Geospatial analysis of baseball clustering in the Texas Rangers' Ballpark in Arlington

• Main Author: Cox, Kasey Ann
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2010
• Subjects: Geographic information science; Marketing; Sports Management
• ISBN: 1124812768; 9781124812762

This study was intended to demonstrate how a Geographic Information System (GIS) could be applied to the sport of baseball by providing a spatial analysis of the baseballs hit into the seating area at the Texas Rangers' Ballpark in Arlington (The Ballpark). Only baseballs hit out of the playing field were analyzed in this study. This study was intended to use spatial analysis methods to tell fans attending baseball games at The Ballpark where they should sit to have the greatest chance bringing home a game ball. The results showed that there is a section in which a fan can sit in order to increase their probability of gaining possession of a baseball hit at The Ballpark; there is clustering among foul balls hit into the seating area, but there is no significant clustering among fair balls hit into the seating area at The Ballpark; and that the use of a GIS can increase a fan's probability of gaining possession of a baseball at The Ballpark. The methods used in this study could be applied to baseballs hit in any playing field and could return analysis results specific to teams or batters that could provide insight to coaches, players, and fans. However, since ballparks can differ greatly from each other, the results of this study only apply to the Texas Rangers' Ballpark in Arlington.