Tulane Center for Sport hosts student sessions in sports analytics, more

Sports is a business – and every statistic, revenue stream or valuation provides insight to make sound decisions.

Analyzing the business of sports is an important skill for students, undergraduate and graduate alike, which is why the Tulane Center for Sport is hosting a Sports Analytics Series as well as other educational programs to help demystify the concepts for students.

Throughout October, the Tulane Center successfully hosted the second edition of the series, in person, at Tulane Law School.  Like last fall’s virtual program, the series was hosted once weekly, with four sessions provided free of charge.  The Center for Sport was proud to host students from across Tulane, including attendees from undergraduate programs, the law school, and other graduate programs.

The Series sessions were led by Dr. Alí Bustamante, a professional economist and owner of Impact Econ Research, Inc., who also has a passion for sports analytics.  Bustamante led students through four separate sports analytics modules, one each week: Box Scores and Baseball Cards; Betting Odds, Lines and Spreads; Moneyball; and Front Office. 

The goal of the series was to teach students the basics of how to make informed sports-related decisions based on data.  Bustamante’s robust presentations included running models of team performance based on readily-available statistics, analyzing pro franchise valuation and revenue, and analyzing player performance in various pro leagues.

The Series was coordinated by the Tulane Center for Sport’s Director of Education, Tess Belt, and Sports Law Program Manager, Eric Blevins.

In November, the Center for Sport hosted a presentation on Bidding Major Sporting Events, a lunch-and-learn session featuring the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation. Students from across the University with an interest in sports gathered for this educational and networking opportunity, likewise free of charge.

Throughout the Bidding session, students explored the bid process used in a city’s acquisition of major sporting events, discussed contractual details of hosting large-scale events, and identified key stakeholders within the bid process.

 Presenters from the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation included Jeff Rossi, Sr. Vice President of Events/Event Sales, and William Dede, Director of Event Operations & Community Affairs. Both Rossi and Dede shared valuable insights from their extensive experience in the sports industry.