Lauren Keiling ’04 has what many might call a dream job. This past spring, The Walt Disney Company featured Lauren’s work with ESPN for World Storytelling Day, highlighting how the senior director of fan and marketplace insights harnesses the power of storytelling to understand the modern sports fan. Through her work on the ESPN research team, Lauren determines how different consumers navigate media today to improve the experience for all.

“Data and numbers can really fall flat if that is what you are presenting to people at face value,” Lauren explained in her interview with Disney. “For my work to have impact, we really have to bring it to life with storytelling and narrative.”

Lauren has built her career at ESPN over 15 years with the company. Starting as a research analyst, her work has constantly evolved with the consumer. Lauren’s efforts have helped launch ESPN BET, push the company further into YouTube and TikTok, and assess demand for two new direct-to-consumer products— Venu and an ESPN flagship product. Utilizing data analytics on how fans are consuming across platforms combined with talking to fans directly via primary research, Lauren tells the story of fans today to better predict where they are headed tomorrow.

In the last decade, the landscape of media consumption has undergone a dramatic transformation, driven by rapid advancements in technology and changes in consumer behavior, and Lauren’s career has evolved with it. Traditional media outlets such as television, radio and print have declined significantly as digital platforms have surged in popularity. The rise of smartphones and tablets has made media consumption more personalized and accessible, allowing individuals to engage with content anytime and anywhere. This shift has also led to the proliferation of niche content, enabling creators to reach targeted audiences with specific interests. Overall, the last 10 years have seen a move toward more interactive, personalized and on-demand media consumption, fundamentally changing how audiences engage with content.

“That’s the reason I have stayed so invested in my work,” Lauren said. “So much has changed in the last decade, and it’s about trying to understand how the consumer will shift into the future. Youth fandoms are important, and observing how young people are becoming fans and consuming media in different ways is key. Older generations are picking up on stuff that Gen Z is involved in, and that is shaping our path in the future.”

When ESPN turned 30 in 2009, PopMatters noted, “No one can foresee what directions sports coverage will take in the future, but it’s a good bet that ESPN will be a major influence in shaping that coverage.” After four decades of dominance in the sports industry, ESPN continues to reinvent itself to stay relevant in the ever-changing landscape of media consumption. As they look to find the next great innovation for today’s sports fan, one thing is for sure—Lauren will be behind the scenes, discovering just what they are looking for in today’s digital-first world.