Maanasa Guda is an HBA ’24 candidate and Director of Programming with the 2024 Ivey Sports Leadership Conference (ISLC) organizing team. She and fellow HBA student, Sachin Sharma, oversaw the conference's case competition. In her blog below, she shares a summary of the case competition and highlights from some of the conference guest speakers and panel sessions.
Navigating the fast-paced world of business often feels like a high-stakes game, where the ability to thrive under pressure becomes a key determinant of success. In the dynamic world of sports business, professionals are like players on the court, facing challenges that demand quick thinking and adaptability. At this year’s Ivey Sports Leadership Conference, which featured some of the most notable names in sports business, speakers were asked to look back at these pivotal moments and impart advice to students about how they handled the pressure. Here are some takeaways.
Despite the rise of data analytics in sports, the human element is still important
Sports analytics has gained significant prominence over the years to help teams in decision-making. Following the panel with Meghan Chayka, the co-founder of Statlethes, and Justin Bourne, a National Hockey League analyst at Sportsnet, we learned that understanding your audience is key to delivering data-driven insights. Chayka laughed about a time when one of her reports was torn up live on air. Reflecting on the experience, she reminded students that data is most impactful when told through a narrative. Bourne also highlighted the importance of discerning what data to share. He explains that, while statistically, a particular line-up of players will be optimal, perhaps two players simply don’t get along! It’s important for data analysts to make these considerations before delivering recommendations.
Photo above: L-r: Justin Bourne, Meghan Chayka, and Christine Simpson (Sportsnet)
Surround yourself with those who support your vision
Laurence Applebaum, HBA ’94, CEO of Golf Canada; and Stewart Johnston, President of TSN and SVP of Sales and Sports at Bell Media, discussed with students their longstanding partnership. The panel opened with a video of Nick Taylor’s historic victory in becoming the first Canadian to win the RBC Canadian Open in more than 50 years. Applebaum expressed how these moments can be captured and shared because of Golf Canada’s partnership with TSN, helping to grow the sport, a vision that Johnston also shared. The pair also encouraged students to stand out amongst peers by simply being at the office. They talked about the importance of building connections through small moments shared at the office like grabbing coffee or running into a colleague at the water cooler. While the pandemic has shifted how we work, these moments have become more important than ever.
Photo above: L-r: Stewart Johnston, Laurence Applebaum, and Ivey student Alyssa Evans (ISLC Co-Chair)
Disrupt the status quo
Diana Matheson, CEO and co-founder of Project 8; Katherine Henderson, CEO of Hockey Canada; and Leah MacNab, Managing Director for NBA Canada; discussed the added pressure of working in a male-dominated industry. The element uniting these panellists is the ability to disrupt the status quo. MacNab was the driving force behind Canada’s first WBNA game and exceeded expectations with a sold-out Scotiabank Arena and the second-most watched WBNA in Canada. Matheson pointed to this victory as a source of hope for herself and her mission to bring a women’s soccer league to Canada. Henderson shared a similar sentiment about the payoff of investing in women’s sports, recalling her pay-equity initiative during her time as the CEO of Curling Canada.
Photo above: L-r: Diana Matheson, Katherine Henderson, Leah MacNab, and Christine Simpson (Sportsnet)
The role of mental resiliency
Donovan Bailey, Canadian Olympic gold-medallist and author, discussed the role of mental resiliency in his 1996 Summer Games victory. On top of the strenuous physical preparation and conditioning, Bailey said he was mentally prepared to handle the immense pressure of competing in the Olympics. He was on a mission, and nothing could faze him! His resiliency was tested during the 100-metre dash where several false starts occurred, disqualifying one of Bailey’s contenders, Linford Christie. He recalled his rough start in the first 30 metres of the race and the sense of panic that began to set in. But because of his mental preparation, Bailey pulled himself together for the middle 40 metres, recalling that by the 70-metre mark, he knew he would take home the gold medal.
Winning on the ice, losing in the stands
The case competition was an opportunity for students to explore creative solutions in the world of sports business. This year, we partnered with the Mississauga Steelheads, an Ontario Hockey League team that, despite its success on the ice, was struggling to increase game attendance. Students engaged in a high-pressure environment of their own, having only a few days to prepare their recommendations and then present live in front of Steelhead executives and other conference attendees! Overall, the winning team, made up of first-year students, provided a compelling case, impressing the Steelheads and taking home the win. While they weren’t avid hockey fans before working on the case, they appreciated learning about a new sport and industry.
All photos above from Markus Towfigh
