Emory Professor Mike Lewis is all in on March Madness this year as his Illini are among the teams with the best odds to win the tournament. In this episode, Mike shares why he thinks the NCAA Tournament is the best playoff system of all of sports. He and co-host Doug Battle then make predictions for the tournament as well as its ratings. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmike/message Fanalytics is a part of the Professors.fm podcast network - making sense...
Mar 17, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 110
This week, Fanalytics partnered with the Emory Marketing Analytics Center to continue our 2021 Webinar Speaker Series with Yahoo Sports Senior Writer and Earnhardt Nation author Jay Busbee. Jay joined us to discuss the art of storytelling in sports as well as the state of sports in the COVID age. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmike/message Fanalytics is a part of the Professors.fm podcast network - making sense of the world with top scholars. Check out...
Mar 11, 2021•58 min•Ep. 109
Emory MBA students join this week's podcast to ask Professor Mike Lewis questions regarding the intersection of March Madness and analytics. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmike/message Fanalytics is a part of the Professors.fm podcast network - making sense of the world with top scholars. Check out more Fanalytics content at fandomanalytics.com and fanalytics.substack.com. And make sure to follow us on social! Instagram: @fanalyticsmikelewis Twitter: @...
Mar 09, 2021•45 min•Ep. 108
In this episode, Emory Marketing Professor Mike Lewis discusses his recently published NFL Fandom Rankings, the purpose of the upcoming NBA All Star Weekend, and how the Atlanta sports curse has continued into the pandemic. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmike/message Fanalytics is a part of the Professors.fm podcast network - making sense of the world with top scholars. Check out more Fanalytics content at fandomanalytics.com and fanalytics.substack.co...
Mar 02, 2021•53 min•Ep. 107
Uniforms play a key role in fandom as the jerseys worn by players ultimately serve as packaging for the product fans consume. With every NBA franchise implementing at least one new uniform this season, a few teams/brands have generated enthusiasm among their fanbases while others have left much to be desired. Which uniforms best enhance a franchise's overall brand? Which fail to do so? What common denominators can we observe in those that work well and those that do not? These are the questions ...
Feb 23, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 106
Following Super Bowl LV's disappointing ratings, one trend signals a potential problem for the NFL. Sure, there are a number of factors contributing to poor ratings across sports this year. A lack of gatherings clearly impacts events such as the Super Bowl. America's cultural divide drives some former viewers to "cancel" teams and leagues for their stances (or lack thereof). And of course, crowd-less competition generates less excitement as pre-COVID sporting events. But even this a season of cu...
Feb 15, 2021•50 min•Ep. 105
A few injuries to the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line may have robbed football fans of the Brady-Mahomes duel they envisioned going into Super Bowl LV... Especially with one starting offensive lineman out on the front line fighting COVID-19 (no, really). But nevertheless, the biggest night in American sports provided the all-around entertainment package fans have come to expect on the first Sunday of each February. Tom Brady masterfully dissected the Kansas City defense while Todd Bowles's Tam...
Feb 09, 2021•59 min•Ep. 104
Why are so many major brands sitting out America's greatest marketing holiday this year? And what can football fans expect from advertisers during Super Bowl LV? Super Bowl LV comes with more unknowns than any Super Bowl in history - especially off the field. Sports viewership has been down amidst a global pandemic, and there's no telling how Sunday's viewership will compare to Super Bowls of the past... Not to mention how different the experience will be for audiences watching in isolation rath...
Feb 01, 2021•58 min•Ep. 103
A matchup between the faces of the NFL's past and present makes for one of the most riveting Super Bowl matchups in recent memory. As the classic pocket quarterback Tom Brady looks to further cement his status as "GOAT," the more electric and unorthodox Patrick Mahomes seeks to assert himself as the league's most feared signal-caller from this day forward. This Super Bowl matchup serves as a microcosm of a league awaiting a passing of the guard - a league with players such as Patrick Mahomes, Jo...
Jan 27, 2021•45 min•Ep. 102
Brooklyn's "all-in" approach to acquiring James Harden has basketball fans debating whether the Nets will finally overthrow the Knicks as New York's top basketball brand. And for good reason: Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant are sure to draw in more young basketball fans than New York's starless squad. But with the Knicks dominating the Nets in terms of fan equity, road equity, and social equity after decades of inferior play, Mike and I find ourselves asking this question: what does...
Jan 19, 2021•49 min•Ep. 101
Discussion of the weekend's NFL Playoff action leads to a breakdown of the 2018 NFL QB class that featured Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson. Professor Mike Lewis and his co-host Doug Battle then segway to college sports following the NCAAs postponement of Name, Image, and Likeness legislation. Mike breaks down exactly how the NCAA's eventual adoption of player compensation methods will affect teams such as Alabama, USC, and Notre Dame. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spo...
Jan 11, 2021•45 min•Ep. 100
2020 was a year of massive shocks to what was an evolving sports landscape. The economic shock was a brutal short-term blow that will have long-term ramifications. The flourishing social justice movements accelerated a shift away from legacy segments of consumers. And in the background, we have a continuing technology revolution that is changing how sports are consumed and the very nature of fandom. Sports are part of the culture, and the culture is evolving in dramatic ways. And the evolution o...
Jan 04, 2021•58 min•Ep. 99
While our studies typically pertain to sports, the concepts we apply to sports can also be used to analyze political fandoms, entertainment fandoms, and in this case: the Star Wars fandom. In our Christmas week episode of Fanalytics, we discuss Disney's The Mandalorian as well as the response of Star Wars fans across the globe. We then discuss the franchise's future, why we can guarantee "Baby Yoda's" (Grogu's) return to the Disney + streaming platform, and what The Mandalorian has taught us abo...
Dec 21, 2020•57 min•Ep. 98
Mike Lewis draws from his recent experience as an Illinois Fighting Illini fan to emphasize how hope can rejuvenate one's fandom. Following a discussion of Illinois' recent victory over Duke on the hardwood, Mike and Doug discuss what caused Lovie Smith to fail at Illinois after leading the Chicago Bears to their most recent Super Bowl appearance. The two then discuss Nick Saban, Lovie Smith, and why successful college coaches often struggle in the NFL (and vice versa). In the show's final segme...
Dec 15, 2020•53 min•Ep. 97
In this episode, Professor Mike Lewis and co-host Doug Battle talk about the week in sports and dig a little deeper into two stories: one national and one very local. The Sarah Fuller story keeps coming, but there has been a fork in the road. The major media outlets continue to laud the history-making, glass shattering event while Twitter and Youtube contain plenty of amateur commentators happy to mock Vandy’s alleged publicity stunt. Mike and Doug break down why. This sparks a conversation on a...
Dec 07, 2020•52 min•Ep. 96
This episode features discussion on The Legends Only League premiere featuring Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr., insight on branding in the star-driven business of boxing, and multiple perspectives on media coverage of Sarah Fuller's debut as Vanderbilt's kicker. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmike/message Fanalytics is a part of the Professors.fm podcast network - making sense of the world with top scholars. Check out more Fanalytics content at fandomanal...
Dec 01, 2020•20 min•Ep. 95
What differentiates all-time great NFL quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Russell Wilson from former number one picks Matthew Stafford and Andrew Luck? Do Brady and Wilson just have the "it-factor" - that clutch, intangible quality that separates Michael Jordan from LeBron James in the minds of many sports fans? Are they better passers? Better teammates? Better "winners?" Or have the situations inherited by these "goats" skewed public opinion in their favor? It's not difficult to imagine players li...
Nov 24, 2020•42 min•Ep. 94
Talking heads have provided endless debate on who will go first in the 2020 NBA Draft, who the Lakers may add via trade, and how the Nets could acquire James Harden on Draft Night. With opinion pieces and hypothetical debates saturating the media, Mike and co-host Doug Battle provide something unique for the intellectual basketball fan - a critical thinker's primer for the NBA Draft. In this podcast, Mike discusses how variance and the negativity bias will play roles in Draft Night decision maki...
Nov 17, 2020•47 min•Ep. 93
Professor Mike Lewis and co-host Doug Battle discuss the fandom implications of this week's happenings in the worlds of college football and politics. In the show's first segment, Doug discusses the lack of fan enthusiasm for non-playoff bowl games. Mike and Doug then discuss the Notre Dame fanbase after their biggest win in the Playoff era before discussing Jim Harbaugh's situation in Ann Arbor. The show concludes with a continuation of last week's election / polling conversation. Doug describe...
Nov 09, 2020•40 min•Ep. 92
In an episode releasing on November 3rd, Emory Analytics Professor Mike Lewis addresses potential pitfalls in polling through an objective lens. Mike also addresses how optics surrounding polls may affect who shows up to vote in this election. But first, Mike and his co-host Doug Battle discuss an array of sports stories ranging from the Philadelphia 76ers' acquisition of Daryl Morey to the Chicago Bears' fight involving former Georgia Bulldog Javon Wims and former Florida Gator CJ Gardner-Johns...
Nov 02, 2020•47 min•Ep. 91
As the World Series approaches Game 6, Professor Mike Lewis and co-host Doug Battle discuss how Tampa Bay and Los Angeles are fighting for the title of "Title Town" in 2020. Discussion of Tampa leads to a continued discussion surrounding Tom Brady - which leads to a conversation regarding the use of analytics in Fantasy Football. In the show's final segment, Professor Mike Lewis floats the possibility of Dallas drafting Trevor Lawerence by Doug. The two observe how each NFC East team is 1-2 game...
Oct 27, 2020•40 min•Ep. 90
Following a weekend which involved the Atlanta Braves blowing a 3-1 series lead as well as the Georgia Bulldogs blowing a lead for the third time in a row against Alabama, Mike and Doug dive into the "Georgia Sports Curse." What variables cause teams and entire markets to reap the same results consistently? We discuss in this one. Then, following Tom Brady's route of the previously undefeated Green Bay Packers as well as the Rays' game 7 victory over Houston, Mike questions if the Tampa Bay Ligh...
Oct 19, 2020•46 min•Ep. 89
After LeBron James became the first player in NBA history to win a title with 3 different franchises, Professor Mike Lewis and show co-host Doug Battle discuss how LeBron's team-hopping approach impacts his legacy. Then, the two discuss the NFL's injury problem this season, how the college football playoff picture is taking shape, and how the MLB could benefit from the Astros scandal. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmike/message Fanalytics is a part of ...
Oct 13, 2020•37 min•Ep. 88
Fanalytics recently partnered with the Emory Marketing Analytics Center to continue our 2020 Webinar Speaker Series. In this installment, VESSOL founder and former NFL wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi joined us for a discussion titled "Using Disruption to Create Desired Outcomes. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmike/message Fanalytics is a part of the Professors.fm podcast network - making sense of the world with top scholars. Check out more Fanalytics c...
Oct 08, 2020•56 min•Ep. 87
For the first time ever, the NBA Finals are taking place amidst the NFL, MLB, and college football regular seasons. In this episode, Emory Marketing Professor Mike Lewis breaks down how an oversaturated sports schedule has affected these leagues. Mike and co-host Doug Battle observe the storylines that the NFL has created and contrast the league's compelling storylines with what feels like an anti-climactic NBA Finals. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmi...
Oct 06, 2020•32 min•Ep. 86
We conclude the first iteration of the Fanalytics University course on sports and fandom analytics with a class on league design. League design is a topic of critical importance that receives little attention. It receives little attention because it is a topic for unions, lawyers, and maybe economists. The core of the class is a discussion of how leagues manage competition. The discussion starts with the role of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) between leagues and players. These agreement...
Oct 02, 2020•46 min•Ep. 85
Professor Mike Lewis and co-host Doug Battle discuss how a late start may benefit the Big 10 come Playoff time, how the NBA Bubble has been favorable to upsets, why the 2020 MLB Playoffs feel like a toss-up, and how Tuesday's Trump/Biden debate will intersect with the world of sports. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @FanalyticsMike, and read more of our fandom analytics research on fanalyticswithmikelewis.com. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmike/mes...
Sep 29, 2020•36 min•Ep. 84
Fanalytics partners with Emory's Marketing Analytics Center to launch our 2020 Webinar Speaker Series with Skillshot Media CEO Todd Harris. This speaker series is designed for industry and academic thought leaders charged with driving analytical business transformation in a season of change. Todd kicks off the series with a discussion on Esports and its place in filling the entertainment void amidst COVID-19. Other upcoming presenters and moderators include Coca-Cola President Jim Dinkins and VE...
Sep 24, 2020•59 min•Ep. 83
Professor Mike Lewis and co-host Doug Battle discuss the statistical anomalies that shook the sports world this weekend - from the Cowboys' improbable comeback to Seattle's stand against Cam Newton and the Patriots. Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fanalyticsmike/message Fanalytics is a part of the Professors.fm podcast network - making sense of the world with top scholars. Check out more Fanalytics content at fandomanalytics.com and fanalytics.substack.com. And m...
Sep 22, 2020•22 min•Ep. 82
In this episode, we talk about the measurement of brand equity in the world of sports. Over the previous 7 classes, we have talked about the nature of fandom, the importance of narratives, player analytics, and decision making. These are the ingredients to running a successful team (on the field and at the turnstile). As a capstone to this series of topics, this class is about measuring the organization’s ultimate success in developing a loyal following of valuable customers. Send in a voice mes...
Sep 17, 2020•58 min•Ep. 81
