SSAC

Seth Walder - Analytics Writer, ESPN Brian Burke - Data Scientist, ESPN Allison Loucks (moderator) - Director, Business Development & Innovation, ESPN   ESPN Analytics will take a deep dive into what the team has done to tell differentiating stories with player tracking data, using the prism of Receiver Tracking Metrics, its newest offering using NFL Next Gen Stats data.

Join Jonathan Kraft, President of The Kraft Group, Amy Howe, CEO of FanDuel, and Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars, as they delve into the booming sports betting industry. They discuss how legalization, especially in Massachusetts, is transforming markets and partnerships. Hear about the evolution from taboo gambling to a reputable industry and the critical role of technology in personalizing customer experiences. The panel also tackles the importance of responsible gaming, emerging competition, and innovative strategies that aim to enhance fan engagement.

Molly Pendleton - Head of Touring, NHL and MLS, Eventellect Ryan Tanke - COO, Minnesota Timberwolves & Lynx Brian Lafemina - Chief Business Officer, LA28 Sezin Aksoy - Senior Vice President, Global Data Strategy & Analytics, AXS Shira Springer (moderator) - MIT Sloan Lecturer and Journalist, MIT Sloan   While companies are pouring billions of dollars into media and streaming rights to bring events to the masses, there is nothing that can replicate a live viewing experience: the sights, smells, sounds, and energy of a stadium is so unique. The stakes are only amplified when the events and experiences are big - fan expectations skyrocket in parallel with ticket prices. This panel convenes leading executives from ticketing companies, teams, and major events to discuss how to price the biggest tickets and deliver the boldest experiences all in the name providing fans an unforgettable live experience.

Jon Patricof - CEO and Co-Founder, Athletes Unlimited Katlyn Gao - Co-Founder and CEO, LOVB Andrew Sinnenberg - Chief Operating Officer, Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) Johanna Boynton - Chair and Principal Owner, Toronto Six (PHF) Shira Springer (moderator) - MIT Sloan Lecturer and Journalist, MIT Sloan   Amid seemingly endless opportunities for entertainment, the drama and excitement of sports remains a core part of our culture and continues to capture our attention. Shifting participation trends in youth and high school sports will shape the fans of the future. For example, volleyball - with over 450,000 participants in 2022 - is poised to overtake track and field as the most popular high school girls sport in the US. Amid these changes, we have seen a wave of new leagues - outside the Big 4 sports - pushing the boundaries of traditional league operations through unique approaches to fan engagement, team structure, player empowerment, and gameplay. This panel will dive into the strategies and tactics of innovative leagues like Athletes Unlimited, League One Volleyball, Premier League Lacrosse, and Premier Hockey Federation and outline what's in store for the exciting next chapter of professional sports.

Paul Caine - President, Endeavor’s IMG Events and On Location John Sheeran - Senior Commercial Director, FanDuel Elizabeth Lindsey - President, Brands and Properties, Wasserman Jeff Price - Chief Commercial Officer, PGA of America Abe Madkour (moderator) - Publisher & Executive Editor, Sports Business Journal, Sports Business Daily/Global   In the last decade, traditional sponsorships have evolved into broader partnerships with deeper integrations and expectations. The current age of data and digitization has also fundamentally impacted sports partnerships in recent years: we are getting close to the "holy grail" of determining the value behind partnerships. On this panel, we combine holistic perspectives from the PGA of America, Wasserman, Endeavor, and FanDuel to provide insights into how data analytics has revolutionized sports partnerships and allowed both the brands and talent to calculate successes and failures.

Gerry Cardinale - Founder and Managing Partner, RedBird Capital Partners Steve Pagliuca - Senior Advisor, Bain Capital | Managing General Partner and Co-Owner, Boston Celtics Mitch Lasky - Partner, Benchmark | Co-owner, LAFC Saj Cherian (moderator) - Chief of Staff and Head of Fanatics Ventures, Fanatics   Global investment in sports teams has boomed in recent years across continents, sports, and levels, especially as institutional capital has become an increasing driver of team valuations and the sports landscape writ large. Sports-specific funds are popping up and raising funds of ever-increasing sizes, while more generalist institutional funds have increasingly turned to sports as a key investment pillar. With more money flowing in than ever before, valuations have ballooned despite a challenging macroeconomic environment. The last year has seen record franchise and club sales in the NFL, NBA, Premier League, and Serie A. Listen in as some of the most prominent sports investors and owners dig into the logic behind their investment theses, how they make specific investment decisions, and where investment in global sports is going.

Dejan Mitkovski - VP of Data Analytics, FanDuel Grant Cloud - Senior Director of Data Strategy, PrizePicks Meghan Chayka - Co-Founder and CEO, Stathletes André Snellings - Senior Writer, ESPN Lisa Kerney (moderator) - FanDuel TV Talent and Events Host, FanDuel   As sports betting and fantasy sports continue to expand throughout the US, sports gaming enthusiasts, sportsbooks, and fantasy operators will push each other to become more statistically sophisticated. While not all bettors are leveraging advanced analytics in their strategies, the common consumer now has access to more data and analytical tools than ever before. Therefore, this panel will discuss how consumers are receiving and utilizing this new mass of data, as well as the successful strategies that sportsbooks and fantasy operators are seeing from statistically savvy market participants. Senior data scientists from FanDuel and PrizePicks will provide insights into the modeling that goes into setting lines, while perspectives from ESPN and Stathletes will share how the underlying data is collected and translated to fans and clients. Panelists will also discuss the analytics and real-time decision making that go into new and popular betting and gaming formats, such as live odds (FanDuel), player projections (PrizePicks), and many more.

Steve Phelps - President, NASCAR Jill Gregory - EVP and General Manager, Sonoma Raceway Justin Marks - Founder and Owner, Trackhouse Entertainment Group Joe Pompliano (moderator) - Host of Joe Pomp Show, Entrepreneur, and Investor   As a perennial American staple, NASCAR has steadily increased viewership over the last few years, with on average about 3 million viewers watching each race in 2022. In this new sports age, this panel will convene NASCAR leadership, team ownership, and a racetrack executive to discuss how NASCAR is innovating to drive fan satisfaction and creating an enjoyable racetrack experience for attendees. Panelists will discuss how NASCAR's strategy - including changes to the race car, new events like Chicago Street Race, a show on USA Network - has evolved to match the needs and interests of a changing fanbase. The panel will also look to the future on how NASCAR will continue to innovate and tackle key issues such as media rights deals to improve the sport.

Karim Fernandes - Content Creator, Counter Logic Gaming Parth Naidu - CEO, SIDO Nick Troop - Executive Producer, POSSIBLE Doug Watson - Director of Esports Strategic Advisory, Riot Games Greg Kim (moderator) - Head of CLG, Madison Square Garden Sports   There is arguably no place in sports that leverages social media, co-streaming, and cutting-edge technology better than esports. Over the past 5 years, esports storytelling has evolved, introduced new personalities, and made it possible for influencers to become bona fide superstars with tens of millions of followers and billions of views across YouTube, Twitch, and other streaming platforms. Fans are no longer content in having a single option for engaging with their favorite team or sport; they want options. Utilizing influencers, alt streams, and other technology, esports is developing strong connections with an extremely loyal fan base, scaling to new audiences, and generating unique integrations for partner brands. Join us to hear content creators, event producers, and sports leagues are using technology to change sports storytelling with new technology, virtual watch parties, and new forms of social engagement. This panel brings together perspectives from Riot Games, POSSIBLE, CLG, and SIDO to discuss the age of influences and co-streaming in esports and what it means for the development of the industry going forward.

"SSAC" hosts a panel of chess experts including Jennifer Shahade, Hikaru Nakamura, Daryl Morey, Fabiano Caruana, and Danny Rensch to discuss the current state of chess. They explore topics such as detecting cheating, leveraging technology to grow the game, the positive impact of technology on chess, evolving chess formats, reimagining the World Chess Championship, chess boxing, and the rise of chess in popularity.