Audio Note: We had a technical issue with echo during the introduction, but it improves as the video goes along—thanks for bearing with us!In our tenth episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, our host Amrit Vignesh chats with Alexander Rogers, currently a Football Analyst for the Tennessee Titans. Alex’s journey stretches from playing collegiate football at Drake University to refining his data chops as a senior analyst at Hy-Vee, then diving into NBA strategy and research with the Phoenix Suns—all before making the jump to the NFL.He walks us through how balancing on-field responsibilities at Drake honed his discipline and communication, why short, visual insights often matter more than long reports in a busy NFL front office, and how next-generation college tracking data shapes draft prep and player evaluations. If you’re curious about blending a gridiron background with analytics, this episode offers the real-world roadmap from college ball to professional R&D.

Key Takeaways:

From Gridiron to Analytics: How a collegiate playing career helps interpret data and speak coaches’ language—though it’s not a must-have.

Season vs. Offseason: Short-term coach-focused insights in-season vs. deep R&D and scouting analysis after the final whistle.

Hybrid Skills in Action: Learning to handle everything from data engineering to front-office stakeholder questions at a “startup-like” NFL analytics group.

Visuals & One-Liners: Why color-coded dashboards and quick-hitting metrics turn heads and drive decisions at the highest levels.

Strategic Networking: Tips on building a standout portfolio, refining cold outreach, and showing teams you’re ready to contribute.🔔 Subscribe to our channel for more episodes featuring leaders in sports analytics, career insights, and technical deep-dives!📧 For inquiries or collaborations, contact Dave Yount at [email protected].🎵 Music Credit: Intro and outro music for this episode is “Nomu” by Good Kid.#SportsAnalytics #FootballAnalytics #NFL #NFLanalytics #TennesseeTitans #CollegeFootball #DataScience #PlayerTracking #NBA #PhoenixSuns #Visualization #CareerAdvice #DrakeUniversity

In our ninth episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, our host Amrit Vignesh sits down with Dr. Ron Yurko, an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Statistics & Data Science at Carnegie Mellon University and the Director of the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Center. Ron’s path spans an internship with the Pittsburgh Pirates, a data science role at Zelus Analytics (now Teamworks), and a PhD at Carnegie Mellon—where he now guides the next wave of analysts, develops open-source tools, and co-organizes the annual CMU Sports Analytics Conference.Ron highlights how his early experience manually tracking on-field data at PNC Park fueled his passion for large-scale research, why Python vs. R matters less than mastering the foundations of statistical methods, and how competitions like the NFL Big Data Bowl serve as springboards for building a public portfolio. From uncovering hidden signal in high-dimensional data to exploring the new frontier of pose-based biomechanics, Ron shares his vision of where sports analytics is heading—and how students, researchers, and industry pros can stay ahead of the curve.Key Takeaways: Finding Your Path: How a cold email, an unexpected project, and relentless curiosity launched Ron’s sports analytics career. Big Data Bowl & Beyond: Why public competitions with tracking data are driving the next wave of innovative research. Academic + Industry Mix: Lessons from balancing advanced methodology with the day-to-day needs of teams and clients. Pose Data is Next: From raw player tracking to full skeletal modeling—what emerging data sources mean for future insights. Methodology Over Tool Wars: Why understanding model assumptions and uncertainty trumps any single programming language.🔔 Subscribe to our channel for more episodes featuring leaders in sports analytics, career insights, and technical deep-dives!📧 For inquiries or collaborations, contact me at [email protected].🎵 Music Credit: Intro and outro music for this episode is “Nomu” by Good Kid.#SportsAnalytics #DataScience #CarnegieMellon #MLB #NFL #NFLBigDataBowl #MachineLearning #AI #AnalyticsEducation #CareerAdvice #Academia #Innovation

In our eighth episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, our host Amrit Vignesh sits down with Yeshayah Goldfarb, the former Vice President of Baseball Operations and Baseball Resources & Development for the San Francisco Giants. Over a remarkable 24-year tenure—and three World Series rings—Yeshayah rose from intern to executive, pioneering new

In our seventh episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, our host Amrit Vignesh sits down with Sam Marks, Director of Business Strategy and Analytics for the Boston Bruins and TD Garden. From assembling the first analytics department at the Arizona Coyotes to managing high-impact revenue decisions for an Original Six NHL franchise, Sam shows how data, empathy, and forward-thinking leadership can drive transformative outcomes across the sports industry.

Key Takeaways:

Fan-Centric Analytics: Using models and market insights to deliver real-time, data-driven improvements to the arena experience.

Hedging Against Volatility: How sports analytics can mitigate the unpredictable nature of wins, losses, and market factors.

Monte Carlo Simulations: How scenario-driven approaches empower more nuanced pricing and revenue forecasts.

Evolving Tech Stack: Why continuous learning—across SQL, Tableau, AI, and beyond—keeps your analytics toolkit future-proof.

🔔 Subscribe to our channel for more episodes featuring leaders in sports analytics, career insights, and technical deep-dives!

In our sixth episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, our host Amrit Vignesh sits down with John Tobias, an on-air TV Statistician at ESPN, Program Director of Sports Analytics at UNC Charlotte, and Founder of the Strength in Numbers nonprofit. From producing real-time metrics in ESPN broadcasts, to creating one of the few collegiate sports analytics internship programs in the nation, to forging open pathways for underrepresented students—John embodies how passion and purpose can reshape the field.

In our fifth episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, our host Amrit Vignesh sits down with Dr. Josh Pohlkamp-Hartt, the Associate Director of Hockey Analytics at the Boston Bruins. From designing novel neutral-zone metrics with the Kingston Frontenacs to sharpening in-game analytics for one of the NHL’s most storied franchises, Josh has seen firsthand how data transforms pro hockey decision-making.

Key Takeaways:

In our fourth episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, our host Amrit Vignesh sits down with Riley Leonard, a Data Scientist in Sports Modeling & Innovation at FanDuel who’s also worked in the Boston Red Sox baseball analytics department. Riley shares how he built robust models to price MLB odds in real time, balanced fast-paced sports betting challenges, and leaned on the same pitch-by-pitch data used in MLB front offices.

Key Takeaways:

In the third episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, our host Amrit Vignesh sits down with Neil Pierre-Louis, a Software Engineer for Baseball Systems at the Boston Red Sox. Neil takes us on a fascinating ride—starting as an Environmental Science major, interning at Google, leading analytics projects for UNC Baseball, and now contributing to an MLB front office.

📧 For inquiries or collaborations, contact Dave Yount at

In our second episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, host Amrit Vignesh sits down with Maezelle Millan, Senior Data Analyst at the Chicago Bulls. Maezelle takes us through her inspiring journey from collegiate basketball player at Claremont McKenna College to a thriving career in

Topics Covered:

In the very first episode of the Sport Analytics Podcast, our host Amrit Vignesh sat down with Justin Newman, the newly appointed Head of Player Analysis for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Justin takes us on a fascinating journey through his career in Major League Baseball, from his early days as a Baseball Informatics Intern to managing the Pirates' Research and Development team to his current role as Head of Player