SSAC

Mastering the Mind: The Psychology of Winning

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 relationships, and sustain long-term success. Dr. Sian Beilock, an expert on cognitive performance, and Steve Magness, a leading voice in mental toughness, come together for a conversation on self-doubt, burnout, and the mental side of teamwork. Drawing from their books Choke and Win the Inside Game, they’ll explore how team dynamics, leadership styles, and communication shape mental performance—and how today’s athletes can use psychology to thrive rather than just survive. This is a discussion about mindset, chemistry, and adaptability—not just in sports but in life.

Hot Hands and Cold Decks: Balancing Strategy and Psychology in Poker

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 and poker content creators will discuss the impact of solvers, intuition, and behavioral psychology on decision-making at the highest levels. Whether you're a data-driven grinder or a feel-based player, this conversation will reveal what it takes to stay sharp in a game where both skill and mindset determine long-term success.

Decisions on Ice: The Next Frontier of Hockey Analytics

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 panelists from across the hockey landscape as they discuss the evolution of on-ice decision-making driven by analytics. From line changes to innovative strategies, discover how coaches and front offices are redefining the game with data-driven approaches.

Quants Watching Tape presented by ESPN

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 at ESPN – have learned to watch film, rely on film to further their understanding of the game, and use film to augment or even inspire their quantitative analysis. It turns out: nerds do watch the games – and they’re going to do it in this panel.

The Analytics-Driven Franchise: Building a Modern NBA Team

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 success. The conversation will balance the front office’s perspective on long-term planning with the player-centric view of how data-driven strategies impact the on-court experience. Topics will include the use of advanced metrics for player evaluation, the integration of tracking data, the balance between data and basketball instincts, and the challenges of implementing analytics across departments.

Have the Nerds Ruined Basketball? A Conversation on Competitiveness, Three Pointers, and Rule Changes

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. Panelists will debate whether the league has reached peak three-point shooting volumes, how defenses have adapted, and whether this evolution has made the game less entertaining or overly repetitive. The discussion will also address potential solutions: Should leagues intervene with rule changes, or will the game naturally evolve as teams identify new inefficiencies? Join us for a lively debate on the future of basketball amidst the three-point era.

Level Up: Analyzing the Influence of Brands on the Esports Ecosystem

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 panel of experts from esports teams, agencies, game developers, and brand partners will discuss the current state of brand involvement in esports, examining what it takes to form impactful strategic partnerships. Panelists will offer insights into how esports organizations and brands can successfully collaborate in the esports ecosystem, from sponsorship activations to digital marketing innovations. #LevelUp

Take Two: Sustaining Success in the New Look MLB

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 about the long-term implications of competing under the new rules? Hear from Jonathan Erlichman and Michael Voltmer, representing two of baseball’s most consistent franchises in the Rays and Dodgers respectively, and former All-Star and 14-year MLB Veteran Carlos Peña as they dive into the strategies being deployed by teams and players in pursuit of sustained success. The panelists will discuss how data & analytics, advanced technology, and other innovative resources are being used to optimize game strategy, opponent scouting, player development, and more. #TakeTwo

League Innovations: Balancing Tradition and Progress

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 place in 2024. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is actively pushing for innovation to improve safety standards while the MLS is rapidly expanding, and using MLS Next Pro to test their latest innovations. Leagues continue to innovate and adapt to meet the evolving needs, desires and concerns of fans while maintaining the integrity of their sport and the fundamentals that fans love. This panel brings together executives from the NBA, NFL, MLS, and HISA to discuss how leagues are making the decisions that are driving their sports forward to raise the overall quality for both the fans and the participants. Through insightful analysis, this panel will explore the impacts of these changes on league operations, fan engagement, player dynamics, and the overall future trajectory of each respective league. #LeagueInnovations

Winning With AI: The Future of AI in Sports

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 continue to broaden. This discussion will center around the different ways in which sports teams, leagues, broadcasters, and technology vendors could eventually integrate AI into areas such as player evaluation, fan engagement, league innovations, and more. Hear from panelists at the forefront and close to the action on how they believe AI is best positioned to develop in the sports industry. #WinningWithAI