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On technology: “It helps you make better decisions, faster. On the player development side, we use virtual reality simulations, bat sensors collect real-time data, and slow motion cameras break down the mechanics of how the ball is being hit or thrown. To help build fan engagement, cameras placed around the stadium track the location and movement of the ball and every player, apps tell you how far and how fast the ball went and how hard it was hit.”
ANALYSTS ARE FINDING WAYS TO MAKE THE FAN EXPERIENCE BETTER
LEAH MACNAB (Marketing certificate ’06)
From politics to the NBA in Canada
Leah MacNab remembers distinctly the press conference when then-NBA Commissioner David Stern stood with Magic Johnson and they announced Johnson was HIV-positive. “That changed the conversation about AIDS,” says MacNab. It also changed her career trajectory. She’d worked in politics but learned quickly if your candidate doesn’t get elected, you’re out of a job. In 2005, the NBA in Canada announced a newly created position. MacNab applied, was turned down, but her persistence (7 a.m. voicemails every day for two weeks) earned her the last interview for the job. Fourteen years later, she is senior director, marketing partnerships for NBA in Canada and has helped grow the game nationwide.
On technology: “The whole discipline of customer data relationship management has really blown up since 2005. We now have analysts that evaluate database inputs from various promotions and geographies to find the best ways to make the fan experience better. Social media has led to new jobs being created around producing branded content – for students coming up, it’s an interesting space to look for work. The NBA 2K League is a professional competitive gaming league that would not have been possible without technology. We love everything going on with the Future of Sport Lab. We think it’s great.” 
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