SSAC

Beyond the Gambit: Chess‘ Big Move

Jennifer Shahade - Chess Grandmaster and Director, US Chess Women

 

Hikaru Nakamura - Chess Grandmaster

 

Robert Hess - Chess Grandmaster, Coach, and Commentator

 

Daryl Morey - President of Basketball Operations, Philadelphia 76ers

 

Danny Rensch (moderator) - Chief Chess Officer, Chess.com

 

The queen is arguably the most important piece on the chess board, and The Queen’s Gambit has been the sport’s MVP in a year of surging popularity. More than the flavor of the moment, strategic nuances have kept chess relevant for centuries while an institutional embrace of technology has transformed competition for the 21st century. New formats bring new opportunities for strategies and analytics while the current momentum begs us to ask, what’s next? And even more importantly, what can other sports learn from chess? Hear from the most forward thinkers in chess as they discuss these issues.

Acceleration of Sports Data Innovation at ESPN

Mark Walker - Senior Vice President Content Business Development and Innovation, ESPN

 

Jeff Bennett - VP Stats and Information, ESPN

 

Dayveon Ross - Co-Founder and President, Shot Tracker

 

Kevin Lopes (moderator) - Senior Director of Content Business Development & Innovation, ESPN

 

Data analysis and presentation is an increasingly important part of fan expectation and sports consumption. This discussion will be rooted in how ESPN can create new high-quality analyses to enhance fan experience powered by low latency player tracking tech. Tune in to hear our executive panel discuss how they plan to innovate the presentation of live sports leveraging partnerships with industry leading technology companies.

Evolving Sports Through Technology: How Data is Changing the Way We Innovate in Sports Presented by AWS

Rob Smedley - Director of Data Systems, Formula One Management Ltd.

 

Jennifer Langton - Senior Vice President of Health and Safety Innovation, NFL

 

Priya Ponnapalli - Senior Manager and Principal Scientist, Amazon Machine Learning Solutions Lab

 

Will Lopes - CEO, Catapult

 

Ben Fischer (moderator) - Writer, Sports Business Journal

 

How are advances in technology and data changing the sports world? In this panel, we dissect the impact of improvements in data technology on sports innovation. We will dive deeper into how advances such as NFL Next Gen have allowed for improved strategy and how advancements in digital products allow for better fan experiences. Sports teams and organizations are ingesting more data than ever and at a faster pace -- what does this mean for the future of sports?

Howzdata: How Analytics is Revolutionizing Cricket

Isa Guha - Presenter & Commentator, BBC Sport

 

Gary Kirsten - International Cricket Coach

 

Rahul Dravid - Director of Cricket Operations, National Cricket Academy, Bengaluru

 

Alok Singh - Director Global Strategy & Transformation, Dell Technologies

 

Cricket has grown in popularity as a sport throughout the years. In 2020, the Indian Premier League (IPL) became the first sports tournament to surpass 400 billion viewing minutes and new leagues continue to be created in new markets. But can this old sport catch up to less-tenured leagues that have leaned on analytics and advanced technologies to elevate their level of play? Hear from players and change agents from the world of cricket discuss how this globally beloved sport is playing catch up by using data and in-game technology to further develop the sport.

Outwit, Outplay, Out-analyze: Survivor Analytics

Wendell Holland - Founder, Beve Unlimited

 

Rick Devens - Former Contestant, Survivor

 

Sophie Clark - Former Winner, Survivor

 

Christian Hubicki - Roboticist and Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

 

Rob Cesternino (moderator) - Host and Creator, Rob Has a Podcast

 

Since it first aired on American television screens in 2000, Survivor has captivated audiences. With over 40 seasons and nearly 600 episodes, Survivor boasts 7 Emmys on 63 nominations, and was listed as one of Time magazine’s 100 greatest TV shows of all time. The show has gone to incredible lengths to ensure that previously successful strategies aren’t repeated - but what does the data say? From finding immunity tokens to forming alliances, this panel brings together some of the most famous Survivor players to examine what it takes to be Sole Survivor.

Say Goodbye to the 40 Yard Dash: The Future of NFL Roster Building

Brian Burke - Senior Sports Analyst, ESPN

 

Nick Caserio - General Manager, Houston Texans

 

Kevin Demoff - Chief Operating Officer, Los Angeles Rams

 

Kevin Clark (moderator) - NFL Reporter, The Ringer

 

With COVID nearly cancelling the college football season and ruling out pro-days for many schools, NFL front offices were left scrambling to fill out their draft boards. However, the rise of tracking data in college football, as well as indications that traditional metrics, such as the 40 yard dash time, may not be as predictive of pro success as once thought, has changed the way front offices evaluate talent. Our panel of analytics writers, coaches, and front office executives provide their unique perspectives on the current and future states of analytics for player evaluation and development in the NFL.

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.