By John Boccacino ’03
In the ever-evolving sports business world, Megan Rand ’15 and Matt Samost ’13 are constantly studying the latest industry trends.
Their commitment to innovation and ability to inspire their peers helped Rand and Samost earn spots on Sports Business Journal’s inaugural 30 Under 30 New Voices list. The list highlights talented professionals who are both influential in their fields and possess the relevant skills to emerge as the next generation of leaders in sports business.
“This confirms the impact that the design community has in sports business,” says Rand, an alumna of the School of Architecture.
“I’m very fortunate to have great bosses and teammates that give me chances to grow, learn and take chances…the recognition has been quite humbling,” adds Samost, an alumnus of Falk College’s sport management program.
Designing a Better Experience
As an architect and associate for Populous, a global architectural and design firm, Rand specializes in designing sports training facilities, stadiums and masterplans that enhance the experiences of athletes, coaches, fans and entire communities.
Through her stadium design projects, Rand takes great pleasure in designing seating bowls that draw people together for both the exuberant highs and crushing lows that come with watching your team in person.
“There is something so human about celebrating with people around you, and that experience truly draws people together. Sports architecture amplifies that effect… and can make or break an experience. It can make a place more intimidating to an opposing team, more inviting to families and more accessible to different groups of people,” says Rand, who had dreamed of being an architect since she was eight years old.
Last fall, Rand assisted with the renovation and expansion of the Barnes Center at the Arch on Syracuse University’s campus, managing the sustainability documentation among other responsibilities.
“That was such a rewarding experience to be a part of a project on campus as an alumna,” says Rand, who credits Syracuse with helping hone her time management and presentation skills.
With attendance down overall at sporting events, Rand admits there will be mounting pressure on stadium architects to improve the game day experience for fans, who must decide between watching the game on a big screen television at home and braving the crowds, and sometimes the elements, to cheer on their team in person.
“Current and upcoming generations of fans are very social and very connected. They’re interested in unique and authentic experiences,” says Rand. “We’ve seen a rise in the use of drones, live statistics, in-seat concession ordering, social spaces and ‘Instagrammable moments’ that involve virtual and augmented reality. The future of the fan experience is wide open, and I’m excited to see what happens.”
Focusing on the Future
As vice president of new ventures for Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment, Samost is responsible for researching and devising emerging properties for the parent company of both the Tampa Bay Lightning and the team’s home, Amalie Arena.
“My job, in short, is to constantly be looking at areas for our business to grow and evolve,” Samost says. “I spend a lot of time studying industry trends and trying to provide recommendations to my leaders and colleagues on how best to approach new areas of opportunity.”
Samost oversees the digital network The Identity Tampa Bay and e-sports internal start-up Bolts Gaming, and he tries to incorporate the relevant data into every decision he makes.
Samost previously worked as the senior business intelligence and data warehouse developer for the Kraft Analytics Group, whose parent company, the Kraft Group, owns the NFL’s New England Patriots and Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution.
While a student at Syracuse, Samost was pushed to grow as a person by overcoming his greatest fears — including public speaking — head-on. The result? Samost stepped out of his comfort zone to become a University 100 tour guide as a student ambassador, one of several extracurricular activities he pursued on campus.
Samost considers himself a firm believer in developing strong relationships and being a lifelong learner. He credits a senior year capstone project working with the United States Olympic Committee for instilling in him an appreciation for analytics.
“I’m naturally rooted in data ... and I’m fortunate to be in a position where data can drive my decision-making, regardless of whether I’m doing something technical, financially-rooted or strategic,” says Samost. “We always have the opportunity to infuse data into helping us make informed decisions, but it can never be the guiding factor on its own. Intuition and strategic thinking always matter.”