Knowledge at Wharton

Neil Payne, sports analytics writer and creator of a leading sports Substack, discusses playoff parity, coaching impact, home-field advantage, and how analytics can—and can’t—explain who ultimately wins in today’s NFL and college football postseason. Cade, Eric, Shane & Adi also analyze hockey plus-minus limitations, Grand Slam betting dominance, Baseball Hall of Fame probabilities, and how NIL deals and the transfer portal are transforming competitive balance in college football.

Jeremy Siegel, Wharton Emeritus Professor of Finance and Senior Economist at WisdomTree, shares his perspective on the state of the U.S. economy, analyzing recent rate cuts, inflation progress, employment data, tariff uncertainty, and what they could mean for markets and growth in 2026.

Emma Barker Bonomo, Editorial Director at Time, joins Barbara & Americus to discuss how the magazine curates its annual Best Inventions list, highlighting the criteria, trends, and global significance behind the most impactful innovations of the year.

This “Best of 2025” episode highlights insights from Shannon Shae Montoya, Global Head of B2B Marketing, Sponsorships, and Events at Yahoo; Toby Espinosa, Vice President of Ads at DoorDash; Adam Kornblum, Chief Creative Officer at L’Oréal; and Merill Hollander, founder of Fiametta, as they discuss how data-driven creativity, storytelling, and bold experimentation are shaping the future of marketing, retail media, beauty, and fine jewelry.

In this “Best of 2025” compilation, Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner revisit top moments with Google Sports Trends Fanalyst Annanya Raghavan, NFL veteran and Athletes.org founder Brandon Copeland, bestselling baseball biographer Jane Leavy, and ESPN analyst Dean Oliver, showcasing their insights on search-driven fan engagement, athlete empowerment, the future of baseball, and analytics’ growing influence across the NBA.

In this special episode, listen to curated excerpts from this year’s Ripple Effect podcast, where Wharton professors discuss a range of trending business topics.

Mark Pauly, Professor Emeritus of Healthcare Management at the Wharton School, examines Senator Bill Cassidy’s new health savings account–based proposal, evaluates its relationship to existing ACA tax credits, and offers broader insights into the persistent economic and political challenges of U.S. health care reform.

Peter Adams, Senior Writer at Marketing Dive, joins Barbara Kahn to explore how economic bifurcation, evolving loyalty drivers, and rapid advances in AI are forcing marketers to rethink strategies, adapt to cultural moments, and navigate an increasingly complex industry landscape.

Eric Bradlow, Cade Massey, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner explore how advanced analytics are influencing modern sports—from reshaping baseball’s Gold Glove selections to refining NFL power rankings and playoff projections—while dissecting how the new 12-team College Football Playoff format heightens uncertainty and reshapes championship probabilities.