Sports Conferences 2013

As an outlet for the industry’s leading minds, sports analytics and media conferences have grown to become a staple of the sports business industry. These events offer panel discussions, keynote speakers and the occasional contest as a means of fostering informed discussion and debate, the better to continually innovate – and enhance – fans’ viewing experiences and engagement with their favorite teams.

Click here for our list of the top Sports Analytics Conferences

Arguably the most high-profile of the group, the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference is now entering its seventh year with a (for lack of a better word) stacked lineup of panelists. NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, President of the Cleveland Browns Alec Schneider, and ESPN commentator Bill Polian are just a few of the contributors ready and willing to voice their opinions on the modern intersection of analytics and sports.

Coming up on March 1, Sloan Sports Conference is one of only a handful of events to have nailed down 2013 dates. Other noteworthy offerings – including SportsBusiness Journal’s SMT conference, the Ivy Sports Symposium and the SEAT Conference – wrapped up their most recent proceedings this past fall.

Luckily for avid conference connoisseurs, SeatGeek’s own sports analytics forum, the On Deck Sports & Technology Conference, is gearing up for its debut this February (the 12th, to be exact). With a specific focus on, as the name suggests, the world of sports and its expanding relationship with data and technology, On Deck looks to host opinion leaders from both backgrounds, in a space designed to appeal to established industry professionals as well as budding entrepreneurs.

To learn more about On Deck and other noted sports analytics conferences, check out our list of the top summits below:

Sports Analytics Conferencee

MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference

Founded in 2007, the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference has sold out almost every year since its inaugural event. The symposium typically takes place in either February or March (it’s currently slated for March 1-2), is student-run, and has boasted ESPN as a leading sponsor for the past three years. Noteworthy panelists and keynote speakers have included New York Giants Chairman Steve Tisch; former CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Jamie McCourt; Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen; and author Malcolm Gladwell. For a full list of this year’s offerings – as well as more information on ticketing and panel discussions – click here for the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference’s official website.

SportsBusiness Journal Sports Media & Technology

Twice as old as MIT’s upstart, SportsBusiness Journal’s conference is now entering its 14th year. Roundtable discussions and case studies provide an additional, educational incentive to attend its two days of sports features. Occurring annually in New York, NY, SMT hosted both ESPN President John Skipper and President of Sales, Distribution and Sports at Turner Broadcasting David Levy in 2012 alone. No dates have been set for the 2013 iteration, but look for information on a followup November conference to be released in the months ahead.

Ivy Sports Symposium

Hosted by a different Ivy League school each year, the Ivy Sports Symposium most recently took place at Columbia University in New York, NY, this past November. Another student-run initiative, ISS is not-for-profit and focuses exclusively on college sports. Val Ackerman, the founding president of the Women’s National Basketball Association; Sandy Alderson, the General Manager of the New York Mets; and Mike Arresco, commissioner of the Big East Conference, were all among last year’s speakers. If you’re interested in the collegiate conference’s plans for 2013, stay up-to-date by checking out their website here.

SEAT Conference

A summer holdout among the fall and winter offerings, the SEAT Conference took place in Boston last August, when it catered to a mix of sports and entertainment professionals. Panel discussions covered topics ranging from ticketing technologies (something we know a thing or two about), to the mobile fan experience, to the role of social media in a sports environment. No further details regarding 2013’s forum have been released, but you can track the event’s progress by visiting SEAT at their website here.

On Deck Conference

The newest though by no means least of the sports symposium offerings, the On Dock Sports & Technology Conference has a full agenda lined up for its initial run February 12. The former president of MSG Sports, Scott O’Neil, as well as former NHL player Sean Avery and former NFL player Tiki Barber (a “name” steal even those who don’t follow the latest sports news will recognize) are only three of the industry heavyweights who’ve been tapped to address sports, media and technology enthusiasts. Between keynote speakers, panel discussions and a startup pitch contest (naturally, given the sponsor…) the On Deck Conference is poised to become a competitive force in the sports conference sphere. For more information on the day’s lineup – and ticketing – be sure to stop by On Deck’s official website here.