Past Conferences
Founded by Daryl Morey (MIT Sloan ’00) and Jessica Gelman (HBS ’02) in 2006, the conference has grown in attendance and scope every year. Beginning with ~100 attendees, the conference hosted over 3,200 in 2015 and featured 25+ panels covering topics from in-game performance to business analytics to engaging the digital fan. We continue to build on the strength of past conferences to push the conversation and application of analytics in the global sports industry.
Read About Each of our Past Conferences!
- Click here for the 2018 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2017 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2016 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2015 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2014 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2013 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2012 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2011 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2010 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2009 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2008 Annual Recap
- Click here for the 2007 Annual Recap
Jessica Gelman
CEO of Kraft Analytics Group (KAGR)
Jessica Gelman is the CEO of Kraft Analytics Group (KAGR), a technology and services company focused on data management, advanced analytics and strategic consulting in the sports and entertainment space. She originally joined the Kraft Family in 2002 working for the sports properties (New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium and New England Revolution). Prior to KAGR’s creation in 2016, Gelman led business operations, customer marketing, and strategy for Kraft Sports & Entertainment.
Gelman co-founded and continues to co-chair the highly regarded MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, the first and largest analytically focused sports conference. Previous speakers have included President Barack Obama, Adam Silver, Steve Ballmer, Nate Silver, and many other sports and analytics luminaries.
Gelman has received recognition for her leadership and innovation, including the 2014 Sports Business Journal “Forty under 40” which honors the most promising young executives in sports business under the age of 40 and in 2012 Sports Business Journal’s “Game Changers,” which honors women who are leading and innovating in sports business.
Gelman earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA, cum laude from Harvard College. While at Harvard, she was selected as Harvard Female Athlete of the Year and in 2018 was honored as an Ivy League Legend of Basketball. She is an elected board member of the Harvard Alumni Association and the Harvard Varsity Club. Additionally, Gelman is a board member for Peace Players International, Shooting Touch and the Sports Innovation Lab.
Gelman is married, has two sons, and resides in the greater Boston area.
Daryl Morey
General Manager, Houston Rockets
Daryl Morey has served as the General Manager for the Houston Rockets since May 10, 2007. He originally joined the Rockets on April 3, 2006 as the team’s Assistant General Manager before being promoted to his current position.
Since moving into the role of General Manager, Morey has built a Rockets team that has gone a combined 596-372 (.611) over the last twelve seasons entering the 2019-20 NBA season and has set a number of team records. Morey, who has spearheaded an innovative integration of statistical analytics into the evaluation of NBA talent, was named the NBA Executive of the Year after the 2017-18 season. Morey also earned selection to the SportsBusiness Journal Forty Under 40 Class of 2010, which honors the most promising young executives in sports business under the age of 40. Morey was also recognized in 2009 as one of “The 10 Most Creative People in Sports” by Fast Company magazine. His articles on sports analytics have been published in leading publications such as Harvard Business Review, The Economist and Grantland.
Morey’s bold moves over the years have included the acquisition of superstars James Harden (2012), Chris Paul (2017), and Russell Westbrook (2019) via high-profile trades that have altered the landscape of the NBA.
Morey came to Houston after serving three years as SVP Operations for the Boston Celtics. With the Celtics, his responsibilities included the development of analytical methods and technology to enhance basketball decisions, such as the draft, trades and free agency.
Prior to his time with the Celtics, Morey worked as a Principal consultant with an emphasis on sports at The Parthenon Group, a leading strategy consulting firm. Morey was also a statistical consultant with STATS, Inc., the industry pioneer in the use of sports statistics highlighted in the Michael Lewis book Moneyball.
Morey holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science with an emphasis on statistics from Northwestern University, as well as an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Morey, who currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Sport Management Program at Rice University, was also the professor for the MIT Sloan class, “Analytical Sports Management.” He continues to be a co-chair of the annual MIT Sloan Sports Conference, which is the largest annual sports conference hosted by a business school. In 2012, Fast Company actually ranked the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference third among its Most Innovative Companies in Sports, trailing only the NFL and MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM).
Morey grew up in a small town near Medina, Ohio. He and his wife have two children.
