When a recruiter reached out to Elisa Koch in 2019 asking if she’d be interested in applying for a role as Head of Data and Analytics at the Australian Football League (AFL), she didn’t give it much thought.
“I literally ignored the message because at the time, it was so far-fetched for me,” Koch shared with Women’s Agenda recently.
“I did not grow up with sports around me, it wasn’t part of my family life growing up in a second-generation, Korean-American family living in Los Angeles.”
However, Koch explains that the recruiter was persistent, and she eventually caught up with him to discuss the role.
“What he explained is that the AFL is actually seeking out people from different industries, and that intrigued me,” she says. “I quickly learned that AFL is full of incredibly passionate people. It’s also in an industry with tons of data, with so many applications of it.”
So in 2019, Koch was appointed as Head of Data and Analytics, where she leads a team whose primary focus is on how the AFL and its associated 18 clubs can better understand their fans, and how these fans can be engaged with through data.
Koch, who studied at New York University with majors in finance and accounting, has always had a love of data, and considers herself to be a quantitative and analytical thinker. She has over 20 years experience in data and analytics, and has worked at companies like Avon, Myer, Quantium, and LinkedIn both in the US and here in Australia.
“I had initially thought my career was just going to be working on Wall Street in finance, but very quickly realised I wanted to be able to leverage my love of data in a different space.”
Day-to-day, Koch is focused on leading a team to better understand AFL fans, and how the league and its clubs can improve the experience of football for fans.
At the AFL, “fan” is a far-ranging term, including everyone from casual fans attending games, club members, community football participants in local leagues, or those who tune into a game on television.
“When I boil it down, footy fans are so passionate. Living in Melbourne, it’s almost like you can’t escape it during a certain time of the year,” Koch says, “I feel like we owe it to these incredibly passionate fans to provide them with the most relevant and engaging experiences and I believe that also all starts with data and analytics.”
Koch says she is proud to be part of the increasing conversation we are all having about AFLW, and is excited to use her expertise to help grow the game.
So, as a senior female leader at the AFL, would Koch encourage other women to consider a career in the sporting industry? Definitely.
“When I was preparing for my first day [at the AFL], I totally envisioned just walking into a meeting and it would just be all men just sitting around talking about footy,” Koch laughs.
“But I was actually pleasantly surprised to see how many women work at the AFL, how many women are equally passionate about footy, and just the respect for the diversity of opinion.”
The job is rewarding too, Koch says, explaining that she’s always excited to start the work week.
“I’m at a point in this role at the AFL where on that Sunday night, I’m excited to go to work on a Monday. There are so many different elements of it that are fulfilling and just seeing how my space of data and analytics is really making a tangible impact across the AFL is incredibly rewarding.”
Koch says the business of sport is incredibly dynamic, and there are so many areas you can be involved in, utilising a range of skills and professional experience.
“I would highly encourage women from other industries to look into sport because it’s more than just what’s on the field. If you are a talented woman, who loves what you do, you can find and know your niche and patch within sport.”
Feature Image by Michael Willson/AFL Photos.