Listen to this articleDucor Sports, a one-year-old digital sports network with a large and rapidly growing international following, is developing a unique data visualization and games analysis tool designed to help African teams better compete internationally. Intrigued by both the company’s initial success and its sports analytics software, we sat down with Francis Cordor, the founder and CEO of Ducor Sports.
Q: Would you mind telling our readers a little about Ducor Sports?
A: Sure. Ducor Sports covers African sports and athletes, with a dose of African pop culture, opinion and analysis, and related news of interest to Africans and those living in the African diaspora. We launched a little over a year ago, covering African teams and players during the Rio Olympics. Since then, our following has grown exponentially.
Q: Why African sports in particular?
A: We like to say that sports is a continental passion in Africa, but really, it’s a global passion thanks to the international African community. Africa is home to some of the world’s greatest athletes, yet sports coverage has always been lacking. We are filling that void — and having a blast doing so.
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A: It’s all digital. DucorSports is constantly updated with the latest headlines, stories, and news from around the world. We also have mobile application, a video crew and YouTube channel, and a podcast. Fans can follow us on social media, check out the latest scores via our Live Scores page, watch weekly highlights videos, and more. Our Live Blog is yet another option for in-depth analysis and opinion pieces on relevant topics.
Q: What types of topics outside of African sports do you cover, and why?
A: To say that Africa is complicated is an understatement. Its history of bloody conflicts dates back to the dawn of mankind, and unfortunately, continues to this day. While politics and diplomacy often fall short, with sports, we have the power to unite, to build common ground. From there, we can broach certain topics to start those important conversations about the future of our continent. Africa is the youngest continent in the world, and its potential is exciting. But if we stick to the status quo, there’s a real possibility that those opportunities will be squandered. Thus, we offer commentary on a variety of topics ranging from income and gender inequality, xenophobia, brain drain, health issues, the migrant crisis, technology and innovation, and more.
Q: You recently launched a project on Kickstarter. What is the product you are developing?
A: We are developing a games data analytics and visualization application which will be accessible to our supporters and premium subscribers on our website. This software processes raw data, such as all African national football team data and athlete profiles, match details, rankings, efficiency ratings and other performance information, to generate easy-to-understand visualizations and reports. We envision team managers using the sports analytics tool to examine the probability of a win or a loss for individual matches as well as fine-tune the performance of individual athletes and their teams as a whole. With FIFA 2018 coming up, this could be a real game changer!
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Q: What about for the sports fan? Can the tool be used on a more casual basis?
A: Absolutely. We’ve seen it before with baseball cards and fantasy football — sports fans love player and game statistics! The visualizations will help fans better understand the nuances of each player’s abilities in comparison to others while also giving them a better idea of their favorite team’s chances of coming out on top. Likewise, when an underdog wins, they’ll have a deeper understanding of just how special that feat really is.
Q: Without getting too technical, what type of technology powers this tool?
A: We’re building it as a desktop application for both Windows and Mac OS on Qt/C++. It’s intended to be user friendly, which is why it will have familiar controls and a dashboard as well as integrate with Microsoft Excel for data input and output.
Q: Before you founded Ducor Sports, you were a software engineer, correct?
A: Yes. I still am. In addition to my work with Ducor Sports, I run an international software development and consulting firm and a microblogging platform for startups.
Q: As a software engineer, will you be developing the software on your own?
A: I will be one of the primary architects of it, but not necessarily the only person involved in the project.
Q: How can team owners or individuals support your sports analytics program?
A: We recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund this effort. We’re offering several tiers of rewards, most of which include one or more years of access to our premium plan which includes the analytics software. Our VIP-level supporters will also receive VIP-level perks like a listing on our VIP page, social media shoutouts, and even a featured interview or sponsorship on our podcast.
Q: What happens if your project doesn’t get funded?
A: That’s the risk of Kickstarter; it’s an all-or-nothing funding model. With sufficient funding, we’ll have the resources and manpower to complete the software and pre-load it with existing data in a timely manner. Without funding, it’s going to be a labor of love — one requiring extra time and patience. Time because we’ll have to work on it on the side and/or seek funding elsewhere. Patience because we want it to materialize as much as our fans do, but again, it will take a lot more time to happen.
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