24/09/2024
Inside ODCN: Mateusz Śrutwa
Mateusz’s rise to the position of Senior Supervision Administrator is a story of dedication, passion, and continuous growth. From his first involvement with IMG Arena in 2022 to supervising groundbreaking matches and data collectors, Mateusz has played a vital role in shaping the supervision team. His insights provide a unique perspective on the challenges of real-time sports data collection, the importance of human connection, and the evolution of the supervision department.
In this interview, Mateusz reflects on his career path, the dynamics between supervisors and data collectors, memorable moments, and how his passion for football continues to influence his work.
Mateusz, can you tell us the story that led you to become Senior Supervision Administrator?
The story isn’t a short one, but I will try to summarize it. Everything started in April 2022 when I was invited to the first meeting about a project related to data collection for volleyball. This is where my journey with IMG Arena began. After a few weeks of working in this department, the football project was about to start. Fortunately, I was selected as one of the first five supervisors who would be involved in this project. After completing the training, I became a Supervisor, and for nearly two months, I supported many data collectors who continue to collect data for us. I had the honor of supervising the first match in IMG Arena history: Botev Plovdiv vs. Hebar, and I want to give a shout-out to Vitorio Gechev, who didn’t let us down that day. My effort and dedication were quickly recognized, and I was promoted to Game Supervision Administrator. After that, I just had to prove my skills and quality in this role, and thanks to my consistently diligent work, I was promoted again after almost a year and a half to Senior Game Supervision Administrator.
I know you sometimes “wear” the data collector’s shoes. What’s your recipe for a Service Level 1 match?
Yes, that’s true. Since June, I’ve taken on the role of the people I monitor daily in competitions around the world. Watching the most common mistakes that DCs make has certainly been helpful. What advice would I give from my perspective? Stay calm and wait a second, literally, before inputting an event. It’s not always necessary to rush and input something the moment the ball crosses any line. It’s worth waiting and paying close attention to the referees’ gestures.
What do you think is the key to successful cooperation between Data Collectors and Supervisors?
A human approach from both sides. Both parties are people, and everyone is entitled to make a mistake. Understanding, patience, and honest communication are the keys to perfect cooperation between a supervisor and a data collector.
Is there anything you would like more Data Collectors to understand about the work of the Supervision department?
From the perspective of supervisors, it’s essential for DCs to remember that the person supporting them during a match is also dealing with other games. Depending on what’s happening in those matches, there may be delays in communication. Supervisors have the challenging task of maintaining focus across multiple games simultaneously. From my side, I can say that during the weekend in the full season, I might have 300-400 match groups on my Telegram, and replying to all of them would be impossible without the supervisors. Without them, I would probably miss many of your messages!
In your time with IMG Arena, what has changed in the Supervision department, and how?
Everything has changed during my time in Supervision. The office has continuously expanded with new roles, and new sports have been added to our portfolio, from football to basketball, volleyball, American football, and possibly more in the future. Our work tools have also evolved. At first, we had to record errors in separate files created by ourselves, which took a lot of time because the tools were in different places. Now, we have almost everything in one place, which makes things much easier for supervisors and improves their cooperation with the data collectors.
During a Supervision shift, what is the role of the Game Day Supervisor and the Supervision Administrator?
During a shift, the supervisor’s role is to ensure that all data flowing into the system is accurate and without delays. Any errors identified are reported further. The Administrator, during their shift, maintains order in the office and prepares reports on any issues encountered by the data collectors at the stadiums, such as access problems, view issues, internet or device issues. They are also in constant communication with clients—some of the biggest bookmakers in the world—who report any errors related to incorrect card counts, corners, or goal delays.
Can you share any funny, favourite, or memorable moments from your time in the Supervision department?
One memorable moment that comes to mind is when I was still a supervisor and dealt with a crafty data collector who thought he could outsmart us. It was the early days of the project, and we didn’t have as many tools or as accurate ones as we do now. I won’t say which country this person was from, but they tried to score an entire match for us… from a stream, sitting comfortably at home in their garden. How did we find out? We asked them to send a picture of the scoreboard, and they sent it. But on the image, I noticed the broadcast scoreboard that appears on TV during any football match. You don’t easily forget people like that!
What are you most proud of during your time in ODCN?
What makes me proud is my growth and the career path I’ve taken within IMG Arena and the ODCN project. I initially joined the company with the idea of collecting data from volleyball matches, but from the first meeting, I was informed that the company was interested in me for the football project. That quickly became a reality, and the steps I’ve taken since then have shown my value to the company and my ongoing commitment. Becoming a data collector in June this year and consistently receiving top ratings for every match I’ve scored so far is further proof of that.
What hobbies or interests do you pursue, and how, if at all, do they influence your approach to work?
My interests significantly impact where I work. I’ve been a sports enthusiast since childhood, with a particular passion for football. Unfortunately, I’m a Manchester United fan (I’m sure those in the know understand), as well as a fan of Ruch Chorzów. Being able to collect data from the matches of a club I’ve supported since childhood is a dream come true for someone like me. Football is my passion, and working in a place that aligns with your passion allows you to enjoy your work every day. It’s a perfect blend of pleasure and purpose.
If you were given the chance to introduce a new rule or change an existing rule in any sport, what would it be, and how do you think it would affect the game?
I think I would propose changing the duration of a football match to 60 minutes. The clock would stop every time play was interrupted. This would reduce the amount of time-wasting due to fake injuries, and time-wasting could only be achieved through ball possession.
Interested in becoming a data collector for IMG ARENA? Click here to read more about our ODCN team, or view our current vacancies.
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