Harvard Undergraduate Sports Lab Hosts 2nd Annual Sports Business Conference
On Saturday, November 2, 2024, the Harvard Undergraduate Sports Lab (HUSL) hosted its 2nd Annual Sports Business Conference at the Harvard Science Center, uniting students with trailblazers in the sports business industry.
The day kicked off with keynote speaker Ryan Fitzpatrick, 17-year NFL Quarterback and Harvard Alumnus, hosted by John D. Nichols ‘53 Family Director of Harvard Athletics Erin McDermott. In “Unveiling the Magic: The Journey of Ryan Fitzpatrick,” Fitzpatrick walked through the challenges and triumphs throughout his career changes.
The second keynote session showcased Bill Duffy, NBA Super-Agent at WME Sports, and host Peter Carfagna, Chairman and CEO of Magic LLC and Faculty Advisor at Harvard Law School, in a fireside chat exploring what it means to be the agent for some of the biggest names in sports today.
The conference also featured three panels throughout the day. “Insights to Impact: Using Data to Drive Brand Growth” featured Katie Bynum Aznavorian, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee; Jon Hay, Senior Vice President of Business Strategy and Analytics at the Boston Red Sox; Anne Ristau, Co-Head of Consulting at Navigate; and Angela Ruggiero, Founder of Sports Innovation Lab and 4x Olympic Medalist. The conversation on transitioning sports to a consumer-driven entertainment product was moderated by Pete Giorgio, Global and U.S. Sports Practice Leader at Deloitte.
“Leadership and Strategy in Transforming Sports Organizations” compared and contrasted leadership across different sectors in the sports industry. Christina Corcoran, Executive of Business Intelligence and Growth Strategy at CAA Brand Consulting; Nathán Goldberg, Vice President of the U.S. Soccer Federation; Annie Mauck, Business Transformation Director and Chief of Staff at the WNBA; and Kirby Porter, Chief Brand Officer at Unrivaled sat on this panel with Ben Shields, Senior Lecturer in Managerial Communication at MIT Sloan School of Management, as moderator.
For the third panel of the day, Anita Elberse, the Lincoln Filene Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, hosted David Beeston, Managing Partner of Clearlake Capital; Jon Ledecky, Co-Owner of the New York Islanders; and Nadia Rawlinson, Co-Owner and Operating Chairman of the Chicago Sky for “Winning Returns: The Case for Sports as a Strategic Investment,” which explored how sports teams have become lucrative assets and highlighted the importance of investment in women’s sports.
The conference concluded with“Building a Global Sports Empire with Josh Harris”, featuring closing keynote Josh Harris, Co-Founder of Apollo Global Management and Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment, and Professor Anita Elberse as moderator. In a riveting conversation, Harris explored turning his childhood sports fan dreams into a multi-billion dollar investment reality.
The conference attracted attendees from various backgrounds, including students, professionals, and sports enthusiasts. With 450 tickets sold, this conference brought a new level of engagement with sports business to Harvard’s campus.
“It was an honor to gather as a community of students, professionals, and sports enthusiasts,” said HUSL Co-Presidents Cooper Knarr and Alex Stone. “Thank you to all of our speakers whose inspiring stories and insights will hopefully motivate the next generation of leaders.”
Co-founder and club advisor Tai Tatum — who graduated from Harvard in May 2024 and now works for Fenway Sports Group — described this year’s conference as a major success: “It was a dream come true to once again bring together the Harvard community with top leaders in the sports business industry. I am really proud the HUSL Conference has become an annual tradition at Harvard, and I am looking forward to helping it grow,” he said.
