shaw holds a PhD in Astrophysics, was a lecturer at Harvard, and was one of the leaders of The Friends of Tracking project in 2020. Locally Clark Thompson is NYCFC’s Football Insights Analyst after previously holding the same position at fellow CFG club Girona.

New York Red Bulls: RBNY employs two Data Scientists, American Soccer Analysis’ Sam Goldberg, of DAVIES fame and fellow Macalester alum, Will Orser. RBNY can also tap into Red Bull’s global network which includes former ASA contributor Tom Worville at RB Leipzig.

Orlando City: Caleb Shreve is in his second season as Head of Analytics for Orlando after joining from Nashville. The department includes Data Scientist Grant Rhines and Data Engineer Pranav Nagarajan.

Philadelphia Union: Dean Costalas is Director of Soccer Analysis for the Union, Addison Hunsicker is their Senior Data Analyst, and Craig Gerard is Junior Data Analyst. What the Union are doing in the analytics space is shrouded in mystery, but Head Coach Jim Curtin must be listening to them.

San Jose Earthquakes: San Jose’s analytics is led by Senior Director of Analytics, Grant Wenzinger, and Lucy Rowland, formerly of the Canadian Soccer Association. Aditya Nag rounds out the analytics department as strategist.

Seattle Sounders: Director of Analytics, Tyler Cox, returned home to Seattle after years working with Arsenal to pick up the baton left by Ravi Ramineni. The Sounders also employ Software Engineer Kyle Beck.

Toronto FC: After leading Toronto’s analytics in the TAM era, Devin Pleuler was promoted to Senior Director of Research and Development for Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment. While Pleuler will continue to work with TFC, he will take on more responsibilities with MLSE’s other teams including the Maple Leafs, Raptors, and Argonauts. Arthur Casupanan is manager of scouting and data analysis. TFC/MLSE are in the process of hiring an additional analytics staff member.

Vancouver Whitecaps: The Whitecaps have previously invested heavily into sports science, hiring multiple PhDs in the field, headed by Vice President of Performance Strategy, Research, and Innovation, Ben Sporer. These include the newly promoted duo of Senior Director of Analytics, Insights and Research, Johann Windt and Manager of Data Science Alexander Hinton. Nikos Overheul, formerly their Director of Recruitment and heavily invested in analytics, recently left the club.

Tier 2: One is the loneliest number.

These are the clubs that have one full time analytics staff member, regardless of how well regarded this single person is or how many interns the team may have. Other staff members may also help out with analytics work, but it is not their primary responsibility.

Austin FC: Hayden Van Brewer, formerly of Fleetwood Town and FC Cincinnati, was hired as Manager of Data and Analytics by Austin FC following the departure of Cory Jez. Austin’s Sports Scientist, Kyle Voigt, is also involved in the analytics setup.

FC Cincinnati: Perfect Skyline eater Spencer Niehaus is FC Cincy’s Data Analyst.

Columbus Crew: Alex Mysiw was promoted from Data Analyst to Director of Analytics and holds a masters in bioinformatics and has been on staff since 2016. Manager of Player Personnel, Marshall Bushnell, also works closely with data. The Crew also have Villanova professor Bret Myers as an analytics consultant.

DC United: While no longer in Tier 0 after the departure of GM Lucy Rushton, DC still has Blake Parry as their Data Scientist. Technical Director Stewart Mairs previously worked for Prozone, one of the commercial pioneers in analytics.

Houston Dynamo: By the letter of the Tier of Analytics Law, Houston should be in Tier 3, however, due to extraordinary factors they are in Tier 2. Long time American Soccer Analysis contributor and former StatsBomb Tactical and Video Analyst Carlon Carpenter was hired in the offseason as Head Video Analyst. Additionally SRC FTBL has been hired as consultants and are reportedly embedded with the team and are tasked with building an analytics department. Given all that, they land in Tier 2.

Inter Miami: Miami hired Sam Gregory, a long time leading contributor to the soccer analytics community, as Director of Analytics in 2021. His 2021 NESSIS presentation on removing unconscious bias in soccer broadcasts is a must watch.

New England Revolution: Long time Data Analyst, Tim Crawford, recently left the Revs for a data science position outside of sports. Will Johnson is New England’s new Data Analyst. Additionally, Director of Data and Video Analytics, Todd Kingston, joined the Revs from Opta. Revs President Brian Bilello is also an ASA fan.

Tier 3: We have a very important analytic, and that’s the score.

These clubs do not have an analytics staffer listed on their club site or is otherwise unknown. These clubs may use contractors or farm out their data recruitment and/or tactical analysis to analytics companies (e.g., StatsBomb, 21st Club, SciSports, SmarterScout, etc.), or prefer to keep their in-house staff hidden for some reason. If you are a member of the front office of any of these clubs and need some pointers, contact us.

FC Dallas: Head coach Nico Estévez worked with Gregg Berhalter in Columbus and with the USMNT, he likely is well aware of analytics and perhaps one day the club will hire for an analytics role.

LA Galaxy: Greg Vanney said that “...we’re still trying to build on the data and analytics side” and that “There should always be an analytics and sports science department, and that work should stay at the club no matter what.“ in an interview with The Athletic. Perhaps new VP of Player Personnel, Will Kuntz, will finally lead the charge in building the analytics side for the Galaxy.

Minnesota United: No one is currently employed for the Loons in an analytics role.

CF Montréal: According to MLS back in 2020, Assistant Sporting Director Vassili Cremanzidis heads up analytics for Montreal. He has experience as a performance analyst and his role is described as “managing the first team’s salary cap, as well as preparing and structuring player contracts.”

Portland Timbers: Portland Timbers do not currently have a data analyst. When in college, one-time ASA contributor Brendan Kent served as their data analyst.

Real Salt Lake: Former Director of Data Analytics, Vahe Tanielian, left for a job at Goldman Sachs and has not been replaced.

Sporting Kansas City: Peter Vermes is an “analytics guru.”

St. Louis City: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (for the third straight year)