AZ Business Seminar

Billy Beane is a name forever linked to a revolution in the world of sports. As the general manager of the American baseball team Oakland Athletics, he became world-famous for his innovative, data-driven approach to team management—a strategy known as "Moneyball." His method not only became a success story in baseball but also beyond. It inspired both a book and a Hollywood film starring Brad Pitt. In 2015, Billy Beane, at the recommendation of Robert Eenhoorn, became an advisor to AZ—a surprising collaboration at first glance. But for those familiar with AZ’s DNA, it was actually a logical match. To remain competitive in the Eredivisie and beyond, we sought a way to work smarter—exactly what Beane is known for. AZ doesn’t buy success; it creates it. It began with applying data-driven decision-making in both scouting and performance analysis. We invest in technology, focus on youth development, and make choices based on numbers rather than intuition.