The Sport Professor Podcast

Have you ever wondered why we have drafts in American professional sports? Or why the teams that trade down in the NFL draft always seem to win more games the following year? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we continue our exploration of the application of game theory to sports by exploring what game theory can teach us about how teams should behave when approaching the NFL draft. So i...

Have you ever wondered why cities are so cautious spending taxpayers' money on new stadiums? Or why teams in big media markets are upset with the likes of the A’s, Rays, and Marlins? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we once again deep dive the intersection of Game Theory and Sports through exploring how spending other people’s money can change how a person acts in a strategic situation....

Have you ever wondered what a 1970 law and the 1984 Olympic games have to do with the rise of sport sponsorship? Or why corporations are willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to put their name on a stadium or arena? If so this is the podcast for you as today we deep dive the world of sport sponsorship through exploring the history of corporate involvement with sport teams. So if you’re...

Have you ever wondered what the NCAA does with the billions of dollars they generate from the men’s basketball tournament each year? Or what led to the NCAA buying the NIT? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we deep dive the history and evolution of men’s college basketball, their postseason tournaments, and their present-day operations. So if you’re interested in learning about how colle...

Have you ever wondered when and why athletes began using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs)? Or why modern day sports ban certain forms of performance enhancement (e.g., EPO and blood doing) but allow others (e.g., hypobaric chambers and altitude training)? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we continue our examination of sport ethics in tackling the issue of performance enhancement in sp...

Have you ever wondered what the difference between cheating and gamesmanship is in sports? Or how discussions of ethics in sports can be applied to businesses, leadership, and life in general? If so, this is the podcast for you, as today we begin to examine the intersection of sports and ethics. So if you are interested in learning what sport ethics is and about how ethical misconduct might threat...

Have you ever wondered what has kept soccer and the MLS from becoming as big as the NFL or NBA? Or why the MLS created its own shootout when it first formed in 1995? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we will again deep dive the world of game theory, only this time to explore elements of mass coordination games and the ideas of network externalities in Major League Soccer. So if you are i...

Have you ever wondered how a soccer goalie can increase their likelihood of saving a penalty kick? Or what might go into a college basketball player trying to decide whether to enter the NBA draft or return to school for another year? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we again deep dive the world of game theory, only this time to discuss simultaneous games, their application to sport, an...

Have you ever wondered why teams rarely give in to contract holdouts? Or how a poison pill contract might affect your favorite NBA team? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we deep dive the world of game theory and discuss sequential games, their application to sport, and strategies players can take to come out victorious. So, if you are interested in learning what game theory has to say a...

Have you ever wondered what makes sport marketing so different from all other forms marketing? Or been curious about the unique challenges sport marketers face? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we provide a macro view of the field and study of sport marketing. So if you are interested in learning more about how sport is different from other forms of entertainment and how that affects a...

The college football bowl system that currently supplements the College Football Playoff dates back more than 110 years to Pasadena, California. It was there in 1902 the first ever “bowl game”, was played between Michigan and Stanford. This game was played in a small 10,000 seat stadium in front of 8,000 people before television was even invented. And though it was 5 years before another bowl was...

Have you ever wondered what the next big trend in sport media will be? Or how people will watch and follow sports in the future? If so, this podcast is for you, as today we deep dive into present day trends of sport consumption to forecast what the future might hold. So if your curious about how sport organizations will deliver content in upcoming years, just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episod...

Scores for games in the NBA have increased drastically over the past 5 years rising each season from 99.88 points per game in 2014-2015 to 110.64 points per game this season.  A quick examination of the data shows this is likely due to the increase in the amount of 3s and possessions per game (up approximately 10 per game and 7 per game over last 5 seasons respectfully).  So does that mean in orde...

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in college athletics? Or what happens behind the scenes of your favorite college team? If so, this is the podcast for you, as today we are joined by the Director of Development for the Chanticleer Athletic Foundation, Kelly Moore. With 10 years of experience working in college athletics, Kelly offers a multifaceted perspective on working in college spo...

Have you ever wondered how people in sport can use the findings of research studies to help them in their job? Or how sport research is done in the first place? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we deep dive into Drew Czekanski’s past to better understand the world of sport management research and its application to the business world. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sp...

Have you ever wondered how to get a job in minor league baseball? Or what goes into creating a marketing plan for a professional sports team? If so, this is the podcast for you as today we are joined by the South Atlantic League Female Executive of the Year, Sam Fischer. With over 5 years of experience, Sam offers her unique perspective on sport management and helps us deep dive into the business...

Have you ever wondered why people become fans of the teams they do? Or how social theories can be used to explain your own sport fandom?  If so,  this is the podcast for you, as today we deep dive the sport fan and examine the fan life cycle.  So if you want to know what causes us to become fans then sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast

Have you ever wondered how the Great Depression led to an increase in sport and recreation opportunities? Or what the playground movement was and why it was so important? If you have, then this is the podcast for you, as today we will conclude our three-part series on the history of sport and recreation by discussing the evolution of sport in 19th and 20th century America. So if you love history,...

Have you ever wondered how the death of a king led to the downfall of jousting? Or how Martin Luther and Johannes Gutenberg changed the face of sport?  If so, this is the podcast for you as today we continue our discussion of the history of sport and recreation in ancient societies by highlighting four specific eras and the sports and games that best represent them.  So sit back and relax, as we d...

Have you ever wondered why an ad that makes you cry can get you to buy a product? Or how your identity influences your purchasing decision? If so, this is the podcast for you, as today we define and discuss the foundational constructs that explain consumers actions and provided detailed examples of how they apply to sport. So sit back, relax as we discuss Theories of Sport Consumer Behavior.

Have you ever wondered what the preferred sport of Egyptian kings was? Or why the Romans love bloodsports so much? Or how ancient societies shaped modern day sports? If so, this podcast is for you, as today we will dive into the history and evolution of sport with the hope of providing insight into how ancient societies viewed and engaged in physical activity.  So sit back and relax as we discuss...

Have you ever wondered what a fan is or how many there are in America? Or heard sportscasters say football was dying and questioned if it is true? Or ever thought about the value a sport fan brings to a team and why franchises work so hard to keep them coming back for more?  If so, this podcast is for you as we seek to tell you, who fans are, what they like, and why all this even matters.  Sit bac...

A common conversation between college professors and students centers around professors offering advice to students on how to be successful in the classroom and set themselves up to land the job they want once they graduate. This episode of The Sport Professor Podcast mimics those conversations and offers tips from professors and former students on how to be a successful college student.

The NCAA has been a focal point of sport conversation and debate since its inception in the early 1900s.  The organization is polarizing, as almost all those touched by it have strong feelings about a plethora of topics that make up the college sport debate.  This notion is voiced well by the current president of West Virginia University Gordon Gee who stated in 2007, "I am an avid supporter of in...