As fans gather at football stadiums across the country, teams rely on data to track every major aspect of the game, from managing player performance and injuries to optimizing stadium operations and the fan experience.

To explore the growing role of data analytics in football, the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management at Texas A&M University will host the first event of its kind in Texas, gathering experts from the National Football League, ESPN, industry and academia for the Football Analytics Symposium at Texas A&M (FAST) on November 13 at the Student Recreation Center.

The one-day event will feature presentations and panel discussions on player-tracking technology, football decision-making, revenue generation, fan engagement and the science of athletic performance. Among the speakers and panelists are representatives from Texas A&M, ESPN, the Houston Texans, Washington Commanders, Zebra Technologies, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Wisconsin, Texas Christian University and the University of Florida.

“There are many excellent analytics conferences, but this event is unique given its focus on football and inclusive approach benefiting students who may have interests in data science from a variety of different perspectives, including on-field, sport business, or human performance analytics,” said Dr. Jonathan A. Jensen, an associate professor of sport management. Jensen is one of the event’s organizers and leads the Collaborative for Sport Data Science (CSDS), an interdisciplinary coalition of pre-eminent scholars connected by their interest in sport data.

Designed with students in mind, the symposium will create opportunities to learn directly from professional and academic experts in football analytics while exploring careers in sport management, data science, technology and human performance. Students will also have the opportunity to present their football analytics research during a poster fair, with top presenters receiving cash prizes.

Zebra Technologies, the NFL’s official real-time location solutions provider, the Sports Analytics Lab at the University of Florida, the Sydney and J.L Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance and the Texas A&M Institute of Data Science are serving as sponsors, helping make the event accessible and affordable for students.

To register and learn more, visit the symposium website.

For media inquiries, contact Ruben Hidalgo.