SSAC

Moderator: Erin Kelly Panelists: Michelene Rabbitt, Dejan Mitkovski, Karlis Kezbers, Daryl Morey After years of progress, the sports industry has increasingly embraced the usage of data & analytics to optimize and enhance business performance. But in a world where data-driven decision making is now part of the status quo, what is the next frontier for data & analytics in sports business? T...

Moderator: Jeff Ma  Panelists: Nate Silver, Xuan Liu, Jennifer Shahade With the proliferation of analytics in sports and the increasing accessibility of machine learning, defining the next optimal next move is becoming increasingly challenging. Join us for an insightful poker panel as we explore the evolution of strategy in the game, driven by probability, game theory, and statistical analysis. De...

Moderator: Danny Rensch Panelists: Daryl Morey, Levy Rozman, Robert Hess "The Digital Gambit" brings together chess legends Danny Rensch, Levy Rozman, Robert Hess, James Canty, and Daryl Morey to explore the evolution of chess in the digital era. This panel will delve into the transformation of chess content, fueled by mainstream media and online streaming, and its burgeoning appeal to a younger,...

Moderator: Jeff Ma Panelists: Grant Cloud, Madeleine Want, Brett Abarbanel In the rapidly evolving landscape of sports gaming, the intersection of data analytics and technological innovation is creating unprecedented opportunities for growth and engagement. This panel will explore the forefront of innovation in sports gaming, highlighting how data is driving the development of new products and enh...

Moderator: Justine Brown Panelists: Thayer Lavielle, Julie Uhrman, Susie Piotrkowski, Sezin Aksoy While women’s sports have historically comprised only 4% of media coverage, recent insights from Wasserman demonstrate a notable uptick to 15% in 2023. However, despite this progress, professional women's sports still represent just 8% of all broadcasted competitions. The rapid recent growth of women'...

Moderator: Shira Springer Panelists: Jackie Caldwell, Blake Stuchin, Amanda Anderson, Sanjeev Verma Like, follow, and subscribe - the analytics of social media go well beyond these fundamental statistics. This panel will delve into the dynamic relationship between sports and social media, highlighting the influential role of content creation in attracting new and diverse audiences to the world of...

Moderator: Hannah Storm Panelists: Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Andre Iguadala This star-studded panel brings together legendary athletes turned business innovators, owners, investors, and changemakers to discuss the growing influence of players leading change in the industry. Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, and Andre Iguodala will share their unique leadership journeys, how they are leveraging their power t...

Moderator: Katie Hodel Panelists: Kate Howard, Jake Burns, Jason Green This panel will explore the “Evolution of Ticketing” and provide a comprehensive discussion of the current trends, challenges, and opportunities in the ticketing industry. Hear from ticketing vendors and team/venue executives as they dive into technological advancements, changing fan consumption patterns, and other key drivers...

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...

Moderator: Allison Katz Mayfield Panelists: Liz Lindsey, Paul Caine, Robert Thacker The phrase “live sporting event” has taken on a new meaning in recent years. Gone are the days when fans simply showed up to a stadium to watch a game. Fans now have a myriad of avenues for entertainment and engagement when visiting a sporting event. Hospitality and premium experiences have been redefined by signif...

Moderator: Jessica Gelman Panelist: Michael Rubin Michael Rubin, a connector of people, has transformed the way athletes and entertainers engage with businesses, leagues, and each other. As Founder and CEO of Fanatics, he has revolutionized the sports apparel business, quickly becoming a premier partner with many top entities. With an expansive rolodex and Fanatics sitting at the center of the eco...

Moderator: Saj Cherian Panelists: Scott Krase, Brian Bilello, Matt Hulsizer The global soccer landscape has undergone seismic shifts in recent years. Multi team/sport ownership groups have permeated top soccer leagues - sports conglomerates now control five of the esteemed "Big Six" Premier League clubs as well as various other teams around the world. Simultaneously, the world's premier talent is...

Moderator: Ryan O'Hanlon Panelists: Ian Graham, Sarah Rudd, Jesse Marsch, Bill James Three is worth more than two, walks count the same as hits, first downs are better than punts. While data analysis has transformed the way we play all of the major American sports, soccer still awaits its own kind of disruption. It’s not for a lack of trying, though. Major European clubs have begun to invest — and...

Moderator: Claire Rogers Panelists: Krista Olson, Travis Trembath, Fahad Zahid Historically, golf has been perceived as a sport with a strongly loyal but relatively small fanbase. While golf’s various stakeholders continue to seek out ways to attract new fans, the sport has seen significant momentum in recent years, with participation growing at rates that haven’t been seen in decades. The introdu...

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 discuss...

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, un...

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 betw...

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 ana...

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,...

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 t...

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...

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...

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 (mod...

Jessica Berman - Commissioner, National Women’s Soccer League Johanna Faries - Senior Vice President/General Manager of Call of Duty, Activision Blizzard Jackie MacMullan (moderator) - Retired Senior Writer   Sports has long been a microcosm for society at large and given the public visibility athletes, teams, and leagues expected to lead on all aspects of culture. From players to fans to ownershi...

Sue Bird - WNBA Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, Co-Founder of A Touch More and Togethxr Brian Westbrook - Managing Director of Athlete Entrepreneur Network, underdog venture team Lindsay Kagawa Colas - Executive Vice President, Talent + The Collective, Wasserman Michele Steele (moderator) - Reporter, ESPN   Star athletes develop strong name recognition for their feats on the field, but their p...