Sports analytics has become essential in driving business strategies and improving fan engagement. Ngoc-Ngan Nguyen ‘25, Business Analytics & Strategy for the Los Angeles Lakers reflects on her journey, the key skills needed for a career in data analytics, and the evolving role of data in sports.
Building the Foundation: Education and Preparation
For Ngoc-Ngan, sports have always been a bridge to her community, family, and friends. Combining her passion for sports, a bachelor’s degree in Statistics & Data Science from UCSB, focusing on statistical modeling, predictive analytics, machine learning, and experience as a data analyst for Santa Barbara City College’s baseball team, Ngoc Ngan laid a solid foundation for a career in sports analytics. After graduating from UCSB, she decided to pursue an MS in Sport Management at the University of San Francisco.
The combination of technical and industry knowledge USF provides allows her to solve problems unique to the sports industry. “It’s not just about understanding data but knowing how to use it strategically to grow an organization.” In her role on the Lakers’ Business Analytics & Strategy team, she creates dashboards and reports that track ticketing data and corporate partnerships. She also manages data cleansing and data warehousing which provide insights for business operations, marketing, and corporate partnerships.
As a Sport Management student, Ngoc-Ngan gained valuable experience as an intern with the Los Angeles Rams in the Consumer Insights Analyst on their Fan Marketing & Insights Team, where she focused on fan behavior and marketing strategies. “I conducted consumer research and analyzed fan engagement data to optimize fan engagement and retention. A key project involved tracking the Rams’ brand health to better understand ticket purchasing behavior among different fan personas. Another project focused on running A/B tests to improve marketing efforts, which directly contributed to fan growth and engagement.” These experiences were complemented by technical roles at Alteryx and i3 Verticals, where she automated analytics workflows. Ngoc-Ngan notes that these positions helped her develop strong skills in data management, visualization, and automation, which are essential in helping create data-driven solutions for multiple departments she supports in the organization.
Mastering Tools and Solving Real-World Challenges
For those interested in careers in data analytics, Ngoc-Ngan emphasized the importance of mastering key tools and programming languages. “Proficiency in SQL, Python, and R is essential for data analysis, while Power BI and Tableau are crucial for visualization.” She also stressed the need for clear communication, and the ability to present data clearly for audiences unfamiliar with data . “At the Lakers, I generate dashboards that help non-technical stakeholders make data-informed decisions, whether in ticketing, marketing, or partnerships. At the Rams, I used the same tools to analyze fan behavior, market trends, and campaign performance. Collaborating with cross-functional teams allowed me to drive innovative solutions and deliver actionable insights that impacted customer engagement and retention.”
Importantly, Ngoc-Ngan advises others to learn the nuances of the sports industry. Technical skills will only take you so far—you also need to know how to apply data insights across different business areas. For example, a notable challenge she tackled involved analyzing fan engagement for the Rams. “We aimed to identify behavioral trends to improve marketing strategies. After conducting surveys and focus groups, we processed unstructured data and segmented the fan base using statistical analysis.” The insights from this analysis helped identify a key fan segment that responded to personalized campaigns which led to improved engagement, higher ticket sales, and increased fan retention—proving how effective data-driven strategies can enhance fan experiences and business outcomes.
If you have not had the opportunity to work in sports directly, Ngoc-Ngan suggests working on personal projects to develop problem-solving skills. Before her jobs in sports, Nguyen analyzed Spotify’s Top Hits data to predict streaming trends, gaining hands-on experience with machine learning and visualization tools. Projects like this may help you showcase your skills to potential employers.
Leveraging an MS in Sport Management Degree
With data playing an increasingly central role in sports, now is the perfect time to explore this dynamic field and make an impact in the industry. Due to the volume and complexity of data available, Nguyen predicts significant growth in fan engagement, business operations, and artificial intelligence through analytics. As the industry evolves, data will continue to drive informed business decisions. “Ensuring clean, reliable data is a constant hurdle, but advancements in AI and machine learning will play a key role in managing large datasets and generating predictive insights for quicker decisions.” These insights are used cross-functionally throughout organizations in marketing, partnerships, and business operations.
Nguyen credits the Sport Management program for providing a business-focused perspective. “USF taught me how to align data insights with business objectives, whether working on partnership analysis or evaluating marketing strategies.” This holistic understanding has been key to her success, as she combines technical expertise with financial insight and long-term strategy to contribute to organizational growth. Careers in sports analytics offer exciting and growing opportunities for those with a passion for data and sports. Nguyen advises, “Stay curious, keep learning, and be adaptable. Whether you’re analyzing ticketing data or working on fan engagement, your ability to turn insights into action will set you apart.”
Ngoc-Ngan credits her mom (pictured above at SoFi Stadium) for her unconditional support and for instilling the resilience and drive to pursue her passions in sports and data.