Let me tell you something I’ve learned after years of watching, analyzing, and frankly, obsessing over this beautiful game: soccer’s true depth is often hidden in plain sight. We see the breathtaking goals and the last-ditch tackles, but the intricate chess match unfolding across the pitch? That’s a language many fans are still learning to read. That’s precisely why the concept of unlocking the game through visual guides and infographics is so revolutionary. It translates the complex narrative of a match into an immediate, intuitive understanding. I remember trying to explain a team’s high-press to a friend using hand gestures and napkin sketches—a futile effort. Today, a well-designed infographic can accomplish that in seconds, making the tactical genius of coaches and the subtle impact of players accessible to everyone.

This brings me to a piece of news that resonated with me, from a different court but a parallel universe of fandom. Scottie Thompson, the dynamic Philippine Basketball Association star, recently expressed humility upon being selected as part of the PBA’s 50 Greatest Players for its 50th anniversary. Reading that, I didn’t just see a basketball story. I saw a universal truth about sports appreciation. For decades, Thompson’s value—his relentless rebounding from the guard position, his playmaking, his intangibles—might have been celebrated anecdotally. But now, imagine an infographic dissecting his career: a chart showing his average of 9.5 rebounds per game as a 6-foot-1 guard compared to league averages, a map of his assist hotspots, a visualization of his defensive stops. Suddenly, his greatness isn’t just felt; it’s quantified and visualized. It unlocks why he’s among the greatest, beyond the highlight reels. Soccer is screaming for this same treatment on a global scale.

Think about the last match you watched. You saw a midfielder like Kevin De Bruyne constantly finding space. But did you see the systemic creation of that space? An infographic can overlay passing networks, showing how his teammates’ movements in specific corridors, perhaps pulling 1.7 defenders on average, create the voids he exploits. We talk about “defensive solidity,” but a heat map of a team’s successful tackles and interceptions, clustered in their own defensive third, paints a stark, undeniable picture of a low-block strategy. Stats alone can be sterile. A number like “73% possession” is just a figure. Layer it with a pass-direction flow chart showing 65% of those passes were lateral or backwards, and you have a story—a story of control, or perhaps of sterile dominance. This visual translation is the key. It moves us from passively watching to actively comprehending.

I have a personal preference here, I’ll admit. I’m far more captivated by the tactical battle than by a simple goal tally. The duel between a pressing forward and a ball-playing defender, visualized through pressure-application maps and successful pass-completion zones, is a novel within the novel. And this is where infographics become indispensable for coaches and analysts. I’ve spoken to youth coaches who use simplified visual aids to show their U-14 team how their shape collapses when they all chase the ball. One coach showed me a before-and-after graphic: in the first, a chaotic cluster of dots; in the second, after a week of training focused on spatial awareness, a structured 4-3-3 formation maintained even under pressure. The improvement wasn’t just audible in his explanation; it was visible. That’s power.

Of course, we must be careful. Data visualization is a tool, not an oracle. A player might have a low pass-completion rate of 78% but be the only one attempting the high-risk, game-breaking through balls. The graphic needs context. It’s our job as enthusiasts and analysts to read between the lines of these charts. But when done right, it enriches the experience immensely. It does what Scottie Thompson’s selection does—it provides a framework to appreciate the full spectrum of contribution. It answers the “how” and the “why.” So, the next time you watch a match, I challenge you to look for the hidden patterns. Imagine the heat maps forming with each run, the passing networks weaving with each touch. You’ll find that unlocking the game through this visual lens doesn’t reduce its magic; it multiplies it. The pitch becomes a living data canvas, and every player, a artist whose impact is finally, beautifully, illuminated.

LIGHTING, LIGHTING, AND MORE LIGHTING
People are typically drawn to bars solely based on their atmosphere. The best way to knock your next commercial bar design out of the park is using the perfect amount and type of lighting. Use standout light fixtures as their very own statement piece, track lighting for adjustable ambiance, hanging pendant lights over tables, and ambient backlighting to display the alcohol. Bartenders need to serve and customers need to order, so make sure it’s just functional as it is attractive. 

CHOOSING YOUR BARTOP
What may seem so obvious, is often so overlooked in commercial bar design- the material of your actual bartop itself. While we realize stone and marble are as classy and elegant-looking as can be, the reality is that they just aren’t your best option for a durable and long lasting bartop. They crack, have no grip, and break way too many glasses. Opt for a high-quality wood bar instead. Oaks, maples, mahoganies, and ashes are sturdy and provide your customers with a firm grip for their glasses. 

THEME 
In a sea of millions upon millions of bars, how can you make your commercial bar design stand apart from the rest? The answer is to pick a unique, centralized theme and run with it. Whether it’s your next sit-down restaurant bar design, or remodeling the small, locally-favorite gem, you have to find out what your clientele wants. Survey the neighborhood of your establishment and find out what the demographics are there. Maybe a gritty, western bar would be a hit. Or maybe a more modern, sleek design is what’s missing in the area. Whatever theme you decide upon, hit it out of the park with the perfect lighting, wall art, music, and furniture. It’s all in the details. 

THE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT RESTOBAR 
You’ve got the food, you’ve got the restaurant, you’ve got the customers, now all you need is a beautifully designed bar to top it all off.  Small bar designs for restaurants have a tendency to be a little thrown together and incohesive with the rest of the establishment. Stay on brand- create consistency with tying in the same color scheme, furniture, art, and overall ambiance of the pre-existing restaurant. Make sure the placement of your bar makes sense as well, have it in a place where it’s visible and easy to navigate but not in the way of servers and other guests. If the bar is going to serve food, be sure to consider the location of the kitchen to not obstruct traffic flow. Consider all of these small tips as you work through your next restaurant bar design. 

SPACE CONSTRAINT 
It’s no secret that bars have the reputation of being a little cramped, and in some cases- way too cramped. Consider all of the space constraints while designing your next commercial bar design and we can change that bad rap that bars have been holding for far too long. First and foremost, be sure to measure your bar, barstool, cabinet, and equipment height. Generally, a bar is 42” in height while a stool is 30” in height. Also be sure to allow at least 3’ of space between the bar and the alcohol for the bartender’s functionality and efficiency. Consider multiple register and drink-making stations for bartenders as well. Allowing 2’ between patrons is going to give them enough space to eat and drink, and most importantly, simply be comfortable. All of these considerations are especially helpful if it is a restaurant bar design, where the space is even more valuable.