PFF plans to create 21 remote full-time and 175 seasonal analyst roles in Ireland as it looks to diversify its portfolio and expand into other markets such as soccer.
American football analytics company Pro Football Focus (PFF) has established a new operation in Ireland as it seeks to expand into Europe and new sports markets.
The sport analytics firm seeks to diversify its core products to service the US and European soccer market, with its first club-focused product slated to launch next month.
The development of this new suite of soccer products is expected to create 21 remote full-time and 175 seasonal analyst jobs in Ireland over the next three years.
PFF said recruitment for some of these jobs is already underway. There are currently full-stack software developer and data collection analyst roles being advertised on the company’s careers page.
Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar, TD, said PFF is a welcome addition to Ireland’s growing sports-tech sector.
“I’m particularly pleased to see the company provide remote working opportunities – it’s important to give employees the option where possible and the Government is putting in place the infrastructure to support that choice,” Varadkar added.
Founded in the UK in 2009, PFF analyses player performance, ranks players and assesses overall team performance. These insights can be accessed by customers through a subscription-based platform.
PFF now supplies data for all 32 NFL teams in the US, more than 100 NCAA football teams and seven CFL teams. Some of its notable customers include NBC Sports, CBS Sports, Fox Sports and EA Sports.
PFF’s GM of soccer operations, Nate Gerstle, said Ireland will play a “key role” in the company’s expansion into the sport.
“Its strategic location, the availability of skilled labour and rich history of achievements in science and technology are among the many reasons why our management team chose Ireland,” Gerstle said.
The European launch follows the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium over the weekend between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Nebraska Cornhuskers, which are both PFF clients.
IDA Ireland executive director Mary Buckley said PFF’s decision to have a European presence in Ireland is “welcome news”.
“A household name in the US, PFF is a significant addition to Ireland’s emerging sports-tech cluster,” Buckley said. “I’d like to wish the team every success with this expansion.”
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