NEW ORLEANS—What do you do when the stats you’re assigned to provide to a broadcast team often relate to one of those broadcasters? That’s one challenge Sportradar content project manager Zach Robinow often faces, particularly with the inclusion of Tom Brady in the Fox “A” broadcasting team he supports. In a recent video interview with AA, Robinow discussed the difficulties in finding the right balance ahead of Super Bowl LIX, especially with parallels to recent performances by Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are aiming for their third consecutive Super Bowl victory against the Philadelphia Eagles. Many of Mahomes’ recent achievements inevitably evoke comparisons to Brady, as Robinow explained. “Obviously, a lot of our stats that I give kind of unavoidably end up relating back to Tom Brady these days, especially when you have someone like Patrick Mahomes that you’re writing about,” he stated, highlighting the uniqueness of this Super Bowl matchup.
Robinow noted that the frequency of stats linking Mahomes and Brady is striking. “It’s pretty incredible,” he said. “Mahomes is going for extraordinary accomplishments, including three straight Super Bowls, something no one’s ever done. It’s just inevitable that many of the statistics I’m providing are ‘Mahomes is the first to do it since Brady,’ or ‘he’s second to Brady in this or that.’ The two players operate in a class of their own regarding quarterback greatness.”
While Robinow acknowledged that the Fox team has been somewhat restrained in referencing Brady’s extensive past stats, he remarked on the challenges of managing this balance, particularly concerning the connection between Mahomes and Chiefs’ coach Andy Reid, which parallels the accomplishments of Brady and Bill Belichick. “I can’t speak for how they’re gonna approach the Super Bowl in that regard. I think some of it will be inevitable. When you have Mahomes and Reid doing things that only Belichick and Brady have done, you sort of have to talk about it. It’s hard to ignore; it’s intriguing.”
Regarding the operational side, Robinow explained that the Sportradar to booth pipeline involves exhaustive pregame preparation. “For every game, I provide a set of game notes. For the regular season, that’s usually between 20 and 30 charts, about 10 to 15 pages of matchup nuggets, insights, and historical context. My notes for the Super Bowl were about 26 pages, featuring around 55 charts, covering all statistical angles for such a significant game,” he elaborated.
During the game, Robinow’s role shifts primarily to answering questions from the broadcasting team and the graphics department, and proactively providing any relevant stats. “I’m there for any questions that talent or the production team has regarding statistics. We’ve pre-built numerous graphics and charts, and part of my job is remembering when to incorporate those into the broadcast,” he said. “ Knowing what has already been found is essential, as some great stats inevitably get left on the cutting room floor.”
Robinow also explained the challenge of phrasing statistics effectively. “I’m always trying to find the best way to present each statistic, whether it’s mentioning it’s in the Super Bowl era or that specific players have achieved it since the merger. It’s all about making the statistics digestible for a large audience.” Although it may be disappointing for him to see some of his hard work not making it to air, he appreciates the balance that Fox’s director Rich Russo and producer Ritchie Zyontz find. “They allow the game to breathe and speak for itself, focusing on what’s crucial in the moment,” he noted.
Since joining Sportradar in 2018, Robinow has experienced growth and evolution working with various Fox announcing teams, including Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and now Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady. “It’s been a really great partnership; we’ve been growing together,” he shared. Each announcing team has required a tailored approach, with Robinow adapting his notes and insights to meet the crew’s specific needs. He also personalizes his work to align with the producer and director’s preferences, recognizing that different games call for varied statistical presentations.
Robinow believes Sportradar’s distinct data-driven approach sets it apart, providing a wealth of statistics that places it at the forefront of sports data. “We hold extensive play-by-play data from every Super Bowl. That allows us to confidently answer questions about historical performances, which is incredibly valuable,” he concluded.
