Abilene Christian University launches a new sports leadership hub in Dallas.
By Stephen Johnson
In an era where algorithms analyze every play and wearables track every heartbeat, it’s easy to believe that data now drives professional sports. But as technology transforms the industry at lightning speed — from AI-generated scouting reports to virtual reality training — one truth remains: It still takes a leader to motivate players, inspire a team and steer a franchise to success on the field and off.
The future of sports may be increasingly digital, but its heart is still deeply human. Behind each advanced analytic is a person who created it — a flesh-and-blood being who, despite possessing incredible talent and athletic ability, is subject to the same human fears, doubts and need for interpersonal connection as all of us are.
That’s why leaders matter. We instinctively know this to be true, yet despite the billions of dollars the sports industry has invested in advanced technology, analytics and cutting edge artificial intelligence platforms, sports has invested very little in maximizing the capacity of those who are perhaps the most influential in developing raw talent into highly capable performers.
Leadership pipelines still look like they did a decade ago with sporadic mentorship, a weekend seminar and the occasional MBA. Meanwhile, the tech stack keeps piling higher. And in this high-tech arena, strong, visionary sports leadership will be more essential than ever.
At Abilene Christian University, we decided the answer wasn’t another gadget. It was a new kind of curriculum. On May 19, we launched the Center for Sports Leadership and Learning, a fully online bachelor’s and master’s hub built in partnership with organizations like the Texas Rangers and Houston Texans.
Our goal is to unlock the human potential within each sports professional and athlete. Our curriculum is grounded in self-assessments, guiding leaders to understand themselves on and off the field.
We’re also helping leaders understand others by developing the emotional intelligence it takes to navigate high-stakes situations and conflict. We call this “high-performance leadership” and it makes all the difference in an industry where the tech stack keeps rising and the pressure to win at all costs builds.
Our early pilot with RangersU, an academic pathway for Texas Rangers players and coaches, shows what’s possible. The Houston Texans, the National Amateur Fall Baseball Federation and Endebrock Talent Management are among our growing list of partners who believe sports, at its core, is a character venture.
But ACU is just one university. The larger point is this: Every conference, league and sports-tech startup now faces the same choice. Invest in comprehensive leadership development or watch emerging technology outpace the people tasked with wielding it responsibly.
In the biblical Book of Proverbs we’re reminded, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The sports industry is staring at a vision vacuum — one that no sensor, streaming deal or blockchain ticketing platform can fill. The solution is deceptively simple and incredibly hard: Build better leaders to keep up with tech.
That’s the play ACU has chosen. We invite leagues, athletic directors and forward-thinking franchises to run it with us, because the scoreboard of the future will measure character every bit as much as points, and the teams that train for both will own the next era of sport.
Originally published on June 4, 2025 at https://www.dallasnews.com/op…tech-its-leadership/
Stephen Johnson is CEO of Abilene Christian University–Dallas, home of the Center for Sports Leadership and Learning.
