January 15, 2019

Jan 15th: Interview with 2018 First Pitch Case Competition Winner, Michael Larimore

How did you find your current role at Eventellect, and what made you stand out in the hiring process?

I met Eventellect through participating in the First Pitch competition in 2018 as they were sponsoring the case.  After our team was selected as one of the top three teams and had the opportunity to present our pitch at the Sloan conference, I got to know some of the team members at Eventellect and was eventually brought in for an interview.  I think my experience in industrial engineering, data analysis, and project management helped me stand out for this hybrid role of management and analytics

How did you decide to get involved with First Pitch?

I learned about it through a friend who was in my MBA program at Rice and thought it sounded like fun!  After reading Moneyball early in my career I became fascinated by the application of data and analytics within the sports industry, and this sounded like the perfect opportunity to both learn more and test my mettle!

What was the problem you addressed and solution your team came up with?

Our team was tasked with figuring out how Eventellect could be “the best possible partner to NBA teams” by helping them to either maximize revenue, maximize attendance, or minimize risk.  We learned quickly that the ticketing industry was very complex but were able to leverage some of recently learned skills from our MBA program and our passion for the industry to get up to speed.  Our solution was that Eventellect should add a business to consumer segment to complement its current business to business strategy.

How did competing in First Pitch and attending the conference assist with your career?

Competing in the First Pitch competition helped me land my first job within the industry, so it was really an invaluable experience.  I’d also add that attending the conference really opened my eyes to the of breadth of opportunity for someone looking to work in the sports industry.

How do you remain involved with career opportunities at the conference as a professional?

This year will only be my second time attending the conference, but I’m excited to continue building my network and learning more about some of cutting-edge innovations happening within the industry.

What is your favorite thing about working in the sports industry?

I feel like I’m making a difference for both fans and teams being at an innovative company like Eventellect, where we work everyday to make real improvements to the ticketing sector of the sports industry.