Since the days of the ancient Greek Olympics and Roman gladiators, people have been innately drawn to sports. We stand at rapt attention as we admire physical feats of speed, strength or endurance. The Super Bowl is annually the most-watched program on American TV, and it’s been reported that as many as five billion of the world’s eight billion inhabitants tuned in to watch last year’s World Cup. Yep, we love athletes.

However, in today’s highly competitive, hyperconnected world, legions of support are required to train and support sportspersons. Whether it entails poring over analytics that help players enhance their performance, cultivating sponsorships that provide financial support to collegiate athletic departments, or managing the digital assets that support disseminating sports-related content, numerous roles must be filled to support the business of sports. 

Here’s a look at one of several Deltasigs to helps connect fans to our favorite sports.

Kailah Seabrook, Kennesaw State (GA)
Product Owner for NBC Sport 

Digital apps and websites require thorough management, and in Kaliah’s role as product owner for NBC Sports, she serves as a liaison between the company and the software engineers that develop its web platform to make sure the digital product accurately represents the company’s strategic priorities.

Previously, Kailah worked for Penn Interactive, the parent company of Barstool Sports, an online sports-betting platform. As states began legalizing sports wagering, she and the Barstool team worked frenetically to keep pace with rapidly evolving regulations.

“It was my role to ensure each vertical of the business from engineering, compliance, marketing, operations, finance, etc. were ready for new state launches,” she said. “For each state, we had to rebuild the app and abide by the specific state’s wagering regulations.”

Kailah noted a fairly equal measure of similarities and differences between her Penn Interactive and NBC Sports roles. Both positions require close contact with software engineers to ensure accurate app construction. Also, using the Agile project management methodology was a common denominator in both positions — as is the volatile nature of the sports business.

“The sports business is very ad hoc; you have to be a little bit more comfortable with change,” Kailah said. “Information arrives at inconsistent timelines, and, with some events such as the NBA Finals, you don’t know how many games will be played and you have to be prepared. Deadlines are absolute.”

One focal point of Kailah’s product development team is the evolution of Sports Engine, an online platform that connects young athletes and their families to sports programs and coaching clinics in their communities.

In the future, Kailah would like to evolve into a product management position and have an increased role in the creative side of product development. Whatever role she undertakes, she’s grateful to Delta Sigma Pi for assisting her career development.

“Joining the Fraternity was critical for me to more clearly focus on growing career opportunities,” Kailah said. “It also helped me understand the importance of effective communication.”

Brother Seabrook, who graduated from Kennesaw State in 2020, served in multiple leadership roles, including senior vice president, vice president-scholarship & awards and vice president-alumni relations. Her most energizing Deltasig experience was attending a LEAD Provincial Conference shortly before COVID-19 shut down such gatherings.

“I was able to see just how diverse the Fraternity is, and that, even with how different our talents and goals were, we had a connection because we were all brothers,” Kailah said.

Check back for more spotlights in this series!