SSAC Recap Day 2

For those of you that missed the 2014 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, I wished to provide a recap. Last week, I covered Day 1's Panels.  Here are some shorthand notes from Day 2:

Panel #1: Getting in the Game: Launching a Career in Sports 

Panelists: Moderator Matt Sebal, Jennifer Cabalquinto, Robert Gallo, Debbie Knowlan, John Hollinger, and Russell Scibetti 

Cabalquinto: Newly Appointed CFO of Golden State Warriors- Accounting background at EY (Like Me), this is my dream job!

- CFO is more of a financial and management role, is faced with challenges of new arena decisions (how many seats, floor plan,etc.) and how to use analytics with this 

Hollinger: Analytics are used for salary cap maximization, much of what his job entitles, how players from other leagues (D league, europe) would translate in NBA 

Scibetti- You do not always have to start in sports, "No shame in calling yourself a salesman" 

NFL has seen in rise of analytics and strategy groups 

NBA uses it for player development positions- basketball skills are becoming more useful for this job

Cabalquinto: Warriors are currently hiring and looking for people for their business analytics team, marketing analytics, and Innovation Lab 

- you must learn of how to differentiate yourself from others, primarily with your skill sets, its not just "I wanna work in sports" 

- way to set yourself apart is to demonstrate and find a niche of the business that is not served- Example: Darren Rovell 

Final takeaways: networking is important, translating your skill sets, skills you develop before entering sports world, persistence, and finding a good mentor 

Panel #2: Risking It All: Why Championship Athletes Dope and What It Means For Sport

Panelists: Moderator Bonnie Ford, Tyler Hamilton, and Travis Tygart 

Marked the first unique time that the CEO of the Anti-Doping Agency (Tygart) discussed with Hamilton 

- The Anti-Doping Agency is a non-governmental private organization 

Tygart: "analytics are only as good as their foundation" 

Hamilton: when competing, I was "more worried about getting caught than winning races" 

SSAC Recap Day 1

For those of you that missed the 2014 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, I wished to provide a recap.  Here are some shorthand notes from Day 1.
Opening Remarks: Daryl Morey (Geek Elvis) and Jessica Gelman

The theme for this year’s conference is ripple to revolution, describing how the field of analytics has grown in the sports world over the past few years, thanks in part to this conference. It started as a small field and known has become an integral part of competition. About 2,000 people were in attendance for the conference, which had approximately 1,000 on the waitlist alone. 10% of the attendees are international; there are 800 students from 180 institutions, and 360 sports organizations in attendance. The “heart” of the conference is the 26 panels offered. There are also four innovative areas to highlight:

1. Research Papers- with over 300 submission and 8 finalists

2. “Evolution of Sports” Talks

3. Trade Show Blitz- Start Ups Pitching Ideas to Venture Capital/ PE Firms

4. Competitive Adjustment: presented by industry experts



Panel #1: Athlete Analytics: Instrumentation, Training, and Injuries
Panelists: Shira Springer (moderator), Andrew Luck, Matthew Hasselbeck, John Brenkus, Adir Shiffman, and Qaizar Hassoujee

1st topic was on the evaluation of NFL Combine Process - Hasselbeck had interesting experience- was not invited to it after entering draft as Junior, was in same draft as Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning

A.Luck- “There is merit to the interviews and psychological testing done”, wants to see as a QB more football specific movements as part of combine, such as simulating 2 minute drill, how to quantify focus and clock management

Brenkus- interesting to note that the 40 yard dash does not really matter for wide receivers- look at times of Jerry Rice and Larry Fitzgerald, change of direction and stopping is more important - for quarterbacks an important metric is concerning their release, not overall arm strength, ex: Kaepernick tested high for quick release

Shiffman- the real challenge is to provide data that is valid, 3rd party testing is needed

JB- it’s all about context, the defensive rookie of the year the last three years has done well in the combine - Florida State and its injury prevention use of analytics with performance maximization - great success was no soft tissue injuries at Combine this year

AL & MH: see it as a hindrance to wear performance-wearing tracking technology, too bulky - This year the Colts tried out different wearables, such as corrective posture shirts and masks that simulated altitude play

S: if athletes are aware that they are wearing technology, then the technology is a failure- they are conscious of it - most of the early adopters of new technology are the teams that are on the cusp of greatness and cannot buy additional success in free agency - baseball is most hesitant to adopt new technology, have very traditional approach

JB: bat speed actually goes down if you swing a weighted bat in on deck circle, argues that players should be swinging a whiffleball bat instead - NASCAR seen as head of analytics- always looking for ways to shave 1/100th of second

MH: we are always concentrating on studying the analytics on the opponent, might need to look at data on ourselves more

JB: there exists a generational gap when thinking about different levels of education on technology, e.g. some coaches are still very old school

How they all see future of this field

S: in- ball technology, inertial movement

AL: invisible sensors

MH: hydration levels testing, head impacts

Q: college level, sport specific, fan engagement

JB: defining standards Colts use analytics most in terms of 3rd down blitz tendencies and red zone situations Buzz word: CONTEXT the “holy grail” is predictive analytics

What they would like to see measured

AL: pitch count/ arm throw count and analysis

S: position-specific data

MH: recovery methods- which are best

JB: sport psychology

Final comment by Hasselbeck: would be interesting to put a heart rate monitor on Adam Vinatieri when he is about to kick game winner vs. all other kickers in league



Panel #2: Man & Machine: Real Time Data and Referee Analytics

Panelists: Hank Adams, Michael Bantom, Dan Brooks, Mike Carey, Paul Hawkins, Tom Penn (moderator)

Bantom: most important thing is for referees to maintain their focus over emotions

Adams: created SportVision, which is used for 1st down lines in football

Hawkins- sports of cricket, tennis, and soccer have real time computer decisions, have a signal that is relayed to the referee’s watch when ball crosses goal line in soccer (goal to increase the speed in soccer) - goal for referees and technology creators is to not get noticed, Example: arguably best tennis match of all time 2009 Wimbledon Final (Nadal vs. Federer)- was a critical line call play that was called correctly Brooks- sorts through the SportVision data and maps calls of umpires in MLB, some people are unhappy with inconsistencies

Bantom: NBA has log of every call made in the last 10 years and they rate each one as correct or incorrect, looking for next year to have a centralized location for calls and replay reviews

Carey: issue of player safety, NFL is “game of inches”- get tough calls with “double action”, where knee hits, ball hits and breaks plane - there has been an adaptive habit among players of how to approach tackles by not hitting with the helmet

Hawkins: issues in soccer with cheating in regards to diving vs. what is actually a genuine foul - future may look at review of red cards and other fouls to possibly overturn, want to be proactive with approach rather than reactive, Example: Lampard goal that was overturned in the England vs. Germany match in World Cup Carey: still uses rubber bands on each of his fingers during games to keep track of what down it is - “most difficult call is catch/no catch” - again it’s a game of inches- there is human judgment error when it comes to marking where a player is down on a field, where the chains are placed for the 1st down, how that compares to the SportVision computerized line we see on TV, is chain actually precisely 10 yards?, etc.

Hawkins: in soccer, it would be easier to judge call if it was based on whether middle of ball crossed goal line for goal

Brooks: catcher framing in baseball is arguably worth up to 20 wins a season- where you are fooling umps, what is value of Molina brothers? - would be hard to apply technology that soccer uses for NHL goals due to speed of puck, how much of puck crosses line, etc.

Bantom: in NBA, there is great transparency, as fans are able to see what officials see in terms of replay reviewing - However in MLB, interesting that there is no explanation of calls by umpires to the fans

 Panel #3: College Football’s Playoff Selection Dilemma Presented by ESPN

Panelists: Jeff Bennett (moderator), Dean Oliver, Alok Pattani, Brad Edwards, and Chris Fallica

- ESPN Stats & Info provides metrics such as expected points and probability models to help sort out Playoff selections - also includes strength of schedule calculations and adjusted ratings of team strength - going past the “eye test”, looking at how the game played out, Ex: FSU was up 42-0 in 2nd quarter

- 12 committee members comprising selection committee- How many of them are watching games/ which ones are they watching? ALL members are over 50 years old- cause for concern????

Key distinction is between “Best” and “most deserving” team- last year’s title game: Alabama vs. Notre Dame (undefeated, what did their resume look like, were they deserving??) - all panelists agree that Notre Dame would have been 4th seed in playoff

BIGGEST PROBLEM: determining who is 4th seed - looking at polls does not tell the story necessarily, Example: Gonzaga in NCAA Tournament last year, #1 seed (was #1 in AP Poll), with AP Poll you have to reassess every week win probability

- can look at metrics now such as final score margin, other team stats, average in-game win probability at different points in game

- Strength of Schedule is relative to perspective, there are different ratings and systems of how to configure SOS

The March Madness Selection committee is provided with a “Nitty Gritty” sheet when enter meeting with bunch of different stats and columns on teams - CFB Playoff Committee will be provided with NOTHING 

Panelists Now Had Activity Where Audience had chance to vote given blind resume tests from previous years to see who they would vote in/out of playoff system, would compare with panelists’ opinion and what the numbers said
First talked about FSU this year and looking at performance vs. level of competition - Loss Tolerance- Was actually found that it would be harder to go 12-1 with Auburn’s SOS vs. going 13-0 with FSU SOS

Scenario #1: revealed to be 2008 Alabama (only loss to #1 Florida in SEC Championship) vs. USC (conference champs)- numbers favor Alabama

Head to head matchups were a high priority for the panelists

#2: Stanford (11-1) vs. Oregon (11-2) in 2011- Oregon destroyed Stanford in regular season, votes and numbers favored Oregon

#3: 2013 4th seed: Alabama vs. MSU vs. Stanford- audience mostly voted to leave out MSU, but numbers say Stanford would be left out

Panel #4: Beyond the 4-4-2: Soccer Analytics

Panelists: Taylor Twellman(moderator), Steven Houston, Robbie Mustoe, Jim Pallotta, and Paul Neilson

 Latest development in soccer analytics: rise of technical scouts and positional data, future is with physiological and social fields - interesting that there is rise in U.S. owners in Europe (Pallotta with AS Roma as example)

Look at economics with transfers and acquisitions- Is Wayne Rooney really worth $500,000/ week? Tottenham was able to acquire Gareth Bale for 7 M pounds and later sold him to Real Madrid for about 87M pounds

Pallotta: At Roma, strategy is to build strength in the midfield, middle of pitch and with defense (which has given up least amount of goals in Europe this year) - notion of buying one star player and surrounding him with other players goes against his philosophy of success

Prime example: Dortmund has no real “star” players, are able to identify quality players before they become great - analytics is seeking to understand playing styles better, and how certain players can fit system of clubs Best way for teams to get better is to improve revenue streaming, attract better players

 Panel #5: Basketball Analytics

Panelists: Steve Kerr, Stan Van Gundy, Brad Stevens, Mike Zarren, moderator Zach Lowe SportVU cameras in every NBA arena now!!

Kerr: interesting to see that for Miami, they are not concerned with their low offensive rebounding numbers because they create turnovers and get more possessions, more efficient than most teams

SVG: you need a style to fit the players/personnel you have, there are different interpretations of pick n’ roll defenses - can’t get caught up in hiring guys that only know analytics and do not know the game of basketball: idea that you can substitute numbers and analytics for actually watching the games - “ I read a useless stat in this ESPN Magazine that said Paul George has ran the most in the league (130 miles). What possible use is that?”

- Stan Van Gundy was by far the most entertaining panelist at the conference! He was in a sense playing "Devil's Advocate" but his arguments were convincing

BS: have noticed some psychological analytics- observe Dirk’s interaction with his teammates, constant talking and communication, always smiling

SK: would be nice to have a measure of conditioning and to be able to measure the stress these players put on their bodies throughout the season

SVG: discussion on the balance between work and rest, many teams now resting their players on some nights or not playing as many minutes “ Michael Jordan when he won his 6 titles never averaged less than 38 minutes/game”

- Tom Thibodeau has success despite injuries because he plays his good guys more minutes than most coaches - why it seems there are more injuries than ever in NBA? Increase in pick n’roll play and strategy, lot more guards attacking rim, very few practices during the season now

“Minute restrictions are BS” - Interesting theory on why Derrick Rose is getting hurt so often: Van Gundy says that guys in league are becoming stronger and more explosive than ever, D.Rose is most explosive in his attacks= larger load on his knees= more injuries Is it the best to be training our players to become stronger and more explosive? Lebron would say yeah

SK: if I am hiring someone in the front office, I want someone with both an analytics and basketball background ideally

Zarren: TANKING solution = the WHEEL(Wheel) – basically picks in perpetuity that would eliminate current lottery system in aims to avoid tanking, submitted it to the league 2 years ago

major criticism: college player that aims at typical team, might stay for another year in college if he knows he’s going somewhere like Milwaukee - could be solved with saying top 3 picks are thrown in a hat, no certainty player knows what team he will end up on or if that pick will be traded

- Another MIT conference staple, Mark Cuban, has provided his idea to avoid tanking, which includes not giving the worst 3 teams in the league picks in the draft, giving an incentive to at least finish 4th worst(Cuban Solution)

Colangelo (Cornell grad!)- Admitted to tanking as Raptors GM a few years ago towards end of season

 This concludes PART 1 of My Recap. PART 2 will cover 2nd Day of Panels.

Advice for Future Attendees of the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

If you've read about the great memories made from the 2012 Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, you're hopefully considering attending the 2013 version. If so, use this post as a resource. We asked our members what advice they would give to future attendees so that they could derive the greatest possible value from the conference. Read their thoughts after the jump.

Colin Dailey: Find panelists you want to speak and try to speak to them at times other than when they first get done their panel (when they're swarmed with a ton of people). If you are prepared to speak with them at any time, you'll see them in passing later in the conference, and approach them at that point. Therefore, you'll receive more of their attention, without being mixed into the crowd of everybody else (and you'll stand out more). Also, be open to checking out new panels, as you'll probably be surprised and find something useful from panels you're unfamiliar with (topics).

Michael Hendel: My advice would be that you have to be realistic about what you want and expect from events like this. There were thousands of students and people who wanted to get jobs and meet with the sports celebrities. These guys get "hit on" anytime they are out in public and it is unreasonable for anyone to think that spending two minutes talking about a sports topic or asking questions is enough to actually get an internship. What i would do next time is talk to the attendees more than the panelists. There were representatives from 28 out of 32 basketball teams at the conference, and more teams will eventually flock to statistical conferences such as this one in the future. Talking to people around the rooms is a way to both make contacts and enjoy your time.

Adam Kirsch:
-Know what you're talking about/do your research and have questions to ask speakers
-Talk to other attendees–their backgrounds and insight will surprise you and they can often give you valuable advice
-Take notes
-Keep track of business cards/contact information you may receive and follow up within a reasonable time–remember to be gracious and grateful
-Always carry yourself in a respectful and professional manner. This is much more than confidently smiling and shaking hands.

-You should also remember that every action is a direct reflection on you, your club and your school.

Reed Longo: My best piece of advice for anyone attending this conference is to become familiar with the panelists before the conference. If you know what they do professionally, it makes the panels much easier to comprehend. Also, you never know if you have a shared connection with that person. For example, I used LinkedIn to find shared connections I had with some panelists/attendees and it helped me break barriers and make conversation. If you just do some brief research before the weekend, not only will you be able to enjoy the panels more, but it'll help you network

Daniel Lowenthal: Advice for next year is to go to what interests YOU. I went to very few panels, and chose to go to more of the EOS speeches and research presentations, and I ended up getting way more out of the conference than I did last year, when we went to almost all of the panels.

Eric Maimon: Plan what panels your going to, know the speakers well, and don't discount the attendees, some of them are bigger than the panelists.

John Rodriguez: Go to the conference with an open mind and see as many panels as you can. Do not be afraid to approach anyone you admire and have something valuable to say to them, so that the conversation of as small as 20 seconds is meaningful. Do research on the speakers and take detailed notes of the panels so that you can go back to the speakers at the end of it all with something to take away, other than a picture.

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Thank you to all the ILRSMC members that attended the SSAC and contributed to this piece. We hope to see more of you next March!

Memories: 2012 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

On Friday, March 2 and Saturday March, 3, over

20 Cornell ILRSMC members attended the sixth annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. The conference goal is to provide a forum for industry professionals (executives and leading researchers) and students to discuss the increasing role of analytics in the sports industry. MIT Sloan is dedicated to fostering growth in this arena, and the conference enriches opportunities for learning about the sports business world.

The club is proud to have sent such a large group to MIT in 2012, no doubt thanks to the great memories made at last year's event.

After the jump, read about some of our members' favorite moments from the 2012 SSAC.

Colin Dailey: The top highlights for me was getting to go up to people and expand on previous connections I generated at the Ivy sports symposium. I had great conversations with multiple important sports figures, and made strides toward a deeper connection and internship possibility. My favorite panel was the sports sponsorship and branding panel primarily because it was really intriguing and all of the panelists provided great insight, not just a couple of them. Additionally, I really enjoyed meeting and experiencing the true personality of some of these sports leaders.

Michael Hendel: Going to some of the research presentations and learning about the arduous and detailed work that some of these graduate students and professors have done to come up with fascinating theories. In one of the presentations, after thorough research, a group believed that trading Chris Paul for Deron Williams would have made sense for both teams. In another presentation, it was shown that home teams shoot a worse free throw percentage than the away teams because of psychological reasons. The home team actually feels more pressure because of the unnaturalness of silence.

Adam Kirsch:

-Talking to notables like Mark Shapiro, Eric Mangini and 49ers COO Paraag Marathe about the club and our projects
-Chatting about sports psychology with NFL defensive end Lawrence Jackson between panels
-Discussing the different functions within the industry with team employees in different capacities
-The Baseball Analytics and Franchises in Transition panels
-The opening panel, which featured two ILRies (Gary Bettman and Rob Manfred)

Reed Longo: There were many highlights over the weekend at MIT that made it such a great experience. However, the most memorable thing for me was sitting next to Lions DE Lawrence Jackson during the Brand Equity panel. Since it was mostly an older crowd, I kind of felt like I had to overcompensate with professionalism. Yet, when I was talking to Lawrence, it was a great change of pace to be able to kick it a bit and not resist the urge to say "dude" (which is hard enough for me to begin with). Our conversation was personal, as he gave me some great insight on comparing his days at USC, Seattle, Detroit, and the media's portrayal of his linemate Ndamukong Suh. I think anyone who heard him speak at the Coaching Analytics was impressed by his articulation and intelligence. Yet, what impressed me most was that he was recording the entire Brand Equity panel on his iPhone while taking detailed notes. There's no doubt that he will have a successful career after his playing days are over.

Daniel Lowenthal: The Trade Show was an unbelievable experience; truly unique and insightful, yet it absolutely felt like it was the first one of its kind (fist time at the conference at least.) I was the one who tweeted the coverage of it, and it really gave me some great experience in the field of sports journalism/summarization.

Eric Maimon: Networking with some of the panelists and attendees.

John Rodriguez: My favorite moments at the MIT Conference were hearing from and getting to meet both David Gill, CEO of Manchester United and Drew Carey, owner of the Seattle Sounders. One point that Carey made which I thought was really interesting is how teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona elect the president of the club every four years and how he has implemented that into his own MLS team and how he is pushing the rest of the league to do the same.

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Be sure to look for more posts concerning the club's experience at the MIT SSAC in the coming days!