Finding the Intersection Between Data, Technology, and Sports

 
Data science and analytics play an ever-increasing and critical role in sports creating an intersection between data and sports. From making some sports safer, to understanding the performance and tactics of opposing teams, and individual player analysis and scouting, there’s hardly an area of sports today that doesn’t intersect in some way with technology and data.

So, how do all the puzzle pieces fit? That was the burning question on Adam Morrisey’s mind. For answers, he sought out a rising sports analytics guru, John Sears. Over a relatively short period, John has made his mark in quantitative analysis, working for HBO’s streaming platform, a nearly three-year stint in predictive analytics at Uber, heading quantitative strategy for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and currently serving as a Special Advisor for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sears joined Morrisey for a lively discussion on Tuesdays with Morrisey on connecting those dots to bring today’s sports into strategic view. And strategy starts with oneself; as Sears said, much thought goes into the decision process behind the positions he takes and the value he can bring to an organization. Often, those decisions went beyond salary.

“You can’t just straight-line every salary for the rest of your life,” Sears said. “It’s the experience. There’s so much more to it than my earnings over the next two years.”

Morrisey and Sears discuss the intersection between data further…

● The sports industry’s evolving approach to the role of data

● Breaking down data and looking for the proper signal to predict performance

● How evaluating data is different depending on the sport

● Upcoming data analytics technology

“These last two or three years, there’s this massive wave of what they call generative models of AI,” Sears said. “For example, I still spend a few hours daily writing and looking at code. And I’ll have a text editor with a plugin called code pilot. It suggests big chunks of code by guessing what I’m trying to do based on how I start writing. It’s eliminated most of the tedious aspects of writing code.”

Uber, The Minnesota Timberwolves, KeepTruckin, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are a few big-name organizations John Sears has worked for since graduating Magna Cum Laude from Carleton College in 2009. Sears earned his MS from Stanford University in 2015; He is a quantitative analysis force of nature.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Investment
Business Investment in Solar and Battery Storage
October 21, 2025

Commercial and industrial electrical rates are rising, and this trend is expected to accelerate due to the massive energy demands from new data centers supporting the AI industry. For example, the Texas electrical grid is projected to need to double its capacity by 2030 to meet this new demand. This significant capital investment…

Read More
cardiovascular
Technology Is Transforming Cardiovascular Care But Can Access Keep Up?
October 21, 2025

Cardiovascular care is entering one of its most transformative periods in decades. Advances in AI imaging and minimally invasive procedures are transforming the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 19.8 million people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2022, representing approximately 32% of all global deaths. This…

Read More
rural healthcare
Hot Takes on Rural Healthcare: Lessons from the Frontlines of a System in Decline
October 21, 2025

Across America, rural hospitals are facing an existential crisis. From physician burnout and recruitment struggles to malpractice insurance woes and shrinking OB units, the challenges facing small health systems are multiplying. According to the National Rural Health Association, roughly 190 rural hospitals have closed down or discontinued inpatient care since 2010 — and many more…

Read More
private schools
Protecting Private Schools and Faith-Based Communities
October 21, 2025

School Safety Today podcast, presented by Raptor Technologies. In this episode of School Safety Today, host Dr. Amy Grosso speaks with Adam Coughran, founder of Safe Kids, Inc., about how private and faith-based schools can strengthen safety practices despite limited resources. KEY POINTS: Physical systems, community engagement, and knowledge must work together for effective…

Read More