I drove from Portland to New York City last week to meet with Ben Jata,
formerly of MLS Digital Media and Opta. We met up for an authentic New York
slice at the Sbarro in the Theatre district at 49th & Broadway.
Ben was on time and I was a few hours late, so I certainly appreciate him
sticking around.
D&C: Ben, I can’t thank you enough for meeting with me today. Most
of our readers know of you but tell me about your journey becoming a member of the MLS Digital Team
and Opta.
BJ: My
friend and I drove from Florida to Massachusetts to do some work on my
grandparents’ property back in 2010. On the way up we stopped in New York
City and stayed with a friend of mine. On the way back we stopped in for
another night. I was hooked.
Shortly after we got
back to Florida I decided to move to New York. So, I sold my car, put all
my stuff in a Uhaul and drove to NYC with no job and no place to live.
I started out
working for a secondary ticket broker before moving over to a very
successful soccer (coaching) company. A few months later I saw
an opening for Opta analysts. I applied. Went in for an interview. Studied
the software and did a trial test run a few days later. I got a strong
grasp of it from the beginning and took off running with it. I
analyzed the first live game of the Opta/MLS partnership, added post-match
analysis shortly after, and then not too long after that I took over the
@OptaJack Twitter handle.
I was having great
success at Opta, but always felt the desire to work for MLSsoccer.com. I was
asked to manage the back end of the fantasy game (player management, injuries,
suspensions, etc.) and write fantasy and statistical/Opta analysis pieces
for the site prior to the 2011 season and the rest is history.
My role with MLSsoccer.com
grew year over year, but I remained heavily involved with Opta despite the
transition. Over the last four years I've written nearly 350 pieces of content
for MLSsoccer.com and analyzed roughly 1,000 games for Opta.
It's been a
good journey. Difficult at times for a number of reasons,
but overall, I've garnered a tremendous amount of experience in
so many different areas.
D&C: It’s evident
you’ve worked hard and personally, I’ve always enjoyed your stuff. What
are your favorite obscure stats, right off hand?
BJ: I've gone through a lot of
phases since getting involved in soccer analytics four years ago. It
changes all the time. Last season I put a lot of emphasis on penalty kicks
because I noticed a developing trend. At the end of the day, I love
all stats.
D&C: Taking the neutral route, I can
respect that. PK’s are a tiny point of contention around Portland. I think I
began following you because of people retweeting your PK stats a couple of
seasons ago.
What's your go-to fast food (if you eat any fast food)?
BJ: Pizza, for sure. It's
everywhere! Chipotle is up there. It's a go-to spot for Opta employees.
D&C: Good thing we’re here at the Mecca of
pizza, Sbarro! I think Chipotle is getting a bit played. The food is good
quality and it’s going to be the same no matter the location. However,
there’s not really another option in that sector. You can’t tell me Qdoba is
better. Not a chance. And Baja Fresh? Yea, right. The most correct answer there would have been Taco Bell, but I can appreciate pizza as well – especially the Mexipizza from Taco Bell.
Your brother pursued a professional soccer
career. Had you attempted to go pro in soccer, would you have been
drafted higher than 58th overall in the 2009 MLS Superdraft?
BJ: (Chuckles) That's a question I think about every now and then. I
never committed myself to one sport growing up like my brother did. I split
time between basketball and soccer - was equally good in both. I
also lacked confidence as a teen, which greatly hindered the growth
of my game. My younger brother left home to live at IMG Academy at 15.
He had all the confidence in the world.
I stopped playing
soccer at 17 and didn't play again until I moved to NYC nearly 10 years
later. If I could go back to my early teens with the confidence
I have now (regarding my game), I'm certain my story would've turned
out differently. Confidence is a very important
trait to have growing up. The best soccer players have just the right
amount. My younger brother might've had a tad too much.
D&C: So true, so true.
Favorite place to travel for soccer and why is it Portland?
BJ: I've been up and down the East
coast all my life, but I haven't been to many soccer stadiums. I'm going to
Brazil in a couple weeks so I'm really looking forward to catching a game
there. I want to visit every stadium in MLS before I die. Not quite sure
where Portland ranks, but it's up there.
D&C: We’ll accept that answer. You’re welcome
to crash on my couch when you’re in town.
You were MLSsoccer.com’s fantasy guru.
What sparked your interest in fantasy soccer, or was it an assignment?
BJ: Initially it was an
assignment, but I've always had an interest in fantasy sports and
I've always enjoyed working with data and statistics, so it was a great fit.
D&C: Speaking of great fits, what does
Simon Borg smell like?
BJ: Like whipped cream and strawberries!
D&C: You answered rather emphatically. I’d
love to hear more about that off the record… Other than Dran and Clon Say Things, what’s your favorite
non-soccer publication, print or digital?
BJ: Never been a huge book
person. Always been more into movies. Broadway shows are a nice treat
every now and then.
D&C: Awesome. I’m a Broadway
fan, myself.
How do you feel about gambling on pro sports in America?
I think it’s a positive thing and should be legalized/regulated.
BJ: I like to gamble. I’ve been
playing poker for years. I don't bet on games much, but I'll take on a
friendly wager every now and then. I play in a fantasy football league with
high school friends and the pot gets pretty big. Might have
to start betting on MLS in 2015. We'll see...
D&C: I suppose that’s an option since it’s
not really a conflict of interests any longer.
I can’t tell you how great it’s been talking
with you today. Is there anything you're involved in right
now that you'd like us to know about?
BJ:
I recently
accepted a full-time job with a great soccer company in NYC so I won't be
returning to MLS or Opta in 2015. I'll still be tracking MLS heavily,
posting on Twitter and writing for AmericanSoccerNow.com (and a few other
outlets) every now and then.
Readers and
followers can expect open views and a lot more
transparency from me going forward.
D&C: I know that’s
something MLS supporters are asking for. Thank you for being a pillar of
justice. Can you pick up the tab? I’m short on cash after the drive from
Portland…
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