A November 8 panel discussion at TCF Bank Stadium, “Challenges and Future Landscape of the Twin Cities Sports Industry,” was covered by the Minneapolis Spokesman-Review. Lisa Kihl, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Kinesiology and co-coordinator of the event, was quoted, along with representatives from local sports teams.

Their comments and concerns ranged from how the availability of big data drives the decision-making process to how social media has made information on players and teams available to fans instantly, making games “live events.” With six professional teams in the metropolitan area, the competition for attracting fans can be challenging. The Spokesman-Review reporter asked the panelists about efforts to increase fan diversity.  All pointed to efforts to improve outreach, but “there’s room for growth” said Bryan Donaldson, Minnesota Twins Senior Community Relations director.