SSAC

Making the Right Play: Optimizing the NBA’s Season Structure

Evan Wasch – SVP of Basketball Strategy & Analytics, NBA

 

Steve Koonin – CEO, Atlanta Hawks

 

Gersson Rosas – President of Basketball Operations, Minnesota Timberwolves

 

Shane Battier – VP of Basketball Development & Analytics, Miami Heat

 

Kevin Arnovitz (Moderator) – NBA Writer, ESPN.com

 

For more than 50 years the NBA has operated with an 82-game regular season, but is this the optimal season structure? Questions around player health and injury prevention have led to scrutiny over season length for several years, but the subject has gained momentum recently as the conversation has shifted to considering how the league can better optimize its format for fans. Could a new season structure and competition format actually lead to a more healthy ecosystem for owners, players, broadcast partners, and sponsors? On this panel, league and team executives will examine the most pressing topics surrounding the NBA schedule conversation.

Basketball Analytics: Nothin’ but Net...Rating

Bob Voulgaris – Director of Quantitative Research, Dallas Mavericks

 

Mike Zarren – Assistant GM and Team Counsel, Boston Celtics

 

Tom Thibodeau – Former NBA Head Coach & Executive

 

Zach Lowe – Senior NBA Writer, ESPN

 

Ben Cohen (Moderator) – Sports Reporter, WSJ

 

Analytics has revolutionized the modern game, but there are changes happening off the court that are unseen by the public. In the boardroom, data is used in contract negotiations, scouting, and player evaluation, to name a few. New data sources are also emerging from biometrics, wearables, and video footage, which may transform the next generation of the modern game and front office decision making. This panel will look to demystify how analytics is used behind the scenes with perspectives from coaches, analysts, and members of the front office.

“3s & Frees”: The Evolving Nature of Basketball

Danilo Gallinari – Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder

 

Kirk Goldsberry – NBA Analyst, ESPN

 

RC Buford – CEO, Spurs Sports and Entertainment

 

Dave Joerger – Former NBA Head Coach

 

Sue Bird – Point Guard, Seattle Storm

 

J.A. Adande (Moderator) – Director of Sports Journalism, Northwestern University

 

Basketball is undeniably an evolving sport. From the run and gun in the ‘60s to the physical slugfest in the ‘90s to the “threes and frees” of today, the game has transformed and reinvented itself over and over again. On the court, the adoption of big data and advanced analytics have changed the game forever – a change debated for better or for worse. Off the court, the globalization of the game and the emphasis on load management have altered how fans view the league. On this panel, NBA executives, front office insiders, coaches and players will discuss these themes and explore what’s next in this ever-evolving game.

Built to Last: The Importance of Inclusion & Diversity in Sports Organizations

Allison Feaster – Director of Player Development and Personal Growth, Boston Celtics

 

Shelley Pisarra – EVP of Global Insights & Strategy, Wasserman

 

Catherine Carlson – SVP of Revenue & Strategy, Philadelphia Eagles

 

Scott Pioli – Former NFL Executive & Television Analyst

 

Liz Moulton (Moderator) – Co-Leader of the Sports Business Practice, Spencer Stuart

 

Countless studies have shown that diverse teams outperform homogeneous counterparts. Yet in an environment where everyone is looking for a competitive edge, why is the sports industry so far behind? Today, champions of diversity are having significant impact in their organizations. In 2019, Adam Silver publicly wished for half of NBA coaches and referees to be women. The number of NBA female coaches has more than doubled since then. Scott Pioli has long been a supporter as shown by the creation of fellowships through the Women’s Sports Foundation and hiring one of the first female coaches in the NFL. Learn how organizations are removing hiring biases and what organizations must do to create success for underrepresented minorities. Panelists will lend their insights and experiences to how diversity has fostered an environment in which unheard voices can be heard and also led to better overall performance.

A 1-on-1 with Enes Kanter

Enes Kanter – NBA Center, Boston Celtics

 

Howard Beck (Moderator) – Senior Writer, Bleacher Report

 

Howard Beck sits down with Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter for a wide-ranging conversation on his unique basketball career and his stance on expressing his beliefs and freedom of speech. Kanter will discuss various ways in which he has used his platform as an NBA star on and off the court. Topics will include Kanter’s basketball successes, challenges he’s faced as an international player, and the initiative he is taking to promote gender equality in sports and educational equality in the United States.

Player Empowerment: I've Got the Power

Kendrick Perkins – NBA Analyst & Former NBA Player, ESPN

 

Stephen A. Smith – Featured Commentator, ESPN

 

Michael Rubin – Founder & Executive Chairman, Fanatics

 

Jackie MacMullan (Moderator) – Senior Writer, ESPN

 

In recent years we’ve seen an undeniable increase in player influence with regards to what they make, where they play, and how they leverage their brand beyond the team. Players entering leagues often have millions of social followers and are using their voice to bring awareness to issues impacting their day-to-day life as professional athletes and society at large. With the increased influence of players, how are agents, team owners, and businesses tied to athletes ensuring an ongoing focus on the health of the sport? How are leagues balancing the focus on the team while protecting the individual? Hear how players’ voices are changing the game, impacting league economics, and affecting how organizations embrace the new norm. Panelists represent a wide range of perspectives, including athletes, owners, business partners, and media.

Moneyball to Homerball with Bill James & Tom Tango

Tom Tango – Senior Data Architect, MLB

 

Bill James – Statistician

 

Meghan Chayka (Moderator) – Co-Founder, Stathletes

 

Arguably the two greatest baseball analytics minds of all time will meet on stage for the first time to discuss the Sabermetrics that Bill James created and Tom has revolutionized. Bill James needs no introduction (he has a room at the conference named after him!). Tom Tango is the creator of numerous sabermetrics including Leverage Index and FIP and currently runs the highly influential tangotiger.com website.

Moving the Chains: Advancing Football Analytics

Brian Burke - Senior Analytics Specialist, ESPN

 

Alec Halaby - Vice President of Football Operations and Strategy, Philadelphia Eagles

 

Mike Leach - Head Football Coach, Mississippi State University

 

Mina Kimes (Moderator) - Senior Writer, Podcast Host and Commentator, ESPN

 

Information from player tracking to advanced metrics is shaping how rosters are constructed, players prepare, and coaches call games. Viewers can expect to see Next Gen Stats on every broadcast. Teams continue to pass more, RPOs are rampant, and defenses are loaded with hybrid positions. So if the analytics revolution finally arrived, how did the Tennessee Titans almost make the Super Bowl with an offense circa 1980? The true transformation may take longer than we think. An offensive mastermind, an analytics expert, and a front-office innovator share their insights on how teams are reacting to the newly available data and what it means for the future of the game.

Hockey Analytics: A Faceoff with Data

Dominic Moore - Former NHL Player

 

Sunny Mehta - Former NHL Executive

 

Andrew Thomas - Director of Data Science, SportsMEDIA Technology Corp.

 

Alison Lukan - Writer, The Athletic

 

Michael Mauboussin (Moderator) - Head of Consilient Research, Counterpoint Global

 

The use of analytics to support important decision-making in the NHL has increased significantly over the past few years, but the real revolution is still to come. With the addition of player tracking technology in the near future, teams will have access to far more information than ever before. This panel aims to tackle the key questions NHL teams will need to address to be successful in this rapidly changing environment. How must teams adapt their front office organizations to handle this influx of data effectively? Which widely accepted conventional hockey wisdoms could end up being disproved in the future? Will the introduction of player-tracking information lead to the same degree of stylistic changes in hockey, as seen recently in the NBA and MLB?

Defending the Pass: Using Player Tracking Data to Gain New Insights

Kevin Meers - Former Director of Research & Strategy, Cleveland Browns

 

Evan Kaplan - Research Specialist, ESPN

 

Brian Burke - Senior Analytics Specialist, ESPN

 

Domonique Foxworth - Writer & NFL Analyst, ESPN

 

Brian Macdonald (Moderator) - Director of Sports Analytics, ESPN

 

“You have to pass to set up the run.” A far cry from a generation ago, the NFL has experienced a notable trend towards passing over the past 40 years. The league is also collecting and using more detailed, granular data, such as player and ball location data, which has opened the door to countless new statistics, advanced metrics, and detailed analyses that can be leveraged to inform decisions at both the league and team level. This panel will focus on the intersection of these two trends, particularly how tracking data can be used to answer new questions about player performance and coaching strategies, and how they impact a team’s success at defending the pass.