Authors and Bios

Demi Johnson
Demi Johnson, 23, from Peoria, Illinois, is in her final semester at IUPUI where she is pursuing a master's degree in applied data science with a specialization in sports analytics. Johnson has landed experience in statistics and data analytics around the Midwest, including the NCAA, IU School of Informatics and Computing, Komatsu Mining Corporation, and the Peoria Chiefs Minor League Baseball Club. She hopes to continue growing her technical skills and break into a career in Basketball Analytics. She is an avid college basketball and Los Angeles Lakers fan, in addition to supporting the Dallas Cowboys, and Chicago Cubs.
Jack Gray
Jack Gray is a 24-year-old from Chattanooga, Tennessee, currently pursuing his applied data science master’s degree at IUPUI. With professional experience as a business analyst/data scientist in logistics and healthcare, he hopes to integrate himself within the sports industry, using his mathematics and statistics background to assist in team operations. He is a passionate fan of The University of Tennessee, the Atlanta Braves, Tottenham Hotspur, and the Tennessee Titans.
Jack Habegger
Jack Habegger, 22, from Fishers, Indiana, is currently pursuing his applied data science master’s degree with a specialization in sports analytics at IUPUI. Jack has multiple years’ experience working as a part-time data analyst with Pro Football Focus and has a variety of experience volunteering with organizations within the city of Indianapolis such as the Indianapolis Colts and the Indiana Sports Corp. He hopes to continue to refine his technical skills and launch into a full-time career in football analytics. He is an avid fan of the University of North Carolina, Indianapolis Colts, and Indiana Pacers.
Erika McKibben
Erika McKibben, from Mooresville, Indiana, is a graduate student at IUPUI pursuing her masters in sport event tourism and serves as a graduate assistant for Downtown Indy, Inc. Her undergraduate degree is also from IUPUI in tourism, conventions, and event management with a minor in sports marketing. She has previous experience in event management, community relations, and client services within professional sports teams and sports facilities.
Rachel Lohman
Rachel Lohman, from Springfield, Illinois, is a graduate student in the Department of Tourism, Event, and Sport Management and a graduate assistant for the School of Health & Human Sciences at IUPUI. She has previous experience in event operations, game operations, and fan engagement within professional sports teams and sports commissions. She has been involved with several studies involving data collection and content analysis for both college athletics and professional teams.
Alexis Hendricks
Alexis Hendricks is a native of Indiana who has her B.A. in journalism with a concentration in public relations. She also has certifications in event management and personal training. Alexis is a current graduate assistant with the School of Health & Human Sciences working in the marketing and communications department.
David Pierce, Ph.D.
David Pierce is an associate professor of sport management in the Department of Tourism, Event, and Sport Management and serves as the director of the Sports Innovation Institute at IUPUI. He is the professor for the graduate-level applied research course in the sport event tourism degree in which this project was completed.

Special Thanks

The authors want to acknowledge the contributions of Mona Mirehie, Ph.D., and Cassandra Coble, Ph.D., in the development of the report.