SSAC

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The Power of Sports Jul 19, 2024

Show notes

Moderator: Cassidy Hubbarth

Panelists: Megan Rapinoe, Nate Silver, Jessica Gelman

Sports serve as a unifying force and catalyst for change. Sports possess the ability to uplift communities through athlete-driven philanthropy, team engagement in community development, and league initiatives including international outreach. From trailblazers like Jackie Robinson and Jesse Owens breaking down racial barriers to contemporary icons such as Megan Rapinoe and the USWNT championing gender equality, the influence of sports on society transcends mere competition. This panel will discuss what has made sports shift so meaningfully in impact over the past decade. As athletes and sports organizations continue to expand their impact, there arises a need to measure and expand this impact. Join Megan Rapinoe, Nate Silver, and Jessica Gelman in the closing panel of SSAC24 as they delve into the profound influence and evolution of the sports industry.

Evolution of Basketball Analytics: 20 Years of Nerds, Data, & Efficiency Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

Moderator: Ben Alamar

Panelists: Dean Oliver, Brittni Donaldson, Mike Zarren

In the dynamic landscape of modern basketball, analytics has emerged as a cornerstone, fundamentally altering the way the game is played, analyzed, and strategized. This panel will delve into the emergence of basketball analytics from its initiation to its current essential role in today's basketball paradigm. The discussion seamlessly intertwines the historical origins with the contemporary significance of basketball analytics, showcasing its transformative journey within the sport, from its humble origins to its current status as a game-changer in the NBA and professional basketball. Navigating pivotal milestones, influential figures, and driving forces, the panel examines the profound impact analytics has on various facets of the sport, from front office strategies, coaching methodologies, player development, and beyond. This session promises to captivate enthusiasts, industry professionals, and basketball aficionados alike, offering valuable insights into the significance of analytics in shaping the past, present, and future of basketball strategy and performance. #EvolutionOfBasketball

A New Generation: The Next Era of College Athletics Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

Moderator: Warren Zola

Panelists: Martin Jarmond, Val Ackerman, Brian Higgins

The world of college athletics has seen seismic shifts in recent weeks and years. The introduction of NIL compensation has altered the recruiting landscape across sports, media rights are evolving the exposure of college sports, and conference realignment is changing the college sports experience for student-athletes, universities, and their fans. This panel will delve into the impact of these changes to date and what they could mean for the future of college athletics. Hear from Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, UCLA Athletic Director Martin Jarmond, COO of NIL consulting firm Altius Tommy Gray, and NCAA SVP of Business Performance Brian Higgins as they discuss the latest developments across college sports and where we go from here. #NewGeneration

Stats to Stanley Cups: Building Successful NHL Teams Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

Moderator: Arda Ocal

Panelists: Meghan Chayka, Tyler Dellow, P.K. Subban, Jacqueline Davidson

There's a changing of the guard underway in the NHL, with legendary superstars entering the twilight of their careers and a new crop of generational talents on the way up. As this new era of the NHL gets underway, how are front office executives thinking about roster construction? What's the balance between analytics and eye test? How do you construct a roster that can handle the grind of the regular season while making sure you have a team that's built to succeed in the playoffs? From the player’s perspective, how is this next generation of NHL athletes thinking about analytics to improve their game, scout opposing teams and maximize their recovery? Come find out all this and more from 13 year NHL veteran PK Subban, NHL front office executives Brett Peterson and Tyler Delllow and Stathletes Co-Founder and CEO Meghan Chayka. #StatsToStanleyCups

Behind the Scenes in Sports Negotiating: What the Fans & Media Don't Get to See Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

Moderator: Deepak Malhotra

Panelists: Daryl Morey, Monte McNair, Nico Harrison
Presidents and GMs of professional sports teams are responsible for a lot of decisions, but nothing gets more attention, discussion, debate, and criticism from fans and the media than the trades they make (or fail to make) as they try to build a title contender. The fact is, even the most ardent fan or sophisticated analyst has no visibility on what really happens in these deals – or why certain decisions were made. How do these parties actually interact and battle it out behind closed doors? What are the pressures and constraints that dealmakers face that are not visible to those on the outside? Why is there often a discrepancy between what fans want, analysts advise, and teams actually do? This panel will bring together NBA executives Nico Harrison, Dennis Lindsey, Monte McNair, and Daryl Morey to discuss the inner workings of building a championship-level team from the perspective of an executive and give you a lens on what actually happens behind the scenes. #Negotiations

Fanalytics: Fan Engagement in a Virtual and Global World Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

Moderator: Alison Overholt

Panelists: Kat Frederick, Tim Clark, Carolyn Tisch
There are more ways than ever for fans and organizations to engage and interact, both digitally and in-person. By extending the game day experience and connecting more broadly with fully virtual viewing opportunities, sports organizations have an abundance of options to reach more fans in new and different ways. However, maximizing fan attention and engagement remains a challenge in a world where so many alternatives exist. This panel will delve into the ways that organizations foster authentic and long lasting fan engagement and how they differentiate in their local market while globalizing their brand. Panelists will also discuss the increasing role of technology and who owns the fan data along with the growing need for analytics to connect sports and fans. #fanalytics

Competing on Sports Ownership Jun 27, 2024

Show notes

Moderator: Contessa Brewer
Panelists: Gerry Cardinale, Rich Kleiman, Steve Pagliuca

In recent years, the sports world has seen massive changes in ownership structures, portfolio approaches across leagues and geographies, control vs. minority, and the role of content in driving value. Hear from change agents Gerry Cardinale, Steve Pagliuca, and Rich Kleiman on their strategies, views, and lessons they've learned in the industry. This panel will highlight the changing nature of sports ownership and how each panelist has managed their investments. The panelists will discuss the ways in which the ownership of assets across different sports can generate competitive advantages. They will also dive into how franchises think about engaging fan bases both domestically and internationally, including the role of media networks and partnerships, as well as future trends in the global sports industry as they relate to ownership and sports content #SportsOwnership

The Impact of Moneyball: 20 Years Later Oct 06, 2023

Show notes

Bill James - Former Senior Baseball Operations Advisor Boston Red Sox
Michael Lewis - Author & Journalist
Shane Battier - Former Vice President, Analytics and Basketball Development, Miami Heat; 2012 & 2013 NBA Champion, Miami Heat
Daryl Morey - President of Basketball Operations, Philadelphia 76ers
Jackie MacMullan (moderator) - Retired Senior Writer

When Moneyball was published in 2003, no one could have predicted its monumental impact across business, sports, culture, and beyond. Now, twenty years later, the book, and later the blockbuster movie, sparked a renaissance that has totally changed how organizations think about and use data. Jackie MacMullen will lead a discussion with Michael Lewis, Bill James, and Shane Battier as the group reflects on the impact and legacy of Moneyball - and analytics driven thinking - over the last two decades.

Player Power - Building Businesses by Empowering Athletes presented by Wasserman Foundation Oct 06, 2023

Show notes

Michael Rubin - CEO, Fanatics
DeMaurice Smith - Executive Director - National Football League Players Association (NFLPA)
Tamika Tremaglio - Executive Director, National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)
Jessica Gelman (moderator) - CEO, Kraft Analytics Group (KAGR)

Over the past 5 years, we’ve seen a massive shift in how players are directly engaging with fans, investing into business, and using their platform to affect societal change. As players step into their collective power, the NBAPA, NFLPA, and partners like Fanatics are redefining the role and impact of player influence within and across the sports industry. Featuring DeMaurice Smith (NFLPA Executive Director), Tamika Tremaglio (NBPA, Executive Director), and Michael Rubin (CEO of Fanatics), Jessica Gelman will guide a discussion on how these industry innovators are adjusting their business models, creating new business lines, driving the future of fan interactivity and have altered the player power landscape to innovate sports.

Changing the Game: How the Sports Industry is Accelerating Progress in DEI Oct 06, 2023

Show notes

Stef Strack - Founder & CEO, Voice in Sport, and Voice in Sport Foundation
Billy Bean - SVP | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion & Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Major League Baseball (MLB)
Sola Winley - EVP Office of the Commissioner and Chief DEI Officer, Major League Soccer (MLS)
Jonathan Beane - Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, NFL
Katie Burke (moderator) - Chief People Officer, HubSpot

Sports organizations are prioritizing and developing programs to broaden DEI. However, despite increased discussion, media attention, and data supporting diversity, women, people of color, non-binary, and LGBTQ leaders continue to be underrepresented in sports from entry-level to most glaringly in the executive branch. Importantly, leagues are investing heavily in equaling the playing field from employees to vendors to partners with a diversity priority. Over the past few years, major sports leagues have created new policies, hired DEI leaders, and shared their representations from business to team to front office. This panel brings together the league leaders who are driving change at the macro and team-level to increase representation. Moderated by Katie Burke, regarded as a leading voice of culture at Hubspot, learn what is working, what the data says, and how much more we need to do to accelerate representation of diversity, equity, and inclusion in sports.

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