Wharton Moneyball

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Wharton Moneyball

The Wharton School

597 episodes

6 days ago

Sports is a game of numbers. Wharton experts Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, Cade Massey, and Adi Wyner team up to tackle the world of sports, from current events to longstanding issues such as: What sports streaks are the most impressive? How do you rank the best players? Can athletes be compared across sports? Moneyball explains how decision-makers in the game can avoid the common mistakes and embrace the data. Episodes are recorded at the Wharton School.

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Sports is a game of numbers. Wharton experts Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, Cade Massey, and Adi Wyner team up to tackle the world of sports, from current events to longstanding issues such as: What sports streaks are the most impressive? How do you rank the best players? Can athletes be compared across sports? Moneyball explains how decision-makers in the game can avoid the common mistakes and embrace the data. Episodes are recorded at the Wharton School.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show more...

Episodes (20/597)

Wharton Moneyball

What Advanced Metrics Reveal About the 2025 NFL Season

Aaron Schatz, Chief Analytics Officer at FTN Fantasy and founder of Football Outsiders, joins Eric Bradlow to explore how DVOA and play-by-play analytics challenge conventional narratives about the 2025 NFL season, conference strength, playoff probabilities, and the growing influence of data in awards voting. Plus, Eric walks through real-world examples of using generative AI to forecast NBA win totals, college football playoff probabilities, and NFL Super Bowl odds, highlighting how modern models apply Bayesian reasoning, betting markets, and simulation-based analytics.

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6 days ago

46 minutes 55 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

Breaking Down the College Football Playoff With Advanced Metrics

Bill Connelly, ESPN college football analyst and creator of SP+, Bill Connelly, joins Cade, Eric, Shane, and Adi to break down first-round playoff games, assess championship probabilities, and explain how analytics shape expectations in the expanded College Football Playoff. The Moneyball team also discusses the end of AFC quarterback dominance, and what today’s parity means for teams, windows, and dynasties across football.

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1 week ago

59 minutes 38 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

In this “Best of 2025” compilation, Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner revisit top moments with Google Sports Trends Fanalyst Annanya Raghavan, NFL veteran and Athletes.org founder Brandon Copeland, bestselling baseball biographer Jane Leavy, and ESPN analyst Dean Oliver, showcasing their insights on search-driven fan engagement, athlete empowerment, the future of baseball, and analytics’ growing influence across the NBA.

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3 weeks ago

1 hour 39 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

Inside NFL Chaos: Power Rankings, Prediction, and Team Strength

Kevin Cole, proprietor of the Unexpected Points newsletter and former Pro Football Focus analyst, joins Eric Bradlow and Cade Massey, to explain how predictive modeling, adjusted scores, and power rankings reveal deeper insights into team performance amid one of the NFL’s most unpredictable seasons. Eric and Cade also break down college football playoff scenarios, potential conference shakeups, and remarkable early-season performances in both the NHL and NBA.

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3 weeks ago

57 minutes 44 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

Data Science Innovations Driving New Insights Across Major Sports

Eric Bradlow and Adi Wyner examine surprising NBA and NFL performance patterns while highlighting the innovative sports analytics research conducted by students—including advancements in expected-goals modeling, rugby decision analytics, and tennis serve evaluation—showcasing how data science and AI are reshaping modern sports analysis.

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1 month ago

1 hour 18 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

How Evolving Data Trends Are Redefining Multi-Sport Performance

Neil Payne, freelance data journalist, analyst, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner to discuss current debates in baseball WAR, surprising developments in the NBA, the evolution of quantitative storytelling, and how emerging stars like Connor Bedard and innovative teams such as the Los Angeles Rams illustrate shifting dynamics across major sports.

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1 month ago

56 minutes 56 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

How Analytics Are Redefining Playoff Predictions Across College and Pro Sports

Eric Bradlow, Cade Massey, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner explore how advanced analytics are influencing modern sports—from reshaping baseball’s Gold Glove selections to refining NFL power rankings and playoff projections—while dissecting how the new 12-team College Football Playoff format heightens uncertainty and reshapes championship probabilities.

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1 month ago

1 hour 1 minute 25 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

Early NBA Trends with Dean Oliver

Dean Oliver, ESPN sports analyst, joins Adi Wyner, Shane Jensen, and Cade Massey to explore Victor Wembanyama’s game-changing impact on defense, the development curve of elite rookies, and how analytics are influencing strategy across the NBA—from the Spurs’ ceiling to the Lakers’ evolving dynamics and the rise of data-driven player evaluation. Cade, Adi, and Shane also unpack the analytics behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s World Series dominance, the Carolina Panthers’ surprising success, and NFL trade logic.

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1 month ago

1 hour 2 minutes 57 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

How Analytics and Chaos Define Today’s College Football Landscape

Bill Connelly, ESPN staff writer and author, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Shane Jensen to discuss his innovative “Chaos Superfecta” approach, the growing role of uncertainty in college football analytics, and how factors like NIL, transfers, and conference realignment are transforming the game’s competitive balance. Plus, Eric and Shane analyze one of the longest World Series games in history, discuss Shohei Ohtani’s extraordinary two-way performance and his place among baseball’s all-time greats, and reflect on how today’s game and analytics are redefining greatness across sports.

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2 months ago

59 minutes 13 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

How Analytics Changed the Soul of Baseball

Jane Leavy, known for her bestselling biographies of Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Sandy Koufax, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner to discuss her latest book Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong with Baseball and How to Fix It, sharing her insights on how analytics have altered the sport’s rhythm, storytelling, and fan experience—and what reforms could restore baseball’s enduring appeal.

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2 months ago

57 minutes 27 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

Predicting Baseball’s Future: Inside the Zips Projection System

Wharton's Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner debate Bill Belichick’s legacy in the post-Brady era, explore how analytics have reshaped baseball strategy, and speak with Dan Szymborski—Senior Writer at FanGraphs and creator of the ZiPS projection system—about forecasting player performance and team success in today’s evolving sports landscape. They also analyze the remarkable victory of 204th-ranked tennis player Valentin Vacherot in a Masters 1000 tournament, using insights from sports analytics and probability theory to uncover what his unexpected win reveals about talent, randomness, and ranking systems.

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2 months ago

55 minutes 32 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

From Ice to Insight: SAP and the NHL’s Partnership Driving Smarter Hockey

Daniel Beringer, Global Head of Technology and Innovation and Global Sponsorships at SAP, and Chris Foster, Vice President of Digital Business Development at the NHL, join Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner to discuss how their decade-long partnership leverages analytics, AI, and real-time data to enhance coaching decisions, streamline front-office management, and advance sustainability initiatives across the league. Plus, Cade, Eric, Shane, and Adi break down an eventful week in sports—from a penalty-filled Panthers-Lightning preseason game to unpredictable MLB playoff outcomes and the emergence of young NFL quarterbacks.

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2 months ago

1 hour 1 minute

Wharton Moneyball

Breaking Barriers in Sports Performance and Innovation

James Smoliga, Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Director of Research for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Tufts University School of Medicine, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner to discuss the quest for a women’s sub-four-minute mile, the influence of super shoes and other technologies, and how marketing, science, and athletic performance intersect on the world stage. Cade, Eric, Shane, and Adi also dive into the evolving playoff structures in Major League Baseball, the statistical weight of home-field advantage, and current storylines in the NFL and college football, blending analytics with real-time sports narratives. Plus, in an overtime interview, Cade and Eric speak with Joseph LaMagna, analyst at Fried Egg Golf, about the Ryder Cup, including the role of pairings, course setup, crowd behavior, and the contrasting approaches of Team USA and Team Europe in leveraging data and preparation.

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3 months ago

1 hour 30 minutes 31 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

Tracking Fan Behavior Through Google Sports Trends Data

Annanya Raghavan, Sports Trends Fanalyst on the Google Trends team, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Shane Jensen to share how search data is used to understand and highlight fan engagement, with a particular focus on the WNBA’s growing popularity and the broader role of analytics in capturing cultural moments in sports. David Dase, Vice President and Co-Head of the Sports Finance unit at Goldman Sachs, joins the show to discuss how the firm is shaping the future of sports as an asset class, from financing teams and arenas to investing in sports-adjacent businesses, highlighting market growth, institutional capital trends, and the increasing importance of brand and fan engagement. Then Cade, Eric and Shane examine the upcoming introduction of automated strike zone challenges in baseball, the game theory behind late-game NFL decisions, and Andrew Percival’s data-driven college football rankings, offering a wide-ranging conversation on how analytics and strategy are reshaping modern sports.

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3 months ago

1 hour 4 minutes 39 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

Breaking Down Records, Rankings, and Coaching with NFL Analytics

Kevin Cole, creator of Unexpected Points and former PFF analyst, joins Cade Massey, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner to share insights on how advanced models reveal hidden truths about NFL teams, quarterbacks, and coaching decisions, offering a sharper perspective on what early-season performance really means. Cade, Shane, and Adi also discuss how predictive models sometimes miss unique advantages like the Eagles’ “tush push,” why metrics such as EPA per play may misrepresent team value, and how player evaluation in baseball—including Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh—challenges conventional measures of MVP worth.

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3 months ago

1 hour

Wharton Moneyball

Football Analytics at Work: Probabilities, Priors, and Fourth-Down Decisions

Brian Burke, Sports Data Scientist at ESPN, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Shane Jensen to share insights on building advanced football power ranking systems, the role of Bayesian models in balancing priors and new data, and how analytics informs game-day decisions like fourth-down calls and playoff predictions. Cade, Eric, and Shane also analyze standout performances and key narratives from NFL Week One, preview pivotal college football games, examine the growing dominance of Carlos Alcaraz over Jannik Sinner in men’s tennis, and highlight major offensive trends across Major League Baseball.

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3 months ago

1 hour 3 minutes 37 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

How Advanced Stats Are Reshaping College Football Narratives

Steven Godfrey, columnist at The Washington Post and cohost of multiple college football podcasts, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Adi Wyner to discuss the growing role of analytics in shaping how fans, coaches, and media interpret the sport, offering insights into decision-making, fan culture, and the changing landscape of college football. Cade, Eric, and Adi also explore under-the-radar college football matchups, the evolving storylines of the US Open including Naomi Osaka’s return, rare achievements in Major League Baseball, and the start of the NFL season.

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3 months ago

59 minutes 59 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

The Impact of Analytics on Tennis Champions | Data & College Sports

Jeff Sackmann, founder of Tennis Abstract, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Adi Wyner to discuss his data-driven forecasts for the U.S. Open, the statistical dominance of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, and how tennis analytics is reshaping the way we understand player performance and strategy. Cade, Eric & Adi also discuss Tommy Fleetwood’s long-awaited PGA victory, the statistical challenges of measuring golf performance, rising MLB fastball velocities, and the excitement surrounding one of the strongest opening weekends in college football history. In a bonus overtime interview, Cade speaks with Ralph Russo, national college football writer at The Athletic, about how data-driven insights are shaping the narratives around college football.

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4 months ago

1 hour 44 minutes 17 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

Exploring the Art of Pitching, Hall of Fame Moments, and Velocity Trends

Rick Peterson, longtime MLB pitching coach and author of Crunch Time, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Adi Wyner to reflect on his career coaching elite players like Hall of Famer Billy Wagner, share insights on performance under pressure, and discuss how velocity, biomechanics, and training have reshaped the game of baseball. Cade, Eric, and Adi also explore statistical approaches to understanding clubhouse effects in baseball, discuss standout performances in professional golf, and analyze the volatility of college football rankings, blending probability theory, data insights, and real-world sports narratives.

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4 months ago

1 hour 6 minutes 14 seconds

Wharton Moneyball

The State of Tennis & College Football Preview

ESPN staff writer Bill Connelly joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow and Shane Jensen to share his take on the men’s and women’s tennis tours, the emerging Sinner–Alcaraz rivalry, and the depth of talent in women’s tennis. Bill also dissects the 2025 college football landscape, sharing insights on conference strength, playoff expansion, coaching trajectories, and which teams have the best shot at this season’s national championship. Cade, Eric and Shane keep the conversation going, discussing recent golf highlights, including Justin Rose’s win and Ryder Cup implications, as well as emerging MLB storylines such as the Milwaukee Brewers’ dominance, surging offensive stats, and surprising betting odds for perennial favorites like the Dodgers.

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4 months ago

1 hour 1 minute 1 second