SSAC

Moderator: Corbin Petro Panelists: Stacy Lewis, Julie Uhrman, Jennifer Rizzotti Women's sports have grown tremendously in popularity but many leagues still lack the data infrastructure long-established mens league's have. This panel will explore the critical need for better data collection and analysis in women’s sports, and how past efforts have directly translated to on-field success. The panel...

Moderator: Jessica O'Beirne Panelists: Mohini Bhardwaj, Brody Malone, Josh Dixon, Li Li Leung Gymnastics remains the most-viewed Olympic sport and top women's college sport, presenting a unique opportunity to boost fan engagement and economic expansion leading up to the LA28 home Olympics. This panel will explore cutting-edge solutions like Fujitsu’s AI Judging Evaluation program and the USOPC’s I...

Moderator: Saj Cherian Panelists: Mark Tatum, Christine Dorfler, Paul Caine As the sports industry continues to evolve, US-based leagues are increasingly looking internationally to capture new audiences and drive growth. Our panelists will explore the current climate of sport globalization and its future trajectory, focusing on how leagues identify and prioritize key international market while sha...

Panelists: Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, Lauren Holiday Everyone watches women's sports—and now, there's a podcast for that. Take a front row seat with world champion athletes Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, as they sit down with Lauren Holiday to discuss their shared journeys through sports and life. Hear deep cut stories from their experiences as athletes, and the inside look at moments illuminate the in...

Moderator: Michele Steele Panelists: A'ja Wilson, Jade-Li English 2x WNBA Champion, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, and 3x MVP A’ja Wilson, alongside her agent Jade-Li English, will delve into the dynamic intersection of sports, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. They’ll share A’ja’s journey from athlete to businesswoman, navigating opportunities on and off the court. The discussion will also highli...

Moderator: Deepak Malhotra Panelists: Sue Bird, Evan Wasch, Mike Zarren, Daryl Morey Basketball has seen a dramatic shift in recent years, with the three-point shot dominating team strategies and reshaping how players approach the game. This panel will explore whether the NBA is at a “crisis” point due to this trend, drawing lessons from other sports that faced similar strategy convergence. Paneli...

Moderator: John Hollinger Panelists: Shane Battier, Dean Oliver, Monte McNair, Ariana Andonian This panel will explore how NBA organizations have transformed through the integration of analytics into their decision-making processes. From drafting strategies and roster construction to player development and in-game tactics, panelists will examine the role of analytics in shaping team identity and s...

Moderator: Seth Walder Panelists: Brian Burke, Dean Oliver, Andrew Healy, Steve Weinman The entire idea of sports analytics is to drive better decisions through quantitative analysis. But as the field has become more advanced, it’s virtually impossible now to do the job without watching tape. In this panel, we’ll explore how football and basketball analytics professionals – both on pro teams and a...

Moderator: Arda Öcal Panelists: Jeremy Rogalski, Meghan Chayka, Philippe Desaulniers Across all sports, analytics have become essential for shaping offseason decisions, such as draft preparation and player compensation. However, their impact extends far beyond that—data and analytics now play a critical role in guiding in-game decisions, helping coaches lead their teams to success. Join our paneli...

Moderator: Jennifer Shahade Panelists: Nate Silver, Alexandra Botez, Xuan Liu Poker is a game of skill, strategy, and psychology—but how do players navigate the tension between mathematical precision and the unpredictable swings of variance? This panel explores the interplay between optimal game theory strategy and the mental resilience required to handle hot streaks and brutal downswings. Experts...

Moderator: Lauren Rosen Panelists: Allison Feaster, Sian Leah Beilock, Steve Magness Winning isn’t just about talent or preparation—it’s about mindset and the chemistry between athletes, coaches, and teams. While pressure and clutch performance are often the focus of sports psychology, this discussion takes a different approach: how do athletes build mental resilience, foster productive relationsh...

Moderator: Marie Donoghue Panelists: Amy Reinhard, Lori Conkling, Harish Sarma, Reagan Carey This past year has seen the realization of sports streaming. Netflix hosted its first live sporting event, the Netflix Cup, and has been the home to popular sports series, such as Formula 1: Drive to Survive and Quarterback. YouTube is now the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket. TikTok has re-invented how...

Moderator: Abe Madkour Panelists: Jessica Gelman, Julie Uhrman, Amy Latimer Sports is a center for innovation and change, directly reflecting in real-time the changing expectations of fans, athletes, and industry. With the world’s eye often looking to sports to lead change, both with the game and customer consumption, how do sports organizations position themselves for sustainable long-term succes...

Moderator: Jessica Gelman Panelists: Jason Robins, Rich Paul From creating a new industry to redefining an old one, industry giants, Jason Robins and Rich Paul will share their origin stories, vision of leadership, and entrepreneurial approach to success. Both founders are highly influential in the sports industry and have expanded their reach beyond their original start-up goals while taking very...

Moderator: Matt Rousson Panelists: Kevin Lopes, Julie Souza, Tyrone Millard AI has changed the way that the world interprets, handles, and reacts to data across all industries. This panel will focus on how AI and machine learning is and will change the sports industry. Current applications of AI are still relatively nascent in sports, but in a rapidly developing environment, the use cases for AI c...

Moderator: Alison Overholt Panelists: Evan Wasch, Dawn Aponte, Lisa Lazarus In efforts to create unique competition, the NBA recently debuted its in-season tournament, while the NFL consistently updates its rules to enhance game flow, safety, and competitiveness, while also expanding its global presence by hosting games in international markets, with the first NFL game in South America taking plac...

Moderator: David Schoenfield Panelists: Carlos Pena, Jonathan Erlichman, Michael Voltmer, Nick Troop The 2023 season marked a seismic shift in Major League Baseball. The introduction of rule changes, namely the pitch timer and defensive shift limits, have fundamentally altered the way the game is played. As these changes enter their second season, how are stakeholders across the league thinking ab...

Moderator: Brian Millman Panelists: Joe Marsh, Andrew Lilien, Doug Watson This panel seeks to dive into the dynamic relationship between brands and the esports industry, exploring the current landscape and future in 2024. In the world of esports, brands and esports organizations are presented with unique opportunities and challenges in establishing meaningful connections with the community. Our pa...

Moderator: Jacob Feldman Panelists: Brian Josephs, Keith Goldner, Eric Rimsky As the U.S. sports betting market continues to mature, hear how key stakeholders within the ecosystem are collaborating to maximize fan engagement opportunities today and in the future. This panel will feature a deep dive into the deeper event data, including the growing focus on the athlete narrative as well as the usag...

Moderator: Liz Moulton Panelists: Kirsten Corio, Julie Haddon, Dave Alpern In an era where sports sponsorships offer an abundance of assets, from jersey patches to on-court branding, the challenge lies in ensuring that partners receive optimal value while maintaining fan engagement and data privacy. This panel, featuring perspectives from leaders across various industries and roles, including the...

Moderator: Ted Knutson Panelists: Steve Palazzolo, Eugene Shen, Sean Clement, Heather Maclean This panel will deep dive into the multi-faceted world of football analytics with seasoned industry experts from the Washington Commanders, Pro Football Focus, SumerSports, and StatsBomb. The panelists will discuss the current breadth of analytics use cases in football, ranging from the crucial role data...

Moderator: Michele Steele Panelists: Paul Tudor Jones, Jonathan Kraft American Football has long held the marquee sports spot within the United States thanks to continual advancements made by leagues and in the sport at large. The NFL is in a period of growth and innovation: the NFL's fan demographics have expanded, 5 international games will be played in 2024, player safety is paramount, flag foo...

Moderator: Jackie MacMullan Panelists: Sue Bird, Jeff Van Gundy, Nick Caserio As fans, we watch sports for the unexpected and for the feats we did not see coming. Of course, many of the most memorable are David defeating Goliath. Upsets. Last second shots. Win streaks. What leads to the right moments where chemistry defeats legacy? Hear from Sue Bird, Jeff Van Gundy, Nick Caserio, and Daryl Morey...

Moderator: Corbin Petro Panelists: Will Blodgett, Seth Moulton, Alex Drane, Valerie Camillo Data is used universally across public and private sectors in powerful ways. This panel brings together a variety of industry experts focused on using data for the greater good, with lessons for the sports industry. Join us as we look to the expertise of panelists across real estate, healthcare, and the pub...

Moderator: Allison Loucks  Panelists:  Brian Burke, Dean Oliver ESPN Analytics will host a conversation with two leaders in the advanced metrics space, hitting on the prominence of analytics in the recently completed NFL playoffs, the impact on football and basketball in-game decision making, the media’s role in presenting analytics, and much more. #ImpactingTheGame