Graziadio Sports Economist Weighs in on Mayweather vs. McGregor Fight
The most-talked about fight of the year (perhaps decade) between popular mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor and world champion boxer Floyd Mayweather garnered an almost unprecedented amount of attention. The fight broke the previous pay-per-view record, pulling in over $400 million, despite millions of reported illegal streams. Though McGregor, the MMA champion, ultimately lasted longer than most might have expected, he lost by technical knockout in the 10th round to the still-undefeated Mayweather.
VFT Solutions, an organization dedicated to determining how many viewers media companies are losing to illegal streaming, showed over 7,000 live streams in social media platforms, with around 100 million viewers. This is a record high for (monitored) illegal streaming of a single live event.
In an article about this piracy, Forbes asked Paul Gift, sports economist at Pepperdine’s Graziadio School of Business, for his insight. Gift holds a Ph.D. in economics from UCLA, and is a business and analytics writer for the MMA publication Bloody Elbow.
“For certain fans, ‘The Money Fight’ may have seemed in advance to be a competitively-matched clash of boxing and MMA champions,” Gift said. “But for many others, it was more of a spectacle fight, something you might want to see but not necessarily pay for. Add in a higher-than-usual pay-per-view price of $99.99 for HD and there was certainly a strong incentive to find alternative viewing points.”
Though there are multiple organizations capable of monitoring illegal live streams, there is not yet an effective, actionable solution for having illegal streams of short, live events stopped by social media channels.
It is possible certain unique contributing factors yielded a higher volume of illegal streaming of this event. For instance, UFC’s streaming site crashed a couple of hours before the fight even began, so viewers were likely looking for a substitute. The crossover between MMA and boxing audiences might have also led to more illegal streaming. Additionally, the fight was highly publicized, and many illegal streaming sites advertised offering the event.
“Tens Of Millions Watched Mayweather Beat McGregor On Pirate Streams,” was written by fellow Graziadio professor and frequent Forbes contributor Nelson Granados.
John Stankey, the Loyola Marymount and UCLA Alum on Track to Take Over Time Warner
AT&T is awaiting the federal go-ahead for its $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner. The acquisition is expected to go through, and if it does, John Stankey, head of AT&T’s entertainment group, will oversee Warner Bros., CNN, and HBO. Though Stankey has no entertainment background, he is confident in his vision for the future these entertainment avenues.
“Over time, investment in content is going to increase,” Stankey said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “My goal would be to find a lane to ramp up investment in content at a higher level than today and to benefit from some of the efficiencies, some of the synergies.”
Stankey received his undergraduate degree from Loyola Marymount University and went on to earn his MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. Though Stankey has little knowledge of entertainment, he is committed to educating himself by watching more of the shows that are being produced.
There is widespread apprehension regarding AT&T’s plan for its new assets. Optimists foresee AT&T utilizing its consumer data to develop strategies for standing out amidst competing companies. Others fear that AT&T will try to maintain Time Warner’s customer base through discounts, while trying to squeeze out as much revenue as possible.
When asked about what kind of leader Stankey will be, Peter Chernin, the founder and CEO of the Chernin Group, a one of Hollywood’s largest investment firms, said, “I don’t think you’re going to see John trying to green light movies and looking at rough cuts. You’ll see him trying to unlock the opportunity.”
Stankey has indicated that customers may have more original content to look forward to, and that AT&T may use its data to create more tailored advertisements. “We can’t continue to jam advertising down consumers’ throats in 30-minute block,” Stankey said.
The acquisition was announced in October 2016, and, if the buy goes according to plan, AT&T will have officially gained control of Time Warner by the end of 2017.
YouTube CEO and UCLA Anderson Alum Susan Wojcicki Responds to Google Memo
Earlier this month, Google found itself in the midst of controversy after an internal memo from now-former employee James Damore was released to the staff. His out-of-nowhere diatribe claimed, more or less, that women are less biologically capable of being software engineers than their male counterparts. The document, titled “Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber,” was later released to the public, instantly causing scrutiny. Continue reading…
Top 5 Schools for an MBA in Real Estate
The number of MBA students who pursue careers in real estate may be small, but even still, some of the most prestigious business schools in the United States offer exceptional programs that specialize in the field. Continue reading…
UCLA Anderson Students Launch Mobile Networking Platform
Two graduate students in UCLA’s Anderson School of Management have developed a networking app for professionals in Los Angeles metro. After realizing the extent to which successful networking yields career opportunities, Andrew Bremner and Brandon Kessler set out to build a mobile app that would simplify the networking process.
The young entrepreneurs did not always support mingling as a means of professional advancement. In fact, Bremner was once a networking skeptic.
“I thought the whole focus on networking was just an excuse for not working hard,” Bremner said in an interview with the Daily Bruin. His attitude changed, however, once he started at UCLA.
According to Bremner, “I would see people in one industry get interviews with prestigious companies in completely different industries because of their network through UCLA.”
Witnessing the effects of networking first hand turned Bremner into a believer, and he partnered with Kessler to create Out of Office, a platform designed to find networking events for young LA professionals.
Out of Office users can browse various local networking functions and register for those that seem especially promising. Though the app reveals the work affiliations of event attendees, their personal and demographic information remains protected.
The platform is not a typical networking resource, as event options are limited to those of a smaller, more intimate nature.
“Me personally, being an introvert, it’s harder for me to get out into those big events and break into a group and meet new people that way,” Kessler said. “So we determined that this was the best approach to high-quality networking.”
Out of Office became available for download at the beginning of August, 2017. The app is free, and, according to the website, its users work for companies the creators have listed in the top 25 for each major industry. For each networking opportunity, the app provides the time and date of the event, number of people attending, individual cost, and location.
The Best Information Technology MBA Programs in Los Angeles
As the line between business and information technology industries continues to blur, more and more tech professionals are looking to business schools and MBA programs to help give them a leg up on the competition. An MBA with a focus on information technology (IT) is a great path to landing any number of tech-related jobs, especially in the Los Angeles metro. Here’s a rundown of what the city has to offer:
Anderson School of Management – UCLA
Founded as the College of Business Administration in 1935, the UCLA Anderson School of Management initially taught vocational business skills to people who would be teaching others. The program was renamed the John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA in 1987 in honor of Anderson’s $15 million gift to the program. Today, the school offers a full-time, two year MBA program, as well as a part-time, Executive and two Global Executive MBA programs.
The UCLA Anderson Easton Technology Management Center prepares business students to drive change in technology through coursework, workshops and events covering tech in the business world. MBA students enrolled at Anderson are also able to specialize their degree through the Center with the Easton Technology Leadership concentration. Sample Courses include:
- Innovation in Media & Entertainment Technology
- Intellectual Property
- New Product Development
- Payment Technology
- Technology Management
Argyros School of Business – Chapman University
The Argyros School of Business at Chapman University gives students the opportunity to pursue a track during the MBA program, including Information Systems in Digital Times. While the track will not be recorded on the transcript or diploma, the coursework will come in handy while pursuing a career in technology and can be referenced on a resume. Students on the Information Systems in Digital Times track can choose from the following elective classes:
- Marketing Research
- Information Technology for Sustainable Competitive Advantage
- Statistical Models for Analytics
- Data Mining
- Marketing Analytics
California State University, Long Beach
California State Long Beach began offering business classes in 1949 with only 24 business students and four faculty members. Today, the College of Business Administration is located in state-of-the-art building, complete with decision support laboratories, classrooms with the latest in technology, multimedia capability and modern lecture halls. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International accredited school is also offers a Daytime Accelerated MBA program.
Long Beach offers an MBA Emphasis in Information Systems through the school’s IS department. Students on this track must take the IS core classes of Quantitative Methods for Managerial Decision Making and Management of Information Systems before selected three of the following electives:
- Internet Applications Development
- Business Telecommunications Management
- Network Modeling and Simulation
- Database Management Systems
- Electronic Commerce
Graziadio School of Business and Management – Pepperdine University
The Graziadio School of Business and Management offers a Digital Innovation & Information Systems MBA to its 15 and 20-Month MBA Students. According to the school, this program focuses on bridging the gap between business and technology and helps students gain an advanced and in-demand understanding of technology innovation. This degree prepares students for careers in the following fields:
- Systems or Technology Analyst
- Infrastructure Manager
- IT Director, CIO
- Business Intelligence Analyst/Manager
- Process Analyst/Manager
- IT Program/Project Manager
- Business-IT Relationship Management
- Digital Business Consultant
- Operations Management, COO
- Technology Product Management
Loyola Marymount University
Founded in 1911, Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a premier Catholic university rooted in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions. LMU’s College of Business Administration (CBA) was established in 1926. Today, the college offers several undergraduate degree offerings and graduate degree offerings, including an MS in Accounting, MBA and Executive MBA.
Marymount offers various areas of emphasis for their MBA degree, including Information Technology. Six different IT courses are offered, such as Risk Analysis and Financial Modeling, which introduces advanced quantitative model building skills for financial risk analysis. Another high-level IT class offered for Marymount MBAs is Information Technology Security. The school describes the course as follows:
“After 9/11 and the fall of Enron—the 7th largest corporation in America—information technology security has become one of the fastest growing areas in the business world. The need to know how to protect corporate information from attacks both from terrorists and business insiders are enormous. The main objective of this course is to provide students an exposure to the complex information security management issues in the US today. This course offers business professionals a unique blend of technical knowledge and managerial training to investigate digital threats, study corporate security needs, modeling potential risk, and explore possible strategies that management can adapt to protect valuable corporate assets.”
Mihaylo College of Business – California State University, Fullerton
The Mihaylo College of Business and Economics was founded in 1963. The college is named for Steven G. Mihaylo, a 1969 Cal State Fullerton graduate-turned-businessman who made significant contributions to the university. The school has offered MBA degrees since its inception, and today offers MBA, MA and MS programs, including online programs and programs for working professionals.
The Information Systems And Decision Sciences Department at Mihaylo offers concentrations in Information Systems to MBA students. Coursework includes:
- Integrated Enterprise Information Systems
- Information Privacy and Security
- Systems Analysis, Design and Development
Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management – Claremont Graduate University
The Peter F. Drucker & Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management was founded in 1971 and in 1987 was named in honor of Peter Drucker, a pioneer in management theory who helped create one of the first EMBA programs in the United States. In addition to the traditional full-time MBA, the Drucker School of Management offers a part-time and an Executive MBA.
Drucker offers a dual MS in Information Systems & Technology/MBA degree that teaches foundations in technology and management. The special degree is presented in partnership with the Center for Information Systems & Technology (CISAT) and features a curriculum that teaches best practices in both IS&T and management. Students earn two degrees simultaneously and consists of 19 courses.
The Paul Merage School of Business – University of California, Irvine
Located about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, the UC Irvine campus is just ten minutes away from the coastal communities of Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. The UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business offers a full-time, two year MBA program, as well as a part-time, Executive and Healthcare Executive MBA programs.
The Merage School offers some Information Systems coursework for MBA students. All MBAs must take the core Information Technology class. These electives include:
- Critical IT Decisions for Business Executives
- Business Intelligence for Analytical Decisions
- Digital Strategies and Markets
- Special Topics in Information Systems
