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Sport Ontology

We worked with the BBC to enhance the coverage of major sporting events by introducing linked data. They have gone on to publish the structure that was developed, and use the ontology across the BBC to enhance the experience for website users.

Enhance the coverage of major sporting events for the BBC

We worked with the BBC to enhance the coverage of major sporting events by introducing linked data. This included holding a modelling workshop to develop an ontology for sport. The BBC have gone on to publish the structure that was developed. They use the ontology across the BBC to enhance the experience for website users. It does this by improving the flexibility of their website. It also supports the need to reduce the time it takes for content editors to create content that is discoverable across the website.

Client: BBC Sport

Our Role: Training, Workshops, Develop Ontology

Site: https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/

The Challenge

Enhance the news coverage of major sporting events using linked data and ensure interoperability with more general ontologies in use

Background

The BBC publish news coverage of major sporting events on their website.  In the past they have found that conventional content management systems impose limitations on the flexibility of the web pages they construct. This limits the richness of the experience they can offer visitors to their site.

To overcome these limitations and represent information about the competitions, teams, players and matches of the 2010 world cup, we were invited to help them develop an ontology for sport to introduce the use of linked data.

Process

We worked with the BBC to review their existing data models, and support capacity building within the BBC.  We provided training in how to develop ontologies.

This included a workshop that focused on training in key concepts in ontology development.  We also explored some of the complex issues that arise representing sporting events.

The BBC have gone on to own, develop and publish their sports ontology containing much of the structure developed from our work.

The Solution

Whilst it originated in a specific BBC use case, the Sport Ontology is applicable to a wide range of competitive sporting events data publishing use cases.   The BBC use this ontology to support their sports coverage.  This included coverage of both the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

For more information about how we can help you with ontology training and development please contact us.

Project Summary

We held a modelling workshop to develop an ontology for sport to enhance the coverage of live events and increase the richness of the experience they can offer visitors to their site.

The BBC have gone on to publish the structure that was developed, and use the ontology across the BBC to enhance the experience for website users.

BBC Sport Project image