We are often asked what are the skills needed to find your way in the business of sports in the future. Parents of young athletes, recent graduates, kids who have become disillusioned with hours of countless hours in practice and tied to one sport still know they have a passion, have an interest in involvement, and are looking for a path forward, are always looking for what can be needed, where there will be new opportunities, and most importantly how can they stay engaged, and happy in an industry they seem drawn to but are looking to find their own niche, their own pathway to success.
For several years I helped literally hundreds of these young kids through summer high school program at both Columbia and the School of the New York Times. A combination of internal politics and COVID restrictions had put that summer activity on hold for a few years, but I still keep up with many of the kids who we have had in our programs, many of whom literally found their way through the connections we helped forge, and are doing amazing things in areas ranging from professional sports to gaming to coaching to law and analytics. We don’t hear from all…sometimes we hear from parents or siblings or teachers…but we think of these young kids very often, especially around this time of year.
It was with all that in mind that I got an email from the LA Dodgers last summer about their version of summer camp, called, smartly STEM Camp and then noticed that the Texas Rangers have launched their own version, called Angles In The Outfield (and sponsored By Lockheed Martin) this summer. Now we all know how targeted summer camps can be for the passions of any young person, and with our camp programs we tried to touch on something for everyone…I am not a believer in specialization, especially micro specialization, for any young person. Open as many doors as you can and see which is the best to go through. The wider net cast, the better chance of finding not just want you want to do, but what you don’t want to do.
Back to the STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Math) Camp the Rangers are doing and the Dodgers have expanded into a year-round program to reach ever more young people. We always talk about key skills that transfer, and among them are knowledge of a language other than English, solid writing and speaking skills, curiosity, empathy, and a knowledge of coding. Coding tied to technology and analytics transfer into almost every business field tied to sports…sales, marketing, player evaluation, health and wellness, social media, gaming, broadcast media and on and on. Then there is also the growing business of gambling and all that goes with that as it expands, as well as the Metaverse, understanding VR and AR, even elements like ChatGPT, and STEM will help answer a lot of those questions and open those doors. Not all, but many. So when the power of a pro team brand, with all of its deep dives into every area of analytics, can open doors for kids of all interests, it’s a great idea.
Now I don’t know what other aspects get pulled into this version of a STEM class. Hopefully they get out on or near the field, maybe they can mix in some aspects of other areas of business (given the wide amount of areas their ownership group touches on, wouldn’t that be great) or even other sports so that they aren’t so siloed just in numbers…but it is a great idea to show what an interest in data can do for young people who may not excel on the field at an elite level, but can help find their path.
Now there may be other teams, and even leagues or colleges, going into a bit of a toe dip in the lucrative camp area away from the field or court in the coming years. The Dodgers struck me last year, given their interest in disruptive innovation as well as their success, as another example of first mover status, one that is worthy of a shout out, and one which is worth watching for the next generation of leaders, innovators and passionate young minds.
A homer for the Blue in LA and the team in Dallas …looking forward to see where it goes and how a smart, simple idea expands out from here.
