SSAC

Trash Talking: Live at SSAC Presented by Oracle

Nate Silver - Editor-in-Chief, FiveThirtyEight

 

Andrew Friedman - President of Baseball Operations, LA Dodgers

 

Sue Bird - Athlete, Seattle Storm

 

Daryl Morey - President of Basketball Operations, Philadelphia 76ers

 

Jessica Gelman - CEO, Kraft Analytics Group

 

15 years ago, the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference was launched and massively accelerated the phenomenon of sports analytics. As we look ahead 15 years, this panel of analytics leaders and luminaries will make bold predictions about the future of sports analytics...all with a side of Trash Talking. Joined by Nate Silver, Andrew Friedman, and Sue Bird, SSAC Co-Founders and Trash Talking podcast hosts Jessica Gelman and Daryl Morey will bring the fun with predictions, games, and finally settling, which sport has the best rules.

The Case for Activism: Sports Impact on Society Presented by Wasserman

Sue Bird - Athlete, Seattle Storm

 

Stephen A. Smith - Sports Radio Host, Television Analyst, and Journalist, ESPN

 

Jessica Gelman (moderator) - CEO, Kraft Analytics Group

 

From Walkouts to Masks with Names to Influencing Elections -- 2020 will be remembered as an awakening for just how significantly sports influences society. Athletes, leagues, teams and media embraced their collective voice in raising awareness and combating social issues to drive societal change and raise awareness. This panel brings athletes and media members together to discuss the evolution of activism in sports, personal journeys, and the increased integration and future of sports-led social initiatives.

Leading Through Change: Diversity in Analytics and Beyond Presented by Wasserman

Jason Wright - President, Washington Football Team

 

Amy Howe - President, FanDuel Group

 

Rob King - Senior Vice President and Editor-At-Large, ESPN

 

Lindsay Kagawa-Colas - Executive Vice President Talent and the Collective, Wasserman

 

Shira Springer - Journalist, Sports Business Journal and Lecturer, Boston University

 

The year 2020 presented a number of challenges for business to overcome, with sports and live event industries facing crises head on. The issues leaders are working to solve range from operational changes due to COVID, to re-examining what it truly means to be a workplace that promotes equity. We bring together leaders from the FanDuel, Washington Football Team, and ESPN to sit down and discuss the difficult decisions they made when faced with the new normal, and how they were able to lead their companies through these challenging times using available data available to guide decision making.

Self-Made Sports Legends and Entrepreneurs: Michael Rubin and A-Rod

Alex Rodriguez - Founder, A-Rod Corporation

 

Michael Rubin - Executive Chairman, Fanatics

 

Jessica Gelman (moderator) - CEO, Kraft Analytics Group

 

As teenagers, Michael Rubin and Alex Rodriguez took different paths to learning the skills which would one day lead each of them to redefine the sports industry. In 1993, A-Rod was the #1 MLB draft pick. Talented and self-made. That same year, Michael’s 3rd venture in sports was generating $1mm in annual sales. Fearless and self-made. Fast forward nearly 30 years, and listen in as these industry luminaries share lessons learned from their experiences in the field and in the boardroom. From creating brands to starting movements like the “All-in-Challenge” to building real estate empires, hear how analytics influenced their decisions, how they learn & adapted, and what they think is next for the industry.

The Invisible Opponent: Our Mental Health Crisis

TJ Manotoc - North American News Bureau Chief, ABS-CBN

 

Shane Battier - Vice President Basketball Development & Analytics, Miami Heat

 

Kevin Warren - Commissioner, Big Ten Conference

 

Corbin Petro (moderator) - CEO, Eleanor Health

 

The data doesn't lie, we have a major problem: one in five Americans has a mental health illness and over 50,000 US deaths each year are attributable to suicide. The sports community is especially vulnerable with 35% of elite athletes experiencing a mental health crisis at some point in life. We bring together a diverse set of panelists to discuss their personal stories dealing with mental health and share lessons learned from their journey. On this vulnerable and evidence-based panel, we are calling the sports community to action to de-stigmatize mental health and to do more to support one another.

To Play or Not To Play: Rich Eisen 1-on-1 with J.J. Watt

JJ Watt - Defensive End, Arizona Cardinals

 

Rich Eisen - TV Host, NFL Network

 

J.J. Watt is the 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a 5-time First-team All-Pro selection. His journey is not without its trials and tribulations. J.J. has battled back from multiple injuries and surgeries. In 2016, J.J.’s season ended after rushing back from a herniated disc injury. In 2019, after the Texans earned a playoff berth, J.J. once again rushed back to play, waiting only half of the recommended time for a left pectoral injury, but J.J. successfully played in both the Texans’ playoff games. For his off-field contributions when he raised $41.6m for Hurricane Harvey relief for the city of Houston, J.J. was awarded as the 2017 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. How does J.J. decide when to return to play after an injury or a natural disaster? How has J.J.’s perspective on playing changed throughout his career? Join this panel as Rich Eisen deep dives into J.J. Watt’s thought process and decision making.

Fact or Fiction: Basketball Mythbusting

Sonia Raman - Assistant Coach, Memphis Grizzlies

 

Elton Brand - General Manager, Philadelphia 76ers

 

Mike Zarren - VP of Basketball Ops and Team Counsel, Boston Celtics

 

Kirk Goldsberry (moderator) - NBA Analyst, ESPN

 

Everyone loves a highlight, and NBA players and fans are no exception. With the rise of social media platforms, athletes openly share their amazement about others’ moves or shots. But, do the experts believe these moves are true game-changers? Listen in on our panelists determining what is fact and what is fiction when evaluating player and team talent. We bring together coaches and GMs with a variety of experiences to break down these rumors.

Sports & Analytics Trivia Blitz with Ken Jennings

Joe Peta – Head of Performance Analytics, Point72

 

Aaron Schatz – Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Football Outsiders

 

Daryl Morey – General Manager, Houston Rockets

 

Ken Jennings (Moderator) – Author & Game Show Contestant

 

The Sloan Sports Analytics Conference is proud to present Sports & Analytics Trivia Blitz, an hour-long sports trivia game played in the style of ‘Jeopardy!’ Hosted by the recently-crowned “Greatest of All Time” Jeopardy! player, Ken Jennings, Trivia Blitz will bring together three conference experts to test their sports knowledge, but only one will be win the title of SSAC Trivia Blitz champion. Listen to these experts face off, and follow along to test your own sports knowledge!

Game (Show) Theory: An Omnibus Conversation with Jeopardy GOAT Ken Jennings

Ken Jennings – Author & Game Show Contestant

 

Nate Silver (Moderator) – Editor-in-Chef, FiveThirtyEight

 

Hot off his crowning as the greatest Jeopardy player of all time, Ken Jennings sits down with statistics guru and fellow author Nate Silver to discuss podcasts, comedy, maps, and how analytics has made arenas like game shows and politics a numbers game. What is “the next field to be transformed by analytics”? Tune in to hear the clue.

Dark Arts: What the Sports World Can Learn from Chess

Neil Paine – Senior Sportswriter, FiveThirtyEight

 

Robert Hess – Chess Grandmaster, Coach, Commentator & Writer

 

John Urschel – Mathematician & Former NFL Player

 

Daryl Morey – General Manager, Houston Rockets

 

Danny Rensch (Moderator) – Chief Chess Officer, Chess.com

 

What happens in Chess will eventually happen in all sports. Chess was the first sport to incorporate a theoretically sound rating system, Elo, that has been the foundation of most rating systems in other sports such as soccer, tennis, esports ladders, and more. In addition, AI came to chess well before any other sport and it is now changing the foundation of nearly every sport. Chess has also been first with automated cheat detection which may have been useful in another hardball sport recently. Hear chess Grandmasters, athletes, and enthusiasts weigh in on these topics and discuss the lessons the sports industry will untap in the future from chess. Additionally, don’t miss out on attendees challenging a chess Grandmaster in a live chess simulation.