Big Data & Sports Business 

SeatGeek + General Assembly 

Wednesday, June 27th from 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

New techniques and methods that harness data to make more intelligent business decisions have transformed all sorts of industries -- including professional sports!

Join us on Wednesday evening for a wide ranging discussion on how technology and analytics are helping the businesses behind the X's and O's become smarter, leaner and more responsive.

How are sports franchises using data to make better decisions in ticketing, sponsorship and sales? What teams and leagues are most innovative in their use of technology and data? What are the startups to keep an eye on in the sports space -- and what are the biggest opportunities out there for tech entrepreneurs to transform the sports industry?

These topics and more will be discussed in what should be a fun and wide ranging discussion with experts drawn from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences in sports business. 

Speakers

Matt Higgins, President & CEO, RSE Ventures; Former SVP, New York Jets

Scott Jablonski, Director, NHL Club Analytics & Reporting, National Hockey League

Jack Groetzinger, Co-Founder, SeatGeek

Jennifer van Dijk, VP & Head of Digital Consulting, Wasserman Media Group

Michele Steele, Sports Business Journalist, ESPN (moderator)

Speakers
Matthew Higgins, President and CEO, RSE Ventures

As the CEO of newly formed RSE Ventures, Higgins is building an integrated sports and entertainment company with innovation at the core of everything they do. RSE holdings include the Miami Dolpins, FanVision, and Insignia Sports and Entertainment. As the former EVP of the New York Jets, Higgins transformed the team’s business operations into one of the most innovative in sports. By taking an early leadership role in social media, and elevating the team’s profile through non-traditional brand extensions – including a JetBlue Jet and a private label Cabernet wine – the Jets emerged as a national team. Prior to his career in sports, Higgins helped lead the recovery effort in Lower Manhattan. He served as the Chief Operating Officer of the agency charged with rebuilding the World Trade Center site, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC). Prior to the LMDC, Higgins served as press secretary to former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, managing the City’s global media response to 9/11. In 2011, Higgins was recognized in Sports Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 as one of the most outstanding executives in sports.

Scott Jablonski, Director, NHL Club Analytics and Reporting, National Hockey League

Scott Jablonski joined the National Hockey League in June 2009; he and his team focus on financial matters for the League and strategic services for Clubs. Prior to the NHL, Scott worked at the National Basketball Association in Team Marketing and Business Operations (TMBO), consulted with several sports franchises during his MBA education, and worked in technology at Oracle Corporation and his own startup, among other companies. Scott holds an MBA from Harvard Business School (2007) and an M.S. (2000) and B.S. (1998) from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Jennifer van Dijk, VP & Head of Digital Consulting, Wasserman Media Group

Jennifer van Dijk leads Wasserman’s digital consulting group, working with major sports and brand clients like Twitter, LivingSocial, the University of Notre Dame and others. Focused on the development of unique partnerships and sports business models, the digital consulting group is a premier strategic content and marketing specialty at Wasserman. Prior to Wasserman Media Group, Jennifer served as vice president, digital strategy at IMG Media, where she created digital content business models and proprietary assets that enhanced existing IMG businesses and defined new areas of opportunity. van Dijk holds a B.A. in Political Science from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

Jack Groetzinger, Co-Founder, SeatGeek

Jack Groetzinger is a co-founder of SeatGeek, the web’s most comprehensive live event ticket search engine. Jack leads SeatGeek’s product development and analytics functions. Prior to founding SeatGeek in September 2009, Jack worked as a management consultant with Bain and Company in Boston. He is a 2007 graduate of Dartmouth University with concentrations in Math and Economics.

Michele Steele, Anchor/Reporter, ESPN (moderator)

Michele Steele is a cross-platform anchor/reporter for ESPN. Steele has reported live from some of the biggest economic drivers for sports, including the Super Bowl, the Masters, the Final Four and the Kentucky Derby. She joined ESPN in 2011. Prior to her time the Worldwide Leader, she worked at Bloomberg Television as the network's only sports business reporter. Steele was also a senior reporter for Forbes video on-demand service and a regular contributor to Forbes on Fox.

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