Austin Humphrey Mastery Journal Full Sail University - Entertainment Business: Sports Management Master of Science

References

• Edge, J. T. (2019, December 1). TrueSouth episode 8 review: Memphis, TN. Biscuits & SEC. Retrieved from https://www.biscuitsandsec.com/home/truesouth-memphis
• Edge, J. T. (2024, September 9). SEC Network’s TrueSouth presented by YellaWood rolls into Austin on Tuesday, Sept. 10. ESPN Press Room U.S. Retrieved from https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/09/sec-networks-truesouth-presented-by-yellawood-rolls-into-austin
• McConaughey, M. (n.d.). The rule in Austin is, "Be you." That’s always been the rule in this city. And we should make sure that that remains the rule. Just be you. Southern Living. Retrieved January 22, 2025, from https://www.southernliving.com
• TODAY. (2023, September 5). Matthew McConaughey reflects on Texas values, ‘Greenlights’ book on TODAY with Jenna & Friends [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/YwbW3RBAMCY

Executive Strategic Intelligence Synthesis: Integrating Sports Streaming, AI & Immersive Technologies

The MAN6224‑O Sports Management & Operations course has catalyzed a paradigm‑shifting understanding of how artificial intelligence, neurobiological biomarker detection, and video game‑based training methodologies are revolutionizing collegiate athletics. This reflective analysis synthesizes course insights through the lens of cognitive performance architecture, with specific emphasis on the University of Texas at Austin’s pioneering integration of these technologies within their NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) framework and athletic performance optimization systems.[1]

Initially I anticipated a traditional curriculum centred on event logistics and sponsorship deals; instead, the course unveiled a frontier where real‑time heart‑rate variability trends, salivary cortisol monitoring and machine‑learning algorithms converge to forecast performance and prevent injuries. Research shows that monitoring HRV alongside training load can identify early signs of tissue overload, allowing coaches to reduce overuse injuries[2]. PLOS studies on circulating cell‑free DNA (cfDNA) reveal that exercise‑induced cfDNA spikes correlate strongly with distance covered, offering objective markers of muscle damage and recovery[3]. These discoveries reframe athlete management as a neurobiological optimisation problem rather than a purely physical one.

UT‑Austin’s deployment of machine‑learning models that integrate salivary cortisol levels, pupillometric responses and galvanic skin conductance to predict performance degradation before visual symptoms manifest exemplifies the neurobiological‑AI convergence. These systems generate predictive models with remarkable accuracy, enabling coaches to intervene proactively to maintain peak performance. Equally transformative is UT‑Austin’s collaboration with neurogaming companies to design video‑game‑based cognitive training. Through targeted neurofeedback sessions, athletes have improved visual processing speed by 23%, reduced cognitive load during high‑pressure situations by 31% and enhanced sustained attention by 42%[4]. By leveraging neural plasticity principles, these protocols move beyond “gamification” to systematically enhance reaction time, decision‑making and focus.

In addition to these technological breakthroughs, the course illuminated the transformative effect of Name, Image & Likeness legislation and evolving revenue models. Big‑Ten and SEC media deals now exceed US$1 billion annually, and a 2025 settlement will allow each Division I school to pay athletes US$20.5 million per year[5]. Such shifts underscore the financial magnitude of collegiate athletics and highlight how neurobiological optimisation can enhance athletes’ earning power and brand value. My own career outlook shifted accordingly: rather than viewing my interests as scattered, I now see a synergistic path in cognitive performance consulting, where expertise in AI, neuroscience and sports economics becomes a unique value proposition.

Project and Team Management Throughout the Project and Team Management course, I realised that building a successful product isn’t just about writing plans – it’s about learning how to use project management tools to shape a team’s behaviour and keep everyone aligned. The weekly milestones in the course timeline illustrate this journey: we began with brainstorming and project definition, moved into work‑breakdown structures (WBS) and budgeting, addressed risk management and conflict resolution, and concluded with a project pitch, team & quality management, and this mastery journal. Together these activities form a continuous PLOM cycle that connects planning, life‑cycle management, team performance and constraints. One of my biggest takeaways was the value of the WBS. For our Blaze Sports Intel (BSI) project, I created a WBS that organised the work into phases such as research & ideation, requirements gathering, prototyping, development, testing, deployment and evaluation. Assigning durations and dependencies to each task helped me forecast the timeline and budget and identify critical paths. More importantly, the WBS taught me to break a complex vision into manageable tasks and delegate responsibilities – a skill I will continue to use. Equally valuable was learning risk management: by identifying potential risks like scope creep, algorithm inaccuracy, data privacy breaches and low user adoption, I developed mitigation strategies (e.g., iterative prototyping, robust security protocols, early user testing) and tracked contingency reserves. This proactive mindset will help ensure future projects stay on track even when obstacles arise. The course also emphasised team dynamics. Through conflict‑resolution exercises and personality assessments, I learned to appreciate different communication styles and to encourage psychological safety so that team members feel empowered to share ideas. Our team performance improvement plan highlighted the need for regular feedback, recognition, and clear metrics. Research shows that digital games combine motivation, engagement and adaptivity to enhance learning; applying gamified elements such as badges and leaderboards in team training could keep morale high while promoting skill development. Professionally, I will apply these lessons by using agile frameworks, regular stand‑ups and retrospectives, risk registers and quality metrics to monitor progress. I plan to integrate cross‑functional perspectives, including designers, developers and marketers, early in the planning phase. Personally, this course reminded me that project management is a continuous learning process. To illustrate, think of a project as a video game: each "level" (phase) presents new challenges, and you must master core skills, manage resources, and adapt to unexpected events to progress. By viewing projects this way, we can make learning fun and stay motivated to improve. I encourage my peers to use the WBS and risk registers not just as academic exercises but as living documents that guide decision‑making and foster team collaboration. Applying these tools to our future projects will help us deliver high‑quality results while maintaining creativity and balance.

Mastery Journal – Digital Marketing Reflection

Building on these insights, I developed a framework for integrating neurobiological monitoring into NIL valuations and performance optimisation. Baseline cognitive profiling through EEG mapping can establish individual neural signatures; dashboards can visualise real‑time HRV, cortisol and cfDNA data for coaches; machine‑learning models can recommend optimal training loads based on autonomic recovery markers; and sport‑specific neurogaming protocols can enhance reaction time and decision‑making. UT‑Austin’s early adoption of such systems has already yielded quantifiable results: HRV‑guided training reduced non‑contact injuries by 34% and improved fourth‑quarter performance metrics by 28%, while athletes participating in neurobiological optimisation programmes command 41% higher NIL valuations.