Sport Management Student Organizations

Baseball Sabermetrics

Baseball Sabermetrics and Statistics Club

Sabermetrics is the study of advanced baseball statistics. This club conducts in-depth discussions about everything related to baseball, with members taking part in a fantasy baseball league and guest speakers brought in on a variety of topics throughout the year.

Over the course of the 2023-24 academic year, club members worked on several research projects, including pitcher impact on base-stealing prevention and classifying Major League hitters into different archetypes. Club members also attended Syracuse Mets games and held a mock case competition where participants received feedback from faculty as well as an industry professional.

Guest speakers from 2023-24 included SU Sport Analytics alumni, Major League Baseball executives, baseball publication writers and SABR researchers, among others.

Club meetings also consisted of discussing Major League Baseball current events, participating in a mock offseason where members act as the General Manger of a Major League Baseball franchise, and fun activities such as baseball jeopardy and watch parties.

In Spring 2024, for the 10th straight year, Club members participated in the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) Analytics’ Spring Diamond Dollars Case Competition in Phoenix (AZ). Undergraduate teams were separated into competition rooms, where they presented to judges. They also attended a Chicago Cubs Spring Training game.

“Having a Sabermetrics club at Syracuse is important as it allows for students to study in-depth advanced baseball statistics to create a better understanding of the game and of player value,” Paul said. “Students will learn the origins and uses of sabermetric statistics and then discuss and debate their usage. The goal of the club is to inform and encourage the use of advanced baseball statistics for a variety of uses in the industry.”

Club officers for 2024-25 are President Jonah Soos, Vice President Jessica Fackler, Director of Engagement Jacob Kalamvokis, Director of Programming Caitlin Kohlmeier, Director of Outreach Zachary Silverstein, Director of Research Danny Baris, Director of Operations James Young and Fiscal Agent Hayden Orenstein. For more information, email Soos at jasoos@syr.edu.

SU Sabermetrics Club logo

Participants of competition standing together
In Spring 2024, Club members participated in the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) Analytics’ Spring Diamond Dollars Case Competition in Phoenix (AZ).

Baseball Sabermetrics club viewing presentation in classroom

Basketball Analytics

Basketball Analytics Club

The Syracuse University Basketball Analytics Club concluded its eighth year in 2023-2024 with more than 50 members who strive to uncover fascinating statistical trends in basketball through research as well as maintaining a fun environment to discuss and debate all things basketball.

The organization was assembled to conduct analysis on the NBA, NCAA, and high school basketball and has expedited the process of recording large sums of data at an efficient pace. Club members are working on research on a variety of topics focusing on professional and college basketball organizations, teams, players and business strategies.

During the 2023-24 academic year, the Club hosted guest speakers from many aspects of the sport industry. Club members participated in the Syracuse University Basketball Analytics Competition, Mock Case Competition, Milwaukee Bucks Hackathon, Mock Trade Deadline, Expansion Draft, NBA Mock Draft, Fantasy Basketball League and a Scavenger Hunt.

RJ Frahm is the club president.

Baseball Analytics members at Nets game
Members of the Syracuse University Basketball Analytics Club attended a Brooklyn Nets game in Spring 2022.

Baseball Analytics Logo

Students participate in Mock Trade
Adam Goodman, Ari Glazier, Seth Quinn, Jared LaVigueur, Jackson Hett, Preston Klaus, Robert Frahm and Garrett Naylor (from left) participated in UMass Amherst’s Mock Trade Deadline Basketball Case Competition on Feb. 19, 2022.

Football Analytics

Football Analytics Club

7 students with masks are presenting The Football Analytics Club was established during the 2017-18 academic year and became an officially recognized Syracuse University student organization in Fall 2019. The club started with four members, grew to 40 the next year, and now features more than 100 members. The club meets weekly discussing all things related to football, conducting research, competing in trivia contests, and welcoming guest speakers, among other activities.

During the 2021-22 academic year, club members used modeling techniques from class to compare the NFL’s Most Valuable Players across several seasons to determine the overall MVP over the last decade. Students also analyzed data from Pro Football Focus and assisted with projects. The club held a mock offseason after the Super Bowl. Students were given full control over the NFL team of their choosing as the club president acted as Commissioner of the league. Students could make agreed-upon trades, sign or release players, and even restructure contracts. The exercise gave students a glimpse of how difficult it is to stay under the salary cap while simulating an offseason. The simulation ended with a three-round mock draft just before the official NFL Draft. Also, club members formed teams for the NFL’s Big Data Bowl, working in groups to answer the prompt, while gaining valuable experience competing in the intense football analytics competition.

A highlight of the Spring 2022 semester was hosting the Second Annual Syracuse University Football Analytics Blitz in partnership with Pro Football Focus. More than 10 teams from colleges and universities across the country participated in the event that featured judges from Pro Football Focus. The teams received their prompt the week before the competition and were given one week to solve the prompt and put together a presentation on their findings.

In Fall 2019 and Fall 2018, club members attended a Buffalo Bills game, where members met with Sport Analytics alumnus Evan Weiss ’19, a football analytics analyst for the Bills. Weiss was also the founder and first president of SU’s Football Analytics Club.

Club members have worked on many research projects over the past few years, exploring topics such as “Do NFL Players Perform Worse After Receiving a Large Free Agent Contract;” “Do NFL Referees Display Bias Towards Certain Calls or Teams;” “How Winning/Losing Streaks Impact Future Winning Chances and Betting Lines;” and “How Player Arrests Affect Team Winning Percentage in the NFL.” The Club has also conducted research for the XFL.

The Football Analytics Club routinely welcomes sport industry guest speakers such as Neil Hornsby, founder and CEO of Pro Football Focus; Bryan Kilmeade and Sam Schwartzstein, of the XFL’s football operations department; Tucker Zeleny, director of sports analytics at the University of Nebraska; JT Busco, Syracuse University football assistant coach; and Ryan Smith, analyst and account manager at Pro Football Focus. These speakers, among others, give students insight into the use of analytics in both professional and college football.

The Football Analytics Club meets weekly during the academic year. All Syracuse University students are welcome to attend. For more information, call 315-443-9881.

Hockey Analytics

Hockey Analytics Club

Hockey Analytics Club

The Hockey Analytics Club is a student-run organization that meets weekly during the academic year to discuss trends and events in the world of hockey. The Club conducts analytical research and has worked with the Syracuse University Women’s Ice Hockey team, the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and SU’s Tennity Adult League. Through these connections, club members have secured hockey statistician internships.

In the Fall 2023 semester, the Club hosted a mock case competition utilizing the new NHL EDGE data website. They also continued research titled “NHL Roster Salary Composition’s Effect on Team Success.” Club members often stage various activities such as a mock trade deadline, club fantasy hockey league, in-season predictions discussions, draft and free agency prediction activities and an analytics-based scavenger hunt. Outside of club meetings, members frequently get together to play floor hockey at the multipurpose court at SU’s Barnes Center. In addition, the club annually hosts guest speakers, including NHL agent Allan Walsh, Dante Giugliano (Hockey Trader at FanDuel) and Sam Ventura (Buffalo Sabres).

Sport Management, Hockey Club 2023 members photo

The club uses analytics in its research, discussions, and projects and features students from numerous majors on campus. The club is open to all SU students and recognizes that students from all academic backgrounds can positively contribute to its growth. Join us to gain analytical research skills, learn from industry leaders, and talk hockey with fellow fanatics.

Club officers for 2023-24 are President David Gold, Vice President Ian MacMiller, Director of Operations Ryan Severe, Director of Research Rob White, Director of Media Quinn Robnett. Director of Outreach Caleb Rice, Director of Programming Robert Yardley and Freshman Advisor Carter Pietrowski. Contact Gold at dbgold@syr.edu for more information.

Sales and Marketing Club

Sales and Marketing Club

Sales and Marketing Club logo

Sport Media and Marketing Club 2023 members

The Department of Sport Management’s Sales Club merged with the Sports Media and Marketing Club in Spring 2023 to become the Sales and Marketing Club.

The Sales Club was established in 2015 to act as a platform for earning members hands-on experience in the sport sales industry. In a job market with increasing demands for preliminary experience, students can add practical sales experience to their resumes. The club welcomes guest speakers in person and virtually each semester, holds workshops and events for members, while also pairing with Syracuse University Athletics to help sell tickets.

The Sport Media and Marketing Club was formed in Fall 2020 to provide students an opportunity to learn more about these particular segments of the sport industry. The club’s mission is to provide real-world experiences for students by taking part in projects as well as connecting with peers, faculty advisors, and industry professionals.

In Fall 2022, the Sales Club worked with the Midstate Athletic Community Center (MACC) ice rink in Cicero on sponsorships, while also recruiting new members. They welcomed numerous guest speakers and hosted a sales training exercise with New York Mets sales managers. During the Spring 2023 semester, an in-person Sales Combine was held for students in partnership with the New York Mets and Syracuse Legends, who provided the students with sales tips and strategies.

In Spring 2023, the Sports Media and Marketing Club focused on building podcast skills and recording episodes. Sport Management alumna Christina Brennan, president of The Digital Renegades, spoke to the club about her job and career path. The Club’s “5th Down Podcast” is a project that began in Spring 2022 with four episodes, including interviews with Sport Management faculty members as well as former SU student Walter Simasek. The goal of the podcast is to discuss important issues and current events in the sport media landscape that will shape the future of the sport industry. Here is Spotify link to each of the four episodes published so far.

Going forward, the Sales and Marketing Club will focus on holding interactive meetings, and welcoming guest speakers while prioritizing creating a club that acts as an inclusive space for students interested in both sales and marketing. Club members also have plans to create a podcast, where they will “talk everything sports” as well as promote club events and gain new members.

Club officers for 2023-24 are President Brianna Nechifor, Social Media Manager Jack Hitter, Shadow Pedro de Angel-Rodriguez, Podcast Co-Managers Matthew Tang and Jesse LaMon, and Community Relations Manager Ryan Zimmerman.

The club meets weekly during the academic year. Students from all majors are welcome. For more information, contact club advisor David Meluni at dmmeluni@syr.edu or Brianna Nechifor at bnechifo@syr.edu.

Soccer Analytics

Soccer Analytics Club

Soccer Analytics LogoThe Syracuse University Soccer Analytics Club, which was founded in 2018, conducts analysis and research on the various soccer leagues around the world. The club provides a platform for students with a passion for soccer to discuss the sport and work together, conducting research using a variety of statistical methods and analytical tools. The club meets weekly during the academic year, and meetings are open to all Syracuse University students, regardless of major.

In Spring 2024, the club predicted the results of the 2026 World Cup. This was accomplished through an OLS regression which identified the furthest round a country was expected to make it to. A randomized draw based on actual constraints was created in order to simulate the tournament. According to our model, Argentina is expected to repeat as champions. However, the World Cup is still two years out, so the prediction may change once the 2026 World Cup is upon us.

Club members strive to improve the scope of analytics in the world of soccer, hoping the same number of statistics available for basketball or baseball will be available for soccer. Students are busy with research projects, meeting with executives and analytics professionals from the soccer industry, attending conferences to present their research, and participating in competitions. In Fall 2023, the club focused on the research element through a case competition where the prompt asked which players were the biggest bargain of all summer sales. The groups used a variety of methods to come to their conclusions.

The club’s major success has been achieved in the form of papers of being selected for various conferences, including the 2021 MIT Sloan Sport Analytics Conference, 2020 Midwest Sport Analytics Conference, and 2020 Carnegie Mellon Sport Analytics Conference. The club also won the award for Best Undergraduate Paper at the 2021 Academy of Economics and Finance Conference and received an Honorable Mention at the 2020 Carnegie Mellon Sport Analytics Conference.

Officers for the 2023-2024 academic year are president Caleb Heller, vice president Maxime Theriault, director of operations Sebastian Bush, director of research Theo Schmidt, director of recruitment and engagement Jack Martin and director of social media Cesar Barrera. For more information, email Heller at caheller@syr.edu.

Sport Analytics Women

Sport Analytics Women (SAW)

Sport Analytics Women Club Photo 2023
Sport Analytics Women Logo
SABR 2023 Boland, Oppel, Gilmore, Kyranakis and Maddux
SAW Club members (from left) Adelaide Gilley, Piper Evans, Isabel Alfonso, Lauren Fraser and Alison Gilmore attended the Fall 2023 Women in Sports Data Symposium in Philadelphia.

Formed in Fall 2020, Falk College’s Sport Analytics Women (SAW) Club strives to create a group of like-minded women to build relationships, assemble a support system and study sport analytics during their time at Syracuse University and into their post-graduate careers. The club’s mission is to collaborate and serve as a positive advocate for women in sport analytics by connecting with each other as well as with professionals in the industry. The goal of creating relevant opportunities for club members is achieved through tutorials on programs such as R, SQL, Python and Tableau, group research projects and hosting guest speakers.

In Spring 2024, the SAW Club met weekly, held workshops focusing on various topics and hosted guest speakers, including FanDuel NHL Sports Trader Sara Barshap, who is also the Assistant Commissioner of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. Club members also hosted a Women in Sports panel, attended the Syracuse Crunch’s Women in Sports Night, participated in a T-shirt toss at a Syracuse University women’s basketball game celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day and attended a Buffalo Sabres game to meet with executives.

Guest speakers have included Mackenzie Mangos ’22 (Player Valuation Analyst at the Pittsburgh Pirates), Kylie Dedrick ’23 (Team Data Solutions Strategist at the NBA), Drina Domic ’19, (Data Scientist in Business Intelligence and Solutions at the NBA), Ally Blake (Data Scientist at the NFL), Ella Summer (Miami Dolphins), Julianne Jochym (NHL), Lindsay Barenz (Oakland Roots/Oakland Soul), Kelsey McDonald (Brooklyn Nets) and Juliette Gorson (FanDuel).

In Fall 2023, several Club members attend the Women in Sports Data Symposium in Philadelphia to network and attend panels from females working in the sports data landscape.

The Club also continued its partnership with Sports Info Solutions, as members are paired based on their interests with individuals in the company, creating a mentor/mentee relationship.

Club officers for 2024 are Co-Presidents Isabel Alfonso and Anna Pierce, Director of Outreach Maddy Forster, Director of Programming Danielle Napierski and Secretary/Fiscal Agent Claire Patin.

The club meets weekly during the academic year in Falk College. Students from all majors are welcome. Follow the club’s Instagram or Twitter. For more information, email Pierce at apierc03@syr.edu

SPM Club

Sport Management Club

The Sport Management Club is a student-run organization in the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics’ Department of Sport Management. Since its founding in 2005, the Club has raised more than $700,000 for local charities.

Under the guidance of Sport Management Director and Endowed Professor Michael Veley and dedicated student leaders, the Sport Management Club has provided countless students, regardless of major, invaluable experiential learning opportunities to expand their professional, academic, and social skillsets.

The Club’s signature event is its annual Charity Sports Auction to raise money for a Syracuse-area charity. The 19th annual auction was held in a hybrid format, both in person at SU’s JMA Wireless Dome and online, in November 2023. To support Tillie’s Touch, supporters placed bids on hundreds of items, including sports memorabilia, gift certificates, household items, vacation packages, and electronics. Previous beneficiaries of the club’s annual charity auction have included Make-A-Wish Central New York, Boys & Girls Clubs, Golisano Children’s Hospital at Upstate, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, the Central New York SPCA, the Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of CNY, the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission Alliance, American Diabetes Association, the Boeheim Foundation, Vera House, and McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center. For more information about the annual Charity Auction, visit Twitter @SPMAuction as well as sucharitysportsauction.com

A highlight of the Fall 2023 semester was hosting guest speaker Brett Greenberg, Assistant General Manager of the Washington Wizards, who provided a look into what happens in the front office of an NBA team. Greenberg offered valuable insights about professional development, analytics and the daily decision-making that goes into such a high-level position. In addition, the fall semester reintroduced mentorship groups. Led by upperclassmen, existing and new members worked alongside each other in club Kahoots, Jeopardy, and a Scavenger Hunt to further bond the club. The groups provided a structured place to ask questions and build leadership skills. The Club took a trip to a Syracuse Mets game in September as well as an outing to Apex Entertainment for bowling and laser tag.

During the academic year, the Club routinely hosts guest speakers, takes group trips, and volunteers in the community, including Meals on Wheels, Make-A-Wish Central New York, 3fifteen, Ronald McDonald House, OttoTHON, and New Castle Youth Basketball Association.

The Sport Management Club meets weekly during the academic year at 7pm Tuesdays in Falk 100. Students from all majors are welcome. For more information, contact President Jack Martin at jmart124@syr.edu. Officers for 2024 are Executive Vice President Livia McQuade, Vice President of Membership Adelaide Gilley, Vice President of Administration James Sickel, Vice President of Programming Tynan Weathers, Co- Vice President of Community Service Kate Bradley, and Co- Vice Presidentof Community Service Emily Gilbert.

Three males students co-chairs of the 2023 Charity Sports Auction standing together
Jacob Geisinger, Zach Roth and Alex Grossman served as co-chairs of the 2023 Charity Sports Auction.
Standing on football field, 50 students volunteers for SPM Auction
Club members are shown at the 2023 Charity Sport Auction.

Sportsbook Analytics

Sportsbook Analytics Club

The Falk College Sportsbook Analytics Club was founded in 2019 in response to one of the fastest growing industries in the nation. The club and its members continue to explore, learn, and discuss the ever-changing landscape of sport prediction markets, such as legalized sports betting and daily fantasy sports.

The club has annually expanded both in membership and in programming. In addition to discussion about the industry’s news and latest trends, the club has introduced workshops and competitions. They also host guest speakers from around the sport industry throughout the academic year. In Spring 2024, Nick Ercolano, of BDGE, joined the Club to discuss branding, media and podcasting in the sports betting space. Also in Spring 2024, the Sportsbook Analytics Club was featured on Syracuse’s Spectrum News, as the students discussed how betting markets are made and how the club is connecting students to the sports betting landscape. Watch it here

In the Fall of 2023, the club partnered with Smashup Fantasy Sports, a daily fantasy app that adds a twist of applying power-up cards to their daily fantasy lineup. While club members can compete in all of the app’s competitions, Smashup is also allowing the Sportsbook Analytics Club to compete against other universities, testing the club’s lineup projection skills on a national level.

The club completed its first official research project in 2022 by submitting a poster to the Falk Research Poster Competition titled, “Does Win Percentage Correlate to Point Production in the NFL?” Club members scraped data to see if two teams over .500 win percentage would score the “over” on total points and if two teams under .500 win percentage would score the “under” on total points. Members created a model to predict over/under based on win percentage, but it was found that win percentage should not be used as an indicator of total point production in the NFL.

Students from all majors and backgrounds are welcome to join the club and attend weekly meetings. Club officers for 2024-2025 are President Charlie Maddux, Vice President Luke Hildebrand, Director of Research Dylan Stafeil, Director of Outreach Robbie Giegerich and Treasurer Jacob Kalamvokis. For more information, email Maddux at chmaddux@syr.edu.

Sport Professionals of Color

Sport Professionals of Color

Sport Professionals of Color Club 2023 Portrait
Craig Muckle, director of communications for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), spoke to the Falk College Sport Professionals of Color Club in Fall 2022. (from left).

The Department of Sport Management’s Sport Professionals of Color Club is an organization that strives to uplift and connect students of color who are interested in working in the Sport Industry.

The organization was formed during the 2014-15 academic year with the purpose of helping to guide young professionals in their pursuit of success and career establishment in the industry. The club strives to improve members’ professional skills, host speakers, foster networking growth, and create a sense of community among students of different backgrounds.

Over the course of the 2022-23 academic year, the club welcomed many guest speakers, with experiences ranging from the WNBA to nonprofit organizations, including Tyrone Brooks, Senior Director of the MLB Diversity Pipeline Program, and Destiny Castro, Customer Relationship Management Manager with NYCFC. Brooks spoke to the club about the MLB’s continued diversity efforts as well as gave advice about applying to internships. Castro, who graduated from the Sport Management program in 2018, shared her experience of graduating from Syracuse and working her way through New York City professional sports teams.

SPOC member attend dinner
The Sport Professionals of Color Club held a holiday dinner for its members in December 2022.

During Women’s History Month, the organization collaborated with Women in Sports and Events (WISE) to put on a Title IX panel, featuring Syracuse Athletics’ Senior Women’s Administrator Kirsten Elleby and WomenX executives Tiffany Bullock (COO) and Mary Ciampa (Founder and CEO). The conversation stemmed around Title IX’s influence on college athletics and the intersectionality of being a woman and person of color working in sport. Additionally, the organization met with student-athletes at Fowler High School to teach them about the opportunities available working in sport and college advice for transitioning out of athletics.

The club is always looking for new members to take part in its activities and meetings. Past events include a WNBA Draft Party, group outings to Syracuse Athletics events, as well as hosting an NBA Internship panel. The club has welcomed former Olympian and Syracuse Senior Deputy Athletics Director Herman Frazier, former NFL player Lou Alexander, author/consultant Will Baggett, and Falk College benefactor David Falk, among others. Committees are working to help the club grow its membership and campus presence.

Meetings are open to all Syracuse University students. Email Club president Jeremiah Patterson-Yancey at jtpatter@syr.edu or call the Department of Sport Management at 315-443-9881 for more information.

Tennis Analytics Club

Tennis Analytics Club

Students sitting in tables in a room.The Tennis Analytics Club was formed in Fall 2022 to bring together students who share a common interest in the sport.

During the 2023-24 academic year, club members created a Shiny App that lets users see player statistic output in wins and losses to measure what kind of factors may indicate more success. They also used RStudio for data manipulation, aggregation, visualization, and analysis in a variety of ways, using data from various online sources like the ATP and WTA websites, GitHub, and others. The Club discussed various statistical and machine learning concepts such as the probability of independent events, the Bayes Rule, decision trees, gradient boosting and clustering, and applied them to tennis. Club members met weekly to discuss relevant tournaments as well as news in the tennis sector of professional sports. They also researched websites such as FanDuel and DraftKings.

In previous semesters, the Club measured the effects of first and second serve strategies in the ATP.

Officers for 2024-25 are President Jarrett Markman, Vice President Jordan Hemley, Treasurer Chris Marfisi and Director of Research Jameson Bodenburg. Contact Markman at jmarkman@syr.edu for more information.

WISE

Women in Sports and Events (WISE)

Women in Sports and Events (WISE) is a nationally recognized group whose goal is to be a leading voice and resource for women who currently work in, or aspire to be a part of, the professional field of sports and events. In 2009, Syracuse University was voted in as the first collegiate chapter of WISE’s national organization, and since its inception on campus, has offered multiple professional development opportunities for members. Students in WISE are involved with numerous events and activities over the course of the academic year, including networking trips, fundraisers, interview workshops, professional development seminars, community service, and assisting with SPM alumni events.

Over the course of the Fall 2023 semester, the WISE Club hosted several guest speakers, including Kaitlynn Miller, Seattle Kraken; Nikki Scala, NFL; and Brianna Courtney-Main, Buffalo Sabres. Club members also volunteered at the Ms. Orange Luncheon benefitting Make-A-Wish CNY, fundraised for American Cancer Society and Food Bank of CNY, toured NBT Bank Stadium and hosted a networking dinner with SU Athletics.

WISE members often volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House in Syracuse to cook and serve meals to families staying at the facility. The group also co-hosts workshops focusing on campus resources and resumes; partners with Witty Wicks, a homemade candle company, and Chipotle, to fundraise for future networking trips and events; and welcomes numerous guest speakers to campus or virtually.

Keep up with SU’s WISE Club on Social Media: Twitter: @WISE_SU; Instagram: WISE_Cuse; and Facebook: Women in Sports and Events at Syracuse University.

Club officers for 2024 are Erin Moore, President; Ashley Stewart, Vice President; Jacqueline DiPaolo, Community Outreach and Fundraising Chair; and Kate Bradley, Communications Chair.

The WISE Club includes women from all majors on campus interested in pursuing careers in sports and events. For more information, email WISE advisor Beth Perez at erper100@syr.edu, or club president Erin Moore at ejmoore@syr.edu

WISE logo with masked members

WISE student organization group photo

WISE group photo with Otto

WISE group photo during Syracuse Mets tour