Join sports industry professionals, academics, and students worldwide as they discuss current trends and the future of the sports industry at the inaugural Playing the Long Game conference presented by The University of Texas Sport Management Program, The H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports, and Jim Rooney of Rooney Consulting and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Conference organizers Tolga Ozyurtcu and Jim Rooney invite you to join panels which will discuss the immediate and long-term impact of COVID-19, innovation, and the long-term future of the industry, diversity, and culture and ethics in the workplace. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions to panelists and a particular emphasis will be placed on how each of these topics will influence the careers of current students and early career professionals.
FEATURED PANELISTS
PAUL TAGLIABUE
Former NFL Commissioner
SWIN CASH-CANAL
VP of Basketball Operations, New Orleans Pelicans
LARRY MILLER
Chairman,
Jordan Brand Advisory Board
LATOYA SMITH
Assistant Professor of Practice,
VP DDCE, University of Texas
SCHEDULE
MONDAY, APRIL 12
CLYDE RABB LITTLEFIELD MEMORIAL LECTURE: A FIRESIDE CHAT WITH JIM ROONEY AND PAUL TAGLIABUE
PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE H.J. LUTCHER STARK CENTER
5:00-6:00 PM CT
Paul Tagliabue, former Commissioner of the National Football League, reflects on his career experiences and offers his perspective on the evolving sports landscape.
TUESDAY, APRIL 13
PANEL 1: LESSONS FROM COVID-19
4:00-5:30 PM CT
March 2020 marked a paradigm shift for sports in America and beyond. Professional and collegiate organizations instituted various COVID policies to get teams back on the field as quickly as possible while keeping athletes and spectators safe from the coronavirus. This panel will discuss the lessons learned from these early experiments, expectations of when the industry might return to “normal,” and the broader implications of the pandemic experience.
Featuring: Judy Battista, Matt Bowers, Allen Hardin, Leah Triola, Laura Warren
PANEL 2: INNOVATION AND THE FUTURE OF THE SPORTS INDUSTRY
5:30-7:00 PM CT
This panel will look towards the future and the vast growth potential and opportunities on the horizon for the industry. Panelists will discuss opportunities on the horizon for the industry. Panelists will discuss emerging trends and provide a vision for how various innovations, technologies and socioeconomic forces will shape the sports world in the decades to come.
Featuring: Raquel Garcia, Jeff Miller, Larry Miller, Dan Slater, Jim Rooney
THURSDAY, APRIL 15
PANEL 3: DIVERSITY IN THE SPORTS INDUSTRY
PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE UT AUSTIN DIVISION OF DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
4:00-5:30 PM CT
Studies show that having diverse hires in leadership positions leads to better organizational outcomes. However, like most industries, minority hires are still lagging in decision-making roles throughout sports. This panel will discuss the benefits of diversity, how different organizations address this disparity, and the role diversity will play in the future of sports.
Featuring: Swin Cash-Canal, N. Jeremi Duru, Darren D. Kelly, Sam Rapoport, LaToya Smith
PANEL 4: CULTURE AND ETHICS IN THE SPORTS WORKPLACE
5:30-7:00 PM CT
While all organizations endeavor to operate ethically and cultivate strong organizational cultures, many struggle to articulate and implement their vision in these domains. Panelists will discuss these abstract challenges and provide practical solutions for cultivating ethics and fostering culture as strengths within organizations.
Featuring: Paxton K. Baker, Ethan Burris, Kristin Neff, Tolga Ozyurtcu, Jim Rooney
Playing the Long Game 