It is a brand new year and we are excited to present the first tennis data storytelling challenge! This was originally a competition due August 15th, and there were ~40 people signed up but no one submitted an article. Therefore, I will now open this up as a “prompt request.”
The Challenge
The Data
All the data from Tennis Abstract is openly available on GitHub. As more fans contribute to the Match Charting Project, more data is available. There are currently over 1500 matches with full detail. Unfortunately, most detailed tennis data is under lock and key so if you need more data, then the best way to get it is to chart your own match and contribute.
The Requirements
When it comes to any data analysis, it is not just about the number crunching but also the visualization and storytelling involved. Here are the requirements:
- Written or Audio Narration. The story must be written in Medium. The piece should be a maximum of 1500 words or 15 minute audio narration. With Medium, I previously embedded certain programs like Sound Cloud or Clyp.
- Data Visuals. There are a few ways you can embed data visuals. Either JPEG or Animated GIFs work well. One of our sponsors, Silk provides the ability to embed interactive graphics in Medium articles. Thus, we ask you make one of your graphics interactive via Silk (optional). Make sure to have appropriate captions. With regards to the actual visuals, follow the guidelines set by Edward Tufte — simple, clean graphics are better and avoid “chartjunk.” Remember, some people are color blind. Creativity and imagination are a bonus but avoid graphics that distort the truth (lie factor). Lastly, Silk has also agreed that any participant of the competition can receive a hands-on training session with their data journalists!
- “Who are you” Blurb: Add a short blurb at the end about yourself. Say whatever you like! It will not count towards your 1500 word limit.
- Submission Guidelines: Once you have a working draft, follow the submission guidelines for The Tennis Notebook. Pay close attention to the section about using images. Credit everything. I will work with you to do some basic formatting to include any sponsors, tags, and necessary links. Everyone will receive a submission number. All of these submissions must have the following format.
