Sports Administration Student Board Gathers Industry Gurus for Inaugural Sports Analytics Symposium
The inaugural Sports Analytics Symposium, hosted by the Master of Arts in Sports Administration Student Board, brought dozens of students and industry experts together for a day of discussion and networking on May 6, 2017.
The full-day event kicked off with a networking breakfast and a keynote speaker panel moderated by one of the program’s faculty members, Brice Thomas Clinton, in conversation with several professionals on the cutting edge of sports analytics:
- Matt Kobe - Director of Business Strategy and Analytics, Chicago Bulls
- Adam Grossman - CEO and Founder, Block Six Analytics
- Ryan Garfat - Editor eSports, ESPN
- Tom Robinson - Director of Football Research, Dallas Cowboys
The symposium also included breakout sessions where each expert discussed subject matter specific to their career, such as “Understanding a Fan: A Glimpse into the Next Generation of Fan Segmentation in Sports” and the “Current State of the NFL and the Future of Analytics.”
“When asked to moderate the opening panel, I was excited by the prospect of exploring multiple topics with some excellent colleagues,” said Clinton, who teaches the course the Technology of Sport at Northwestern. “Those panelists, and the event overall, far exceeded expectations and provided valuable insights on various aspects of the sports industry.”
Clinton added that students gained many direct insights that are not necessarily delivered in the classroom and particularly emphasized the value the symposium brought students in networking and industry exposure. The MSA Student Board and faculty plan for the event to become an annual occurrence with a changing focus each year.