Know your Stats: The Key Pass

In my last piece, I started looking at the importance of properly contextualizing player performance in order to isolate what we --  as fans, managers, and coaches --truly care about: ability and value. In this piece, I'd like to show how it is that advanced metrics can help out in that difficult task.

I'm very partial to passes. Passing is my favorite part of the game. Nothing trumps a side that can pass the ball around fluidly, and aesthetically nothing beats a beautifully threaded through-ball to a put a forward in scoring position. Therefore, a metric that I'm very partial to is the "Key Pass". First, let's begin by defining the Key Pass. Per Opta Sports, the company that measures and tracks the metric, the definition of the Key Pass is:

The final pass or pass-cum-shot leading to the recipient of the ball having an attempt at goal without scoring.

So there we go. The definition provides a standard for the people at Opta to objectify events, and it makes the data they provide very reliable, moving away from subjectivity. Opta essentially has large number of people sitting in their viewing center (or working remotely, maybe?) counting Key Passes. Sounds like a fun job. Unless your assignment is to track Crystal Palace games or something. 

The Key Pass metric provides one big advantage over assists,  and that advantage can be found in the final clause of the definition: "without scoring". The Key Pass is a better way to unveil the true measure of what a player is actually doing on the field.  Let's view this through an example of an one of the best playmaykers in the world, Mesut Ozil, who has averaged around 4 Key Passes per 90 minutes over the past few seasons -- an impressive figure.

Say Mesut Ozil filters a beautiful ball from midfield in  between the two center backs. Last season, Cristiano Ronaldo would have been on the receiving end of such a pass, and Cristiano Ronaldo, being the monster that he is, probably would have buried the ball in the back of the net (the guy breaks hands from 30 meters – a goalkeeper a few meters away has no chance). Now, this season, Nicklas Bendtner could be on the receiving end of those passes, and it is just as likely that Bendtner will trip over his own feet as it is that he scores.

Observe Nicklas Bendtner in his natural habitat

So we have two situations where Mesut Ozil makes the exact same pass and gives his forward the same chance of scoring – let’s say an *85% chance. The 15% left to actually score the goal will be decided by 1) the scorer’s ability and 2) random chance (say a beach ball getting in the way). Neither 1 or 2 actually tell us anything about Mesut Ozil. And it is 1 and 2 that determines whether Ozil's pass gets tallied up as a an assist.

*Note: these percentages are mere abstractions to make my point.

Now, expand that situation to a much grander scale, where a creative midfielder plays with only Bedntners and no Ronaldos. I’m inclined to say his assist numbers would not be as high with Bendtners as they would be with Ronaldos. 

Now, this is not to say that the Key Pass Metric is a flawless measure. This article from Statsbomb does a fairly good job at evaluating the Key Pass, pointing to one big flaw: not all key passes are created the same. In the example given above, say instead of Ozil filtrating a perfect ball that leaves the forward on a 1 v 1 with the goalkeeper and with an 85% chance of finishing, he puts a little too much on the ball and instead leaves the forward at an awkward angle with the goalkeeper and only with a 70% chance of scoring. Also, not every final pass is equally as "key" -- there is a big difference between a  ball played from midfield to put a forward through and a short tap in pass in the keeper's box.

Over many different observations (instances), these differences are meaningful, and they are directly a result of a player's ability. However, the Key Pass is a great starting point and a vast improvement over the statistics we have typically had to contend with. Anyway, I strongly recommend the Statsbomb article; it actually attempts to normalize for the differences in the quality of the Key Pass using another metric called Expected Goals (ExpG). It shows the type of improvement that we can continue to make in soccer analytics.

My initial intent with this piece was to actually start engaging in analytics and to track Ozil's career based on the Key Pass. However, the availability of soccer statistics is very limited, and the availability of advanced soccer statistics is even more limited. I have put in a request to Opta to see if they will grant me access to their data, which they do grant to bloggers and writers as long as their projects merit it. Hopefully I get access to it, and the quality of my content on this space can go up a notch.

I'll leave you with some passing gems from Ozil:

And in case you were wondering about the significance of the picture at the beginning of the post, here are some gems from one of the masters of the Key Pass, Carlos Valderrama:

Around the Web:

• Richard Whittall with a short but thought provoking look at football finance and the possibilities of teams...GASP...actually spending their money wisely and not indiscriminately.
• Statsbomb with a similar piece, suggesting improvements over the decision making organization that most teams employ in an effort to improve that word we all love: efficiency.
• Over the weekend: Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid combined for a 16-0 trouncing over their opponents. Gotta love the parity in La Liga. I'm just gonna keep hitting the snooze button, sadly.
• A World Cup Draw simulator! The most competitive field ever? 

Sandy Alderson: The Man With the Plan

 

Omar Minaya, the deposed GM of the New York Mets, once said towards the end of his tenure that New York's "not a market where you can go young. You have to bring in players." Meaning- you can't rebuild in New York. Just can't happen. Fans won't accept it, ownership wouldn't allow it. So the Mets fired Minaya at the end of the year and started rebuilding.

To steer their rebuilding effort, the Mets brought in Sandy Alderson. Sandy Alderson is very different from the last GM of the Mets. Alderson is very erudite, and when you hear him speak, he reminds you very much of the Harvard lawyer that he is. Alderson always seems like he's the smartest person in the room. Nothing seems to stick to Alderson, a good trait to have in the New York market. 

Alderson is an icon of Money Ball (ironically barely mentioned in the move adaptation) and analytics. Sandy Alderson is not the Met's answer to the appropriately named Brian Cashman, he's the Met's Billy Beane or Andrew Friedman. He's has been stockpiling years of cost controllability, and only spending on short term deals (minus the Wright extension). Sound familiar? 

The New York Mets are rebuilding like a small market team. They haven't taken on salary since 2009, and have a lot of money coming off the books this year. Jason Bay, Johan Santana, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, and Francisco Rodriguez have all shipped off. The Mets 2010 opening day payroll was over $132 Million. Last season it was under $90 million, and the Mets 2014 payroll obligations for next year are a mere (roughly) $56 million. This an Oakland or Tampa Bay payroll, not the payroll of the biggest market in the US. The Phillies, who finished behind the Mets in the standings, already owe over $120 million for 2014. 

But since the start of the Alderson Era, 2014 was sold as a fulcrum point for the Mets. The 2014 Mets was suppose to be the most talented Mets team since 2008. This was the year money comes off the books, young talent starts producing while free agents are brought to Queens. But now rumors are swirling that Alderson has payroll constraints. The Wilpons are supposedly suffering sticker shock. They're surprised by free agent prices, and it seems a little too convenient. The Mets need to spend to appease their fan base, while Alderson is averse to large contracts. It's clear Jacoby Ellsbury and Robison Cano aren't arriving in Flushing any time soon. So the only way to avoid an uprising in Queens is to win. Soon. 

Future Met Noah Syndergaard

The Mets 2014 rotation was supposed to future and already aces  Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey. Now with Harvey on the shelf, the pitching depth of the Mets will be tested. Jon Niese and Dillon Gee are already effective starters, but Neise has always underperformed his peripheral numbers. Jenrry Mejia, a once-former-prospect, has now regained promise with a string of good starts.

In double AA is 6 foot 6 Noah Syndergaard, who profiles as an ace at the major league level. Rafael Montero is also in Alderson's farm system, and while he might not be a future ace he could be a solid innings eater (or the next Greg Maddux, you never know). Notably, both prospects were the starters in the futures game, which fittingly took place at Citi Field, home of the Mets. And the next day, Matt Harvey started the All-Star game. 

It's not like there's no hope for the Mets. The All-Star game was an embodiment of that. Alderson has done as good a job as can be expected rebuilding the farm system through trades. It's just going to take awhile (small market, remember?). The Boston Red Sox going from 69 wins to World Series champs is probably the worst thing that could happen for the Mets front office. Since Alderson took over, it was clear handing out huge contracts would not be a regular occurrence. But the Red Sox were able to reload in a season, hand out responsible free agent deals, and improve by 28 wins.

Now there are expectations, however unreasonable, of the Mets to do something similar. But just because the Red Sox didn't hand out one large contract doesn't mean they didn't spend money. They handed out multiple multi year offers - including Victorino, Napoli, and Dempster- and essentially acquired half of their lineup via free agency, not to mention resigning Pedroia and Ortiz to big money. The Mets don't have money to burn anymore. 

So it's up to Alderson to get creative and try to build a contender. There are several free agents that could be fits for the Mets, and likely had at low enough cost. Chris Young was a start. Short stop Stephen Drew would be a good fit. The Mets still need another outfielder. Trades need to go down. This will be the offseason to see if Alderson really is the right man for the job. He won't have any shortage of work.

College Hockey Conference Realignment

College hockey has already undergone some serious conference realignments and I believe that this will continue to be a trend throughout all of NCAA hockey. Two new conferences have gone into effect this season in the Big Ten and NCHC (National Collegiate Hockey Conference) and with their emergence the landscape of collegiate hockey conferences has been drastically altered.

Two of the major conferences before these additions, the WCHA (Western Collegiate Hockey Association) and CCHA (Central Collegiate Hockey Association) each took a significant blow. The WCHA lost 8 teams to these new conferences while the CCHA lost 9. There are currently 6 conferences in NCAA Division I Men's Hockey and they are as follows: Atlantic Hockey, Big Ten, ECAC, Hockey East, NCHC, and WCHA. To get an update on which teams are in which conference check out their current standings.

The Big Ten Network has 27 games on its schedule for this season, with seven more featuring Big Ten teams on ESPNU or ESPNews. There is clearly a huge marketing opportunity here. What the Big Ten Network sees is exactly the same thing I see. That is a chance to put NCAA hockey on more of a national scale. The NHL has been rising in popularity over the past decade or so and with that hockey in general has developed a core group of fans who feverishly support the game. It makes perfect sense that fans would love to watch college hockey on a nationally televised scale and what better outlet than ESPN and its vast family of networks.

With the Big Ten being the first mid-major to create their very own hockey conference one can't help but wonder if this will become a trend in college hockey. A lot will depend on how the Big Ten fairs from this development economically, but with America's love for hockey growing at a consistent rate and the massive success of other NCAA sports such as football and basketball, I think it is only a matter of time before college hockey becomes the next big thing.

I think the Ivy League has a great opportunity to significantly benefit from this. With six of the eight Ivy schools having a competitive squad along with some terrific rivalry games, the possibility for the Ivy League to capitalize on this growing market is certainly there. An Ivy League Hockey Conference is an extremely viable concept that all 6 universities could greatly prosper from. It would also be a great chance for the Ivy League Digital Network to expand and grow as they could obtain a monopoly over the broadcasting rights for the games similar to the way the Big Ten Network did with their new conference.

There is already a post-season tournament in place that is similar to NCAA basketball and consists of a 16 team bracket that after two rounds boils down to the Frozen Four, as opposed to basketball's Final Four. Enhanced media coverage of this tournament could be extremely profitable as well. With only the top 16 teams qualifying the tourney often provides high quality, close matchups between the best schools. However, as the sport grows I can envision expansion and an increased number of teams in the bracket in order to further improve the overall experience.

This is all just educated speculation, but I personally believe that NCAA hockey is ready to blow up and become just as big as college football and basketball. The atmosphere at any college hockey game is electric and comparable to any NCAA football or basketball venue and I think that if hockey fans everywhere get a chance to experience it via national television on a consistent basis they will realize this and ultimately fall in love. Who knows, maybe one day we will be watching NCAA Winter Classic games outdoors.

Mid-Major Conference Tournaments: The Solution

This is Part II of a two-part post on mid-major college basketball tournament reform.  To read Part I, click here.  
The all-important question then becomes what can a mid-major conference do to ensure that their distinguished team has the best chance of making it through the conference tournament? I would argue that one of the most significant ways that a conference can do this is through implementing a tournament format that rewards the most successful teams.

The format used in the America East during the 2012-2013 season is a perfect illustration of a conference doing the complete opposite.By allowing the highest bidding school to host the tournament and play all of the games up until the final (which is then played at the highest remaining seed) on their home floor, the conference was allowing teams to buy arguably the most influential advantage in all of college hoops that doesn’t concern talent of players and coaches- a raucous home crowd. In my opinion, this runs contrary to the spirit of college athletics, and to the credit of the America East leadership, the format has been changed to a campus sites model for the 2014-2015 season.

 It is my contention that all traditional mid-major conferences that generally do not have access to at-large bids should adopt this campus sites model that has already been put in place by the likes of the Northeast Conference and the Patriot League. One of the most basic principles in Division 1 college basketball is that teams win more often at home than on the road. Looking at the Summit League for example, in an analysis of 388 conference games, the home team won 61.60% of the time. In the Sun Belt, an analysis of 594 conference games concluded that the home team won 63.30% of the time.

This data provides backing for the assertion that home teams win mid-major college basketball games, and by implementing a campus sites format (in which the team with the higher seed as determined by season performance plays before their home crowd), conferences are doing their part to provide a safety net to teams who have demonstrated their ability to represent their conferences successfully all year long.

Neutral site models and formats similar to the one used by the America East in the 2012-2013 season, simply do not do this. The question then becomes why should mid-major conferences want their best team to represent them in the NCAA Tournament? The truth is that conferences have every incentive to get their best representative to the massive audience of the NCAA Tournament.

Economically, it pays for conferences to send teams that have a chance to sneak a win or make a Cinderella run. While first round and play-in game losers bring conferences $1.9 million under the NCAA’s Revenue Distribution Plan (teams get compensated for every game they compete in), teams that make a run in the tournament can earn up to $9.5 million for their conference if they make the Final Four (and if a team loses after the first round but before the Final Four, it can be anywhere in-between $1.9 and $9.5 million).  This revenue can and does go a long way for mid-major conferences.

Using the America East as a representative example, there are 19 other sports that the conference and member schools must find a way to fund (because nearly all of the other sports are either revenue neutral or lose money). When it comes down to it, if a conference can find ways to get their best team into the NCAA Tournament, it can make operating the rest of the conference that much easier. Additionally, in order to capitalize on the potential for licensing deals in merchandizing and TV, mid-major conferences need to build a brand.

With that said, it’s impossible for a conference to build a brand that is recognizable to the casual college basketball fan if its one team is losing in the first round of the Tournament every year. Networks aren’t lining up to secure contracts with conferences like the America East, especially if the best teams aren't the ones representing the conference on a consistent basis.  

Let’s face it, brands are built in March. The Colonial Athletic Association and the Ivy League weren’t awarded national television contracts with NBC because they have a history of losing in the first round of the Tournament (granted the IVY League doesn’t have a conference tournament, but I believe that is taking things too far and is an issue for another article). On the contrary, it’s historic runs deep into March by the likes of VCU (in 2011) and Cornell (in 2010) that attracts networks to conferences, and it’s this kind of history that attracts the casual viewer and builds name recognition.

Only once a known brand is established can a mid-major conference like the America East ascend in the ranks of college basketball. While it can be argued that teams control their own destiny and as such the best teams will make it through these conference tournaments, sometimes things go awry. No team is perfect, and conferences need to do their part to reward the best teams for their demonstrated success.

At the end of the day, it is in the best interests of mid-major conferences to see their best team advance to the NCAA Tournament.  This means that it is critical that they set procedures for their conference tournament that promotes positive outcomes for the best team, and I am of the opinion that a campus sites model is one of the most effective ways to do so.

This is Part II of a two-part post on mid-major college basketball conference tournaments. Click here for Part I.

Mid-Major Conference Tournaments: The Problem

This is Part I of a two-part post on mid-major college basketball conference tournaments. Check back tomorrow for Part II.

As University of Albany standout Mike Black drove down the lane in a 59-59 game with under 5 seconds to play in the semi-finals of the America East Men’s Basketball Tournament, with a chance to play in the all hallowed NCAA Tournament on the line, I knew exactly what was about to happen. The #4 seeded Great Danes of Albany were about to upset my #1 seeded Stony Brook University Seawolves and move on to the conference finals for a shot at the bright lights of the big dance.

Black scored with 2.4 seconds to play to put the Danes up 61-59, which would end up being the final score.  I wondered how the conference leadership could possibility allow this to come to fruition; it seemed unreal to me that a team with a 9-7 conference record at the time (Albany, who held a 22-10 record overall) could possibly be in a position to host and beat a team that only lost 6 games the entire season (Stony Brook held a 14-2 conference record and a 24-6 record overall).

What good reason, I said to myself (and anyone that would listen to me for that matter), would the conference have to select a tournament format where one team, regardless of seed determined by season performance, gets to play in front of their home fans in every game up until the final? The answer I came up with?

There aren’t any.

The plight of the 2012-2013 Seawolves is a familiar one in the world mid-major college hoops. In any given year, there are two or three teams from lower ranked conferences (think the America East, the Summit League, or the Patriot League) who fall prey to a system that, simply put, does not reward excellence. The sad reality for teams in conferences sitting near the bottom of Division 1 college basketball is that regular season performance just does not matter. Save a near undefeated campaign or a top 50 RPI (which may or may not get you an at-large bid for teams at this level) the only way into the NCAA Tournament for teams in the bottom 10 or 15 conferences is through one’s conference tournament.

While clearly not the most “fair” system, it is the standard and it needs to be embraced (because it’s just not going away anytime soon). The truth of the matter is that 8 out of the 10 members of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee are athletic directors or commissioners from high major conferences (perhaps one could make the argument that the West Coast Conference Commissioner should be considered a mid-major representative and that number is really 7, but I would argue that the perennial success of WCC teams like Gonzaga, BYU, and St.Mary’s in the sport of men’s basketball dictates otherwise).

Until the ratio of high-major to mid-major representatives on the committee draws closer to 1:1, there is going to be a natural tendency for these committee members representing conferences like the ACC, BIG TEN, and the PAC 12 to give at-large bids to mediocre, high major bubble teams (i.e. Minnesota in 2012-2013, with an 8-10 conference record) over successful mid-majors like Stony Brook.

I’m not saying that a team like Stony Brook would have necessarily performed equal to or better than Minnesota if given a shot in the NCAA Tournament (because Minnesota did end up beating a very good UCLA team in the 2013 tournament), I’m merely saying that it’s impossible to know how they would have performed because mid-major teams aren’t given proportional opportunity relative to high major teams.

This profound disparity of opportunity does not mean that mid-major conferences aren’t given a chance to shine under the bright lights of the big dance. This places a substantial burden on conferences to make absolutely certain that they are doing everything in their power to get their best team through their conference tournaments.

This is Part I of a two-part post on mid-major college basketball conference tournaments. Check back tomorrow for Part II.

ISS '13: First Impressions

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium took place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event.

Among the many Cornell attendees at Harvard Law School was a contingent of students experiencing their first Ivy Sports Symposium.  We decided to ask them the following question:

"In one sentence, what did you take away from the Ivy Sports Symposium?"

Here's what they had to say:

Hannah Clark

"I took away a sense of where the sports industry is going and how I will be able to fit into that world."

Noah Tanenbaum

"The sports symposium showed me how much more there is to sports than the final product that is put out for public consumption."

Spencer Sonson

"After attending my first Ivy Sports Symposium, I feel like I gained a lot of experience not only in the field of sports business, but also in networking."

Adam Malz

 "The biggest takeaway for me was that there are seemingly endless aspects to sports business and each field has a lot of room for growth."

Andrew Distler

"Working in sports requires skill sets that you don't necessarily require sports experience to obtain."

Hannah Sawyer

"The Sports & Social Impact with alum Todd Jacobson of the NBA was the most interesting panel I attended, discussing how the unique emotional component of sports allows the industry to create positive social changes."  

ISS '13: Social Media Recap

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium took place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event.

Everyone was extremely engaged in Twitter before, during, and after this year's Ivy Sports Symposium. Luckily, we have used Storify to recap all of the social media activity surrounding the biggest event of the semester.

ISS '13: Links and Notes

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium took place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event.
It was an incredible couple of days surrounding this year's IVY Sports Symposium.  In edition to the main event on Friday, the Cornell Sports Business Society was fortunate to partner with the Cornell Entrepreneur Network in presenting "The Business of Sports" panel and networking opportunity at the Zero Nine Hotel in Boston on Thursday evening. The preview and recap of that event are available below:

Event Preview: "The Business of Sports"
Event Recap: "The Business of Sports"

Additionally, Alex Gimenez and Reed Longo were able to put together a collaborative post from many of the alumni involved in both events:

"Why the Cornell Experience Matters"

Finally, we were able to cover the actual event came on Friday.  Starting with a preview and working towards the keynote panel, every panel was chronicled and analyzed by our student reporters.  Below is the list of ISS '13 posts. Look for this to grow in coming days with further pieces relating to social media and first-time attendees.

ISS '13 Preview: Top 10 Guide
ISS '13: Opening Recap
ISS '13: Round 1 Recap
ISS '13: Round 2 Recap
ISS '13: Round 3 Recap
ISS '13: Round 4 Recap
ISS '13: Closing Recap
ISS '13: Social Media Recap
ISS '13: First Impressions

ISS '13: Closing Recap

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will take place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event.  

The closing panel was a big one.  We stayed around to hear what some high profile speakers had to say:

"Behind the Teams: Keys to a Successful Organization"

Introduction
Sam Rubinroit

Moderator
Scott Rosner

Panelists
Brain Bilello
Rich Gotham
Dave Howard
Amy Latimer
Dennis Mannion

Big Takeaway:

Sports properties today are run like businesses, for the most part.  The complications of running a team or arena require a great culture, great people, and a great deal of work.

Key Quote:

"I want to find people who are passionate about doing their job." -Rich Gotham

ISS '13: Round 4 Recap

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will take place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event.  

This final round of panels featured some always-popular topics.  Here's our Round 4 Recap:

"Dealmakers: Sports Finance"

Moderator
Chris Lencheski

Panelists
Jeff Bennett
Daryl Jones
Andrew Kline
Lynette Slater Crandall

Big Takeaway:

More money and complexity is involved in the sale of sports properties than ever before.  Cutting nine-figure or more deals for teams or stadiums involves satisfying many parties: the buyer, the seller, the public, and more. 

Key Quote:

"The biggest thing for us in (Phoenix), was that the fans and sponsors had to know we were there to stay." -Daryl Jones, Co-Owner, Phoenix Coyotes

"Athlete Marketing and Representation"

Moderator
Michael McCann

Panelists
Jennifer Keene
Kimberly Miale
Jordan Schlachter
Lowell Taub
Jeff Schwartz

Big Takeaway:

Trust is still a pillar of this marketing and representation.  Both brands and athletes must trust the agents. And while the industry will continue to grow in the future, it will likely be in some different form.  Analytics and an emphasis on non-traditional representation have increasingly shaped the industry.

Cornell Connection:

Jennifer Keene, Senior Directo, Personality & Property Marketing, Octagon
Lowell Taub, Global Head, Sports Endorsements, CAA Sports

"Digital Media"

Moderator
Tom Richardson

Panelists
Laura Gentile
Frank Golding
Chris Wagner
Eric Winter

Big Takeaway:

The maturation of the digital media industry may be almost upon us.  Innovation will likely cause continued growth, but creative thinking and hard work are required to make products financially successful.

ISS '13: Round 3 Recap

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will take place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event.  

Some real heavyweight panels took the stage in Round 3.  Here's what we noticed as the afternoon gets rolling:
"Going Global: International Expansion"

Moderator
Charles Baker

Panelists
Jay Coppoletta
Eric Guthoff
Mark Reeves
David Wright
Michael Zavodsky

Big Takeaway:

Sports leagues and teams must expand internationally if they are continue to grow at such a high rate.  While American sports entitities look abroad, foreign groups are looking at America's untapped potential. Understanding your partners oversees, while staying true to your strengths are critical elements of international expansion.

Key Quote:

"We get fans in two ways...we get them before they're 21, or from 'Fanbassadors'." -Mark Reeves

Cornell Connection:

Charles Baker, Partner, Global Sports, Media and Entertainment Group, DLA Piper

"Ticketing"

Moderator
Andrea Pagnanelli

Panelists
John Forese
Jessica Gelman
Barry Kahn
Danielle Maged

Big Takeaway:

While many clubs struggle to compete with living rooms as the best place to watch a game, using technology and dynamic pricing have become essential for winning at the gate.  While ticketing is a quickly maturing industry, innovation and opportunities continue to be the norm.

Key Quote:

"The emphasis is on controlling the way that venues fill up." -Barry Kahn

Cornell Connection:

Barry Kahn, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Qcue

"The Future of Sports Television"

Introduction
Rick Horrow

Moderator
Ray Katz

Panelists
Tracy Dolgin
Rob Freeman
Steve Hellmuth
David Preschlack
Mark Silverman

Big Takeaway

Astronomical prices for live sporting events have driven the value of sports media companies to new heights. Controlling the growth of digital in a way that is profitable for the television companies is the key challenge.  The industry has a great profit model in the status quo, but it must adapt quickly or become obsolete.

Cornell Connection

Tracy Dolgin, President & CEO of YES Network

ISS' 13: Round 2 Recap

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will take place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event.  

The day kept getting better and better.  Here's our notes from the second round of panels:

"Sports Marketing Strategies"

Moderator
Terry Lefton

Panelists
Brad Brown
Torrey  Gallida
 Lacey Goodwin
Steve Tseng
Greg Via

Big Takeaway:

Sports marketing is a quickly evolving segment, with nearly unlimited possibilities.  Having a creative, but data-driven strategy is vital.  Working hard to execute the strategy is often what defines successful sports marketing.

Key Quote:

"The road from here to there (sports marketing) is never a straight line" - Torrey Gallida

 "Preparing for the Worst: Crisis Management"

Moderator
 Pete Thamel

Panelists   
Thomas Grilk
Matthew Hiltzik
 Shawn McBride
John Skinner 

Big Takeaway:

Some times there are no game plans for crisis. But whether its a national tragedy or a national scandal, focusing on what's important is essential.  Prevention and preparedness are foremost in the minds of those who deal with crisis. 

Key Quote:

"Starve a controversy unless it benefits you; then eat it."
-Matthew Hiltzik

 Cornell Connection:

Matthew Hiltzik, Founder, Hiltzik Strategies.
Thomas Grilk, Executive Director, Boston Athletic Association

"Sports and Social Impact"

Moderator
Romola Ratnam 

Panelists
Harrie Bakst
Mike Geddes
Todd    Jacobson
Shellie  Pfohl
  
Big Takeaway:

Sport for development is often misused. There are many possibilities for what is one of the greatest unifiers of all time. Finding common ground through sports, and aligning business interests with social impact were some of the key lessons from this great panel.

Key Quote:

"Sports are unifying umbrella that brings us together to all hammer the same nail of increasing physical activity."
-Shellie Pfohl

 Cornell Connection:

Todd Jacobson, Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility at the NBA.

"Sales Workshop"

Uzma Rawn
John Younger
  

ISS '13: Round 1 Recap

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will take place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event.  

Our continuing coverage moves into Round 1.  The day's opening array of panels covers a diverse and interesting set of topics.  Here's our take on what was said:

Navigating a CBA

Moderator
Gregg Clifton

Panelists
George Atallah
Andrew Brandt
Steve Fehr
Joel  Litvin
Mike Zarren

Big Takeaway:

The CB process is always on going and the drastically changing league landscapes between times of peace and unrest require constant adaptation by both player and league management.

Key Quote:

"Certainty is the key to growth." - Andrew Brandt
 
In-Stadium Rennovations

Moderator
Pat Coyle 

Panelists
Doug Behar
Dennis Robinson
 John Sergi
Alex Sugarman

Big Takaway:

The main points covered were how to enhance the fan experience at the stadium, and give them something they can't get at home, and the food experience. Food was a theme throughout, as the panelist emphasized that having unique, high quality concessions is crucial for fan experience.

Key Quote:

"We want to make sure you can do more at a stadium than you do at home."- - John Sergi

Cornell Connection:

Centerplate Chief Design Officer John Sergi was able to bring his experience delivering premium stadium dining options to the panel.

College Athletics

Moderator
Jason Belzer

Panelists
James Delany
Walter Harrison
Amy Huchthausen
Heather Lyke

Big Takeaway:

College athletics has changed greatly over previous decades. The future offers both unpredictability as well as opportunity. Increased influence of both money and technology will continue to shape how schools, conferences, and the NCAA operate.

Key Quote:

"To say that media doesn't play a role in conference realignment would be disingenuous...to say that we made decisions solely based on media would not reflect the values of our institutions."
-James Delaney

10 Next Series:  Supercharging Your Career

David Oestreicher
Megha Parekh

ISS '13: Opening Recap

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will take place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event.  

Here's the first of many updates from an exciting day at Harvard Law School.  Check out what was said in the opening remarks, the 10 Next Class of 2013 Award Ceremony, and the opening panel, "Brazil: the Business and Politics of the New Frontier"...

Opening Remarks

Rob Dearborn
Peter Carfagna
Alex Rosen
 
Big Takeaway:

The focus of this event remains individual and industry-wide development.  It will be increasingly future focused, with narrative oriented panels that fit the interest of attendees.

Key Quote:

"This completely student-run Symposium stands out from other sports industry events"
-Alex Rosen
 
10 Next Class of 2013 Award Ceremony

Keith Baulsir
Emily Gardner
Maurice Levy
Megha Parekh
Romola Ratnam
Uzma Rawn
Dave Robertson
Isra Villalpando
Keith Wan
Chris Watts  

Big Takeaway:

Next 10 Award Winners represent the next generation of sports industry leaders. Through a partnership with SportsPro, these honorees are honored annually at the Ivy Sports Symposium.

Key Quote:

"Three out of the ten honorees are from the non-profit or social impact segments.  This reflects a focus of the committee."
-Chris Chaney


 "Brazil: the Business and Politics of the New Frontier"

Moderator
Jimmy Lynn

Panelists
Jérôme de Chaunac
Leonardo Gryne
Jose Hawilla
Silvia Pierson
Aaron Davidson (translator) 
  
Big Takeaway:

With Brazil already a growing economic and sports force, the combination of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics symbolize that Brazil is ready for the next step.  It is no longer a country of the future, but a country of now.

Key Quote:

"The last time a World Cup and Summer Olympics were hosted in the same country back-to-back was in the United States in 1994 and 1996. It's a perfect storm in Brazil."
-Jimmy Lynn

Event Recap: The Business of Sports

In partnership with the Cornell Entrepreneur Network, the Cornell Sports Business was pleased to present "The Business of Sports."  The event will took place on Thursday, November 21 at the  Nine Zero Hotel, in Boston, MA. 

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will reflect Cornell's growing presence in the sports industry.  The school will boast the greatest number of both alumni panelists and student attendees at the event, hosted at Harvard Law School.  The combination of the "The Business of Sports" Panel" and the Symposium promise to make this a memorable experience for the Cornell sports business community.

The Cornell exclusive event involved a moderated discussion with additional audience Q&A.  Each speaker was asked about the biggest storyline facing their segment of the industry.  Here's what we were able to take from them:

Moderator:
 
Charles Baker JD ‘85, Partner, Global Sports Practice, DLA Piper

One thing very important going forward for sports leagues and franchises is the quality of the game-day, in-stadium experience.  Teams are losing a great deal of people to their living room couches.
 Panelists:
 
Andrew Daines '10, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, PrePlay Sports

Negotiating precedent-contracts is an important challenge, as PrePlay is the first leader in its space.  Since clients have a very different view of PrePlay's value, selecting only the contracts that make sense going forward is critical.

Tom Grilk ‘69, Executive Director, Boston Athletic Association

Continuing to promote running as part of a healthy lifestyle is critical.  It's about sticking to core calues for the Boston Athletic Association.

Matthew Hiltzik '94, President & CEO, Hiltzik Strategies

Dealing with an increasingly aggressive sports media is the biggest challenge.  The press can be very hostile and it can be difficult in out business.

Barry Kahn ‘03, Chief Executive Officer, Qcue

Transitioning from a "founder" to a "CEO" is something that has only occurred in the last six months are so.  Building Qcue as a company, rather than as a concept is the ongoing process.

Jennifer Keene '95, Senior Director, Personality and Property Marketing, Octagon

Finding a way to bread through the clutter is our biggest challenge.  Whether it's though new or traditional media, how the find opportunities for the mid-level client is imperatives.  The frontline stars will always be able to find outlets for their services.

Bo Moon '99, Co-founder, EVP of Business/Products, Bloomberg Sports

New products, technologies, and corporation pose the biggest threats and opportunities to Bloomberg Sports.

Lowell Taub '96, Head of Global Sports Endorsements, CAA Sports
Twitter and social media are honestly the biggest issue for CAA.  How to train and manage athletes use outlets, and also how to make money from followers, is vitally important.

ISS '13 Preview: Top 10 Guide

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will take place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event. 

There's many reasons to look forward to this year's Ivy Sports Symposium.  As a preview, I decided to pick out the ten things I was most excited for heading into the event.

10. The Cornell Connection

Cornell University will have the highest number of both alumni panelists and student attendees.  ISS '13 will certainly have a Cornell flavor to it, and interacting with fellow members of the Big Red community will be rewarding in itself.  But more than anything, the overwhelming turnout reflects Cornell's growing presence in the sports industry

9. CEN Boston: The Business of Sports

Okay, this Thursday night event may be Cornell only, but the imminent setting is an awesome opportunity.  We'll get to hear several of the panelists first, and get a jump start on networking with the rest of the Big Red community.  It's incredible experience presented by the Cornell Sports Business Society in partnership with the Cornell Entrepreneur Network.

8. 10 Next Class of 2013

These ten sports business rising stars have some of the most relevant advice students will hear all day.  In addition to the awards ceremony, they'll be in panels all day long.  Just because they may not be a huge name (yet), make some time to hear them talk.  Make sure you introduce yourself, because these powerhouses are on the way up.

7. "In-Stadium Renovations"

This Round 1 panel looks like a hidden gem. The 10:35am time slot puts it up against heavyweight panels such as "Navigating a CBA" and "College Athletics", but improving the stadium experience is perhaps one of the biggest challenges facing sports today.  And who better to hear speak on the topic than esteemed panelists such as Cornell's own John Sergi, Chief Design Officer of Centerplate.

6. "Prepared for the Worst: Crisis Management"

This Round 2 Panel looks to a bit more hard-hitting than most Symposium topics. Alumni Thomas Grilk and Matthew Hiltzik will undoubtedly have some experience and knowledge to share on what can be sensitive issues.  Other panels to consider at 11:55am include "Sports Marketing Successs" and "Sports and Social Impact", which contains Cornell's Todd Jacobson.

5. Lunch

Lunch is always great, and if figures to be especially delicious after a hard day of listening to panels.  It's also good networking time, but make sure you don't miss out some great discussions.  "Entrepreneurship and  Innovation" and "Fantasy & Gaming" will feature Alumni Bo Moon and Andrew Daines respectively, while the Business of Amateurism promises to be insightful well.

4. "The Future of Sports Television"

As if this Round 3 topic isn't interesting enough, Tracy Dolgin headlines a panel of industry leaders. The 2:05pm time slot is as stacked as any, with Charles Baker moderating "Going Global: International Expansion", and Barry Kahn participating in " Ticketing". Three important topics, three impressive alumni.

3. "Athlete Marketing and Representation" 

With Cornellians Jennifer Keene and Lowell Taub potentially rounding out a Symposium favorite, the day just gets better and better. Round 4 panels "Digital Media" and "Dealmakers/Sports Finance" also figure to be popular, so some of us will have a difficult time deciding come 3:25pm.

2.  Networking

Networking doesn't have to mean standing in a long line to talk to a high profile panelists (although this can be awesome too!).   Talking to other students, young professionals, and industry leaders who you have real interests in can be incredibly valuable.  Get to know the rest of the Cornell contingent as well!

1. Learning About Sports

Some times it can get lost in the shuffle, but every attendee has something to learn at the Symposium.  Get exposed to an unfamiliar topic, or learn best practices for an area your interested in. By really listening and learning, you'll actually improve your networking abilities as well.

ISS '13: Why The Cornell Experience Matters

The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will take place at Harvard Law School on Friday, November 22, 2013.  The Cornell Sports Business Society will be providing regular coverage before, during, and after the event. 

The 8th annual Ivy Sports Symposium held this year at Harvard University on November 22 showcases some of the most successful leaders of the industry. The eleven Cornell alumni speaking at the event reflect on what aspects of the Cornell experience was most helpful or best prepared them for their career paths.

CHARLES BAKER, JD ‘85
The analytic framework for studying business and commercial cases, identifying issues and solving for them, was invaluable training for my career as an M+A and Corporate Finance lawyer. The transactions I worked on early in my career built upon this foundation and enabled me to refine it. Today, not a day goes by when I’m not identifying issues for key clients with respect to proposed M+A and finance transactions and trying to propose creative solutions for dealing with counter-parties, like buyers/sellers, investors, banks and leagues.  Cornell Law School’s case methodology was critical to my development as a sports M+A and finance lawyer. In addition, I enjoy my career because I’m surrounded everyday by smart, creative thinkers. I found the same to be true of my experience at Cornell.

ANDREW DAINES ‘10 
Studying philosophy may seem like an unusual path to tech entrepreneurship, but studying Plato under Professors Tad Brennan and Gail Fine prepared me well. People - partners, competitors, investors, clients, whoever - appreciate appeals to reason. They are motivated by simple, sound arguments that rest on basic principles. Constructing a water-tight argument as to how and why my company will win and will help its clients and partners win is my job as CEO. Thanks, Plato, and thanks Professors Brennan and Fine. 

TRACY DOLGIN ‘81

There are only two assets in the media business:  content and people.  And, ultimately, you’re only as good as the people who make and market the content.  Human capital is really our only capital here at YES.  People are what have made YES what it is today. 

As a result of my ILR experience, I have a unique perspective of the media business…
There are only two assets in the media business:  content and people.  And, ultimately, you’re only as good as the people who make and market the content.  Human capital is really our only capital here at YES.  People are what have made YES what it is today.

The ILR school is all about maximizing that human capital.  Studying at ILR really gives you a leg up in that it trains you to use that part of the brain that most people in media don’t have a classical education in.  ILR alums not only deal with the analytical aspect of a situation, but with the people aspect of it, too.
When I am faced with a situation at work, the road to a solution begins with my human capital.   How do I get the most out of my people?   That’s how I was taught to think.  That’s what has differentiated me from people who do not have the ILR background.  Most others don’t even think about the human element.  

TOM GRILK ‘69
 Learning clarity of thought (philosophy) and economy of language (ROTC)

MATTHEW HILTZIK ‘94
I was first impacted by Cornell even before I was born, as my father’s experience at the ILR school set an example for my eventual career path of studying industrial labor relations, attending law school and eventually working in media in NYC - even though I ended up in a different (non-legal) profession.

While I don’t have many colleagues who cite specific lessons from courses they took in college, thanks to my Cornell education, I regularly still reference concepts from organizational behavior, labor economics, negotiations, and risk management. The relatively small student-to-professor ratio and diversity of my classes reflected the realities of the workplace, the courses helped me think strategically, and my experience as a supervisor refereeing intramural basketball was invaluable in learning to have a thick skin, which are all useful skills when dealing with crisis and other communication issues across a wide range of industries.

TODD JACOBSON 
Being a student athlete at Cornell was a big part of my experience and taught me many things on and off the field - - hard work, time management, preparation, teamwork, leadership - - that helped shape me in to the person I am today and prepared me well for my career.  Most importantly, the experience grew my love of sport and the power it has two inspire and unite people together for a common goal. 

BARRY KAHN ‘03
As an entrepreneur, there are no set answers or formulaic approaches. It’s not about knowing the right answer or recalling what to do, but to take what you know and apply it to a brand new situation with completely unique circumstances. That is a skill set that was fostered going through the very challenging Cornell Engineering Physics program. In running an analytics company, I’ve actually shocked myself by occasionally covering the white board with Fourier series and differential equations that remind me of my days in school. 

When I look back, the true value of what I gained was the ability to learn, to not be intimidated by new challenges, and to apply what I do know in ways that were never contemplated in the text book or classroom where they were taught to me in the first place.Coupled with my experiences running 100+ miles a week as a member of the Cross Country and Track & Field teams at Cornell, where I pushed past boundaries that I may have though existed and truly realized my ability to work hard, and I would say that my Cornell education, in the broadest sense of the word, gave me the tools to start a business. Perhaps the irony is that the focus of that business could have been anything.

JENNIFER KEENE ‘05 
The most applicable lesson I learned at Cornell was not to be discouraged. That there would be ups and downs along the way but that I have the ability to navigate them.

BO MOON ‘99
 The best part of my Cornell experience was the development of problem solving skills and a strong work ethic.  The first, problem solving, comes into practice every single day in my career, and the person that can come up with solutions to various problems quickly can become the thought leader for a business.  And it’s not that cliche “thinking outside the box” that I’ve seen succeed, it’s thinking inside the box but finding the optimal path.  

Secondly, it’s work ethic.  Cornell does not have grade inflation, and the school attracts incredibly intelligent students from all walks of life, so there is a real drive for success that necessitates a strong work ethic.  That will pay dividends when you graduate, because it’s that work ethic that will sustain you when you go a start your own business or climb the corporate ladder.  And trust me, other people don’t have it.
Finally—my advice is to be social, interact with classmates, and take classes with team-oriented projects.  Ultimately, people hire people they want to work with—and those people get promoted faster than others.

JOHN SERGI
In the Fall of 1987 my graduate work began at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration.  My purpose for enrolling was to dedicate two full years to create a Strategic Hospitality Design firm for Sports.  By applying the principles of design thinking to food and hospitality, the mission of this consultancy was to shift sport’s perspective on food from tactical, a simple revenue source, to strategic meaning to see food as a way to communicate brand, place and fan connection.

The Cornell experience shaped my business in that my academic advisor Professor Leo Reneghan served as advisor, mentor, and in truth consultant to the design of the business.  In my view this alone was worth the tuition, and would often remind Leo of this.  To have one of the country’s great hospitality marketing minds at my side in the design of a business was an incredible, and invaluable experience.  This qualifies as preparing me for my career path, in spades.

In a broader sense, the interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum was exactly what was needed to help me build the tools to manage the business.  Design as we practice it is a very collaborative process involving specialists in operations, facilities, marketing and finance.  We subscribe to the belief that to solve complex problems requires multiple points of view.  Creating strategic hospitality in a 70,000 seat venue is complex.  Familiarity with multiple disciplines via the Cornell curriculum has been critical to the project management process.

Finally, four years ago we effectively shuttered the business John Sergi Associates, to join the new CEO and primary stakeholder, Des Hague, in his reinvention of Centerplate, from sports concessionaire to event hospitality provider, i.e. from tactical player to strategic partner…sound familiar?  Now is the time to really broaden the audience for the conversation of a new way to look at food and sports, and Des has provided a multi-national, yet focused stage. Though not obvious until recently, Cornell laid the foundation to transition from entrepreneur and business owner to corporate executive. 

LOWELL TAUB ‘96TBA

Event Preview: The Business of Sports

In partnership with the Cornell Entrepreneur Network, the Cornell Sports Business is pleased to present "The Business of Sports."  The event will take place on Thursday, November 21 at the  Nine Zero Hotel, in Boston, MA.  For more information, visit http://cen.cornell.edu/events/cen-boston-business-sport. 

Every fall, the Ivy Sports Sports Symposium offers premier learning and networking opportunites to members of the Cornell Sports Business Society. Now through "The Business of Sports", those opprotunites will be extended beyond the symposium's traditional schedule.  For Cornell's alumni speakers, young professionals, and current students, the experience tip off early with this exclusive panel and networking event.



The 8th Annual Ivy Sports Symposium will reflect Cornell's growing presence in the sports industry.  The school will boast the greatest number of both alumni panelists and student attendees at the event, hosted at Harvard Law School.  The combination of the "The Business of Sports" Panel" and the Symposium promise to make this a memorable experience for the Cornell sports business community.

"The Business of Sports" event will begin Thursday at 6:00 pm, with the panel scheduled to begin at 6:45.  Listeners will be treated to a sneak preview of Friday's main event, as the panel will be include eight Symposium speakers.  The list below contains links and information for each member of the panel:

Moderator:
 
Charles Baker JD ‘85, Partner, Global Sports Practice, DLA Piper
 
Panelists:
 
Andrew Daines '10, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, PrePlay Sports
Tom Grilk ‘69, Executive Director, Boston Athletic Association
Matthew Hiltzik '94, President & CEO, Hiltzik Strategies
Barry Kahn ‘03, Chief Executive Officer, Qcue
Jennifer Keene '95, Senior Director, Personality and Property Marketing, Octagon
Bo Moon '99, Co-founder, EVP of Business/Products, Bloomberg Sports
Lowell Taub '96, Head of Global Sports Endorsements, CAA Sports

In partnership with the Cornell Entrepreneur Network, the Cornell Sports Business is pleased to present "The Business of Sports."  The event will take place on Thursday, November 21 at the  Nine Zero Hotel, in Boston, MA.  For more information, visit http://cen.cornell.edu/events/cen-boston-business-sport.