Sports Management Commons^™

Gsbj Editor's Note

Global Sport Business Journal

Editor's Note for Volume 11 (2026)

Book Review - The Fast Track, Darlene A. Kluka

Global Sport Business Journal

This review examines The Fast Track by Jane McManus, a timely analysis of the commercial rise of women’s sport in the United States. McManus challenges the persistent narrative of low consumer demand, reframing it as a consequence of historical underinvestment and limited infrastructure. Drawing on industry data, stakeholder interviews, and economic analysis, the book highlights key growth drivers, including media rights, sponsorship alignment, and athlete-led digital visibility. It also situates these developments within broader social and political contexts, addressing issues of equity, representation, and governance. While primarily U.S.-focused, the book offers a compelling market diagnosis and underscores women’s sport as …

Book Review - Esports Business Management 2nd Edition, Brett A. Anderson

Global Sport Business Journal

This review evaluates Esports Business Management (2nd ed.) as a comprehensive and pedagogically effective resource for undergraduate sport business education. The text situates esports within familiar sport management frameworks while highlighting key distinctions related to its digital, global, and rapidly evolving structure. Across fourteen chapters, the authors address core industry components, including governance, marketing, sponsorship, finance, law, and career pathways, supported by real-world examples and applied learning tools. Particular strengths include clear definitional grounding, strong comparative analysis with traditional sport systems, and accessible explanations of complex industry dynamics. While maintaining breadth and clarity, the book effectively bridges theory and practice, …

College Football Free Agency: The Transactional Nature Of Big-Time College Football Recruiting, Chris Corr, Branden Johnson, Amanda L. Paule-Koba

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This study explored how the transfer portal has transformed college football recruiting by disrupting traditional relationship-based practices and accelerating the shift toward a transactional performance-driven model. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, field, and capital, the research examines how recruiting coordinators navigate evolving pressures around talent acquisition, NIL compensation, and compressed recruiting timelines. Findings from comprehensive interviews with five Power-4 recruiting personnel reveal that relationships are increasingly leveraged for short-term gain. The findings of this study indicate the transfer portal has created an opaque high-stakes marketplace where trust is limited, valuation is speculative, and institutional pedigree/resources heavily influence opportunities. The …

An Exploration Of College Athletes' Action To Change The Eyes Of Texas. A Chronological Case Study, Charles Macaulay, Jessica K. Brougham, Christopher M. Mcleod, Ajhanai C. Keaton

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This study presents a chronological case study exploring the University of Texas Austin wherein a broad coalition of students, college athletes, marching band members and others from the UT community engaged in several forms of activism challenging the university to address racial inequities. Unlike other sport organizations that swiftly supported activist efforts, the University of Texas serves as a case where leadership attempted to uphold the status quo and stifle dissent. Thus, this manuscript explores the oscillating dynamic between sport activism and organizational responses when a broad coalition of actors, lacking status, influence, and power, engage in continued efforts to …

Marketing Collegiate Women’S Sports In A Shifting Landscape: Opportunities And Obstacles, Liz Sattler Dr., Eric Kramer, Micaela Bradley

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

This research explores the promotion of women’s sports programs across Division I athletic departments by specifically looking at the strategies, barriers, and opportunities identified by practitioners. Interest in women’s sports is growing, in large part thanks to popular women athletes such as Caitlin Clark, Juju Watkins, and Olivia Dunne. Despite that growing interest and investment in women’s sports globally, women collegiate athletes still face significant disparities in funding, media coverage, and overall promotion compared to their counterparts who are men. The industry faces a unique pivot point with the introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and the pending implications …

From Field To Marketplace: Nil, Identity Dynamics, And Well-Being Among College Athletes, Kathryn Heinze, Landy D. Lu, Hairou Ren, Sara Soderstom

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

The rapid expansion of name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities has reshaped the U.S. college sport landscape, yet limited research has examined how NIL engagement affects athlete identity and well-being. This study investigates the relationships among NIL engagement, identity salience, and stress. Survey data were collected from 351 Division I athletes across four major conferences. Regression analyses indicated that greater NIL commitment was associated with heightened athlete identity salience and increased NIL-related stress. NIL satisfaction emerged as a protective factor, predicting lower stress, whereas perceptions of fairness were not significantly related to stress. Brief open-ended survey responses provided explanatory context, …

Pull Factors Of College Selection: The Role Of Club Sports In Student Enrollment Decisions, Brett A. Anderson, Sean Seiler, Thomas Baker

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

The relationship between club sports in intercollegiate athletics and their influence on student recruitment and retention remains underexplored within the broader participatory sport ecosystem. Guided by push–pull models of college selection, this study examines whether the availability of club sports functions as a meaningful pull factor in students’ decisions to enroll in and remain at an institution. Survey data were collected from 151 current undergraduate and graduate club sport athletes across the United States. Exploratory factor analysis identified a distinct Club Sports factor, demonstrating strong construct validity and internal consistency. Multiple regression analyses revealed that club sport availability was a …

International College Athletes’ Perceptions Of Nil And Its Impact On Their Experiences: A Theory Of Capital Approach., Jessica K. Brougham, Rebecca M. Achen

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

The name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy altered the landscape of college sports and provided college athletes with new opportunities to monetize their talents and personal brands. However, while the NCAA stated that all athletes would be able to participate in NIL deals and be compensated for the use of their NIL, international college athletes (ICAs) soon discovered they were restricted from participation while located in the U.S., due to their student visa status. Through nine semi-structured interviews of current and former ICAs we identified themes related to Bourdieu’s theory of social capital and Bauder’s theory of citizenship capital that …

Building Competence And Confidence Through Experiential Learning: A Case Study Of The Bengal Triathlon, Caroline E. Faure Edd; Atc

The COSMA Journal

This descriptive case study examines the perceived effectiveness of the Bengal Triathlon, an experiential learning (EL) activity integrated into a sport management course at Idaho State University. Drawing on student reflections over three years, the study highlights how this experience enhanced students’ confidence and skills in planning and managing sport events, particularly in high-pressure areas such as risk management, event logistics, and customer service. Despite participation being a course requirement, a noticeable shift in student attitudes was observed. Students moved from seeing the event as a mandatory task to taking full ownership, driven by increased motivation and enjoyment. This case …

Rupturing The Sport Management Classroom: Zine-Making For World-Making, Roc Rochon, Chen Chen

Sport Management Collection

The on-going COVID-19 pandemic (and the pandemic of capitalism, white supremacy, imperialism, and colonialism, etc.) calls for imaginative, relevant, and critical approaches in sport management education to address diverse, socially, and culturally dynamic students. Yet the bulk of existing educational resources remain rooted in reinforcing systems of domination and the structure of on-going settler colonialism (Chen & Mason, 2019; hooks, 1994). A major challenge in traditional approaches to “updating” the curriculum fall short in challenging the banking mode of education (Freire, 1970). Following Amis and Silk’s (2005) call for a “rupture” of the reproduction of the status quo within sport …

Vanderbilt Vs. Florence State Program, Vanderbilt University

Documents

Selected excerpts from the souvenir program for the November 21, 1959, football game in which Florence State and Vanderbilt competed at Dudley Field. The excerpt contains information and photographs about this early era of UNA football history.

The Official Ncaa Division Ii Football Championship Program, 1985, National Collegiate Athletic Association

Documents

Selected excerpts from the official championship program for the Palm Bowl, 1985 NCAA Division II Football Championship held on December 14, 1985, at McAllen Memorial Stadium in McAllen, Texas. The program includes the winners’ bracket, information on UNA’s offensive and defensive lines, and an overview of the team and school.

The Official Ncaa Division Ii Football Championship Program, 1994, National Collegiate Athletic Association

Documents

Selected excerpts from the official 1994 Division II Football Championship program. The game was held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama on December 10, 1994. Thus, the excerpt contains information about UNA as a host institution for the game and Braly stadium, as well as information on the Harlon Hill trophy award and typical game statistics.

The Official Ncaa Division Ii Football Championship Program, Dec. 11, 1993, National Collegiate Athletic Association

Documents

Selected excerpts from The Official 1993 NCAA Division II Football Championship Program hosted by the University of North Alabama at Braly Municipal Stadium, Florence, Alabama on December 11th, 1993, in which UNA competed against Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The Official Ncaa Division Ii Football Championship Program, Dec. 9, 1995, Ncaa

Documents

Selected excerpts from The Official 1995 NCAA Division II Football Championship Program hosted by the University of North Alabama at Braly Municipal Stadium, Florence, Alabama on December 9th, 1995, in which UNA competed against Ferris State University.

Ncaaction - Official Souvenir Program, Ncaa Quarterfinal Competition, Una Vs. Virginia Union University, Jeff Hodges, Una Student Photographers

Documents

Selected excerpts from the NCAAction - Official Souvenir Program pertaining to the NCAA Division II Quarterfinal Competition in which UNA competed against Virginia Union University on November 26th, 1983, before advancing to the semifinals on December 3rd.

Ncaaction - Official Souvenir Program, Ncaa Division Ii Semifinal Competition, Una Vs. Central State University Of Ohio, Jeff Hodges, Una Student Photographers

Documents

Selected excerpts from the NCAAction - Official Souvenir Program pertaining to the NCAA Division II Semifinal Competition in which UNA competed against Central State University of Ohio on December 3rd, 1983.

''Una Ncaa Division Ii National Champs!!'', Times Daily

Documents

Souvenir edition of the Times Daily in honor of the University of North Alabama Men’s Basketball Team’s win in the NCAA Division II National Championship of 1979. The newspaper includes various articles related to community celebration of the team and information on individual players.

1959 Florence State College Basketball Media Guide, Florence State College, News Bureau

Documents

Media guide for the 1959 Florence State College Lions basketball team. The guide includes a variety of information on the team, schedule, statistics, prospects, and history.

Flowers Hall Construction Pamphlet, Barr & Tune Associates, B.H. Craig Construction Co., T. D. Lloyd

Documents

Florence State University pamphlet discussing the August 1972 completion of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department facilities, now known as Flowers Hall. The document includes photographs of the building's façade and illustrations of its floor plans. The building area includes 97, 311 square feet with a construction cost of $2,400,000. After construction, the entirely air-conditioned facility affords space for a variety of activities including gymnastics, rhythm, wrestling, badminton, varsity athletics, basketball, swimming, weight training, research, classrooms, offices, and volleyball.

1993 Softball - Gulf South Conference Champions: 1983, 1986, 1987, University Of North Alabama

Documents

The pamphlet discusses the 1993 University of the North Alabama Softball season, including the schedule, players, and statistics. In addition, the history of UNA’s championship success at the 1983, 1986, and 1987 Gulf South Conference Championships is highlighted alongside notable accomplishments in the history of the team since its foundation by Coach Ande Jones in 1983.

''Lions Win Ncaa Division Ii Title - 1979 National Champions!'', The Flor-Ala

Documents

Excerpts from the Flor-Ala publication announcing the University of North Alabama basketball team’s success in the NCAA Division II 1979 National Championship game. The newspaper includes images, statistics, and game recaps.

Rise & Roar: First Year In Division I, University Of North Alabama

Documents

Selected pages from the September 22, 2018, publication of the Rise and Roar football promotional magazine outlining UNA’s first year after the transition to Division I of the NCAA. The included pages offer a recollection of the first games played, as well as a short timeline of information relevant to the history of football at the University of North Alabama.

Florence State University Basketball Recruitment Letter, E. E. Billingham

Documents

Basketball recruitment letter and statistic sheet sent by Coach E.E. Billingham in 1971.

Transcript

----Page 1---- 

FLORENCE STATE UNIVERSITY 

FLORENCE, ALABAMA 35630 

205-766-4100 

DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS 

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you about Florence State University in Florence, Alabama. 

We are a small Southern University (3300 students) just starting to get off the ground in a vigorous basketball program and we need prospects of your caliber, if we are going to accomplish our goals. We are having our most successful start in a long time but will graduate five seniors and need to have a good …

1961-62 Florence State Lions Basketball Media Guide, Pete Kelley, Florence Herald Print

Documents

Media guide for the 1961-62 Florence State College Lions basketball team. The guide includes a variety of information on the teams, schedule, statistics, team members, prospects, and history.

Florence State College Basketball 1963-64, Glenn Stephens

Documents

Pamphlet concerned with the 1963-64 Florence State College Basketball Season, including historical information, reference to Athletic Director H.A. “Eddie” Flowers, Head Basketball Coach Edmond E. Billingham, and team images, statistics, and facts.

Muscle Shoals Invitational Tournament Program, Florence Herald

Documents

Program for the Muscle Shoals Invitational Basketball Tournament held at the Sheffield, Alabama community center on Friday and Saturday, December 16-17, 1955. The tournament includes participating institutions, such as Birmingham-Southern College, Howard College, (Troy) Alabama State Teachers College, and (Florence) Alabama State Teachers College. The program features lists of team players and statistics.

A History Of Athletics At The University Of North Alabama, Una Sports Information Department

Documents

A pdf of excerpts from A History of Athletics at the University of North Alabama, a catalog compiled by the Sports Information Department depicting various athletic achievements throughout UNA’s history. The selected documents range from 1993 to 2003 with information dating back to the university’s founding as LaGrange College in 1830. The document also includes earlier mascot depictions and relevant iconography. Additional information outside of the provided excerpts is available via an in-person appointment at the archives.

University Of North Alabama: Athletics Year In Review, Una Sports Information Department

Documents

A pdf compiled of excerpts from the University of North Alabama: Athletics Year in Review. The included pages provide information on various awards attained by UNA athletic teams within the given year they represent, as well as final statistics and results. Available years include: 1992-1993, 1994-1995, 1995-1996, 1996, 1997, 1998-1999, 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2002-2003, and 2004-2005. Additional information and full review access are available upon request via an in-person appointment at the archives.