Sports Management Commons^™

Locker Room To The Classroom, Bert Wicks

Masters Theses

This thesis sought to explore the feasibility of using graduated collegiate athletes to supplement teaching populations to mitigate the teaching shortage in America. The researcher interviewed five professionals in education and five current college athletes to assist in answering two research questions. What are the perceptions of school administrators regarding the employment of former collegiate athletes as public-school teachers, in comparison to educators with formal academic training in education, and what are the attitudes of current and former collegiate athletes on the prospects of pursuing careers in public school teaching relative to employment opportunities aligned with their academic major were …

Mlb Speed Premium, Jacob A. Keithley, Chris Hampton

Undergraduate Economics Working Paper Series

This study analyzes if the 2023 rule changes affected the valuation for speed in the MLB labor market. By using a log-linear wage model and including an interaction term for stolen bases and the post-2023 indicator, we test to see if there is a speed premium in salaries. After accounting for yearly effects, the results present a statistically significant increase in the marginal value of stolen bases after the rule change shock. A placebo test was used with home runs to confirm the effects were specific to speed related metrics. The results suggest that the MLB market has and is …

Determinants Of March Madness Tournament Advancement, Jace Waldahl

Undergraduate Economics Working Paper Series

This paper examines whether tournament seed and team efficiency ratings help explain how far teams advance in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Using Bart Torvik NCAA basketball ratings data from 2008 to 2025, I construct a team-year dataset with tournament advancement measured from 1 to 7, where higher values represent deeper runs. The main independent variables are seed, net efficiency, offensive efficiency, and defensive efficiency. Descriptive statistics, correlations, scatterplots, and OLS regressions are used to test whether better-seeded and more efficient teams advance further. The results show that seed is the strongest and most consistent predictor of advancement, but efficiency …

An Empirical Analysis Of Augmented Reality’S Impact On Fan Engagement And Behavioral Intention To Use: A Technology Acceptance Model Study Among U.S.-Based Major League Soccer Fans, Gozde Sezgun

Masters Theses

Although augmented reality (AR) is becoming a routine part of how sport is consumed, evidence specific to Major League Soccer (MLS) remains limited. This study applies the technology acceptance model (TAM) to examine how perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) relate to behavioral intention to use (BI) and to two experience outcomes−fan engagement and fan satisfaction in the MLS context. The study is a nonexperimental, cross-sectional online survey of U.S.-based adult MLS fans with prior exposure to AR in an MLS context, including live stat overlays, in-stadium wayfinding, interactive replays, and virtual try-ons. Constructs were measured with …

The Effect Of Transfer Student Enrollment On The Overall Gpa In Division I Men’S Basketball, Emme Hurn

Masters Theses

The study explored the impact that transfer student-athletes have on the overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of a team in Division I Men’s Basketball. Through the use of Alexander Astin’s Input-Environment-Output model, academic preparation and environments were examined to determine their role in academic outcomes. The purpose of this research was to test this theory in order to answer three key research questions: Is there a statistically significant difference in overall team GPA when comparing Division I men’s basketball teams with a high number of transfer student-athletes, and teams with no transfer student-athletes? What is the relationship between the number …

Exploring The Possibility Of A Salary Floor In Major League Baseball (Mlb), Tyler Michael Jones

Masters Theses

This non-experimental quantitative study examined the relationship between team payroll disparities, fan engagement, and perceptions of fairness in Major League Baseball (MLB). Guided by Competitive Balance Theory, the study sought to determine if perceived fairness influenced fan support for the implementation of a salary floor, and whether those attitudes differed across demographic and team context. Data were collected from 200 adult MLB fans residing in the United States and Canada using an online survey distributed via social media platforms. The instrument included demographic items and Likert-scale measures assessing fairness perceptions, fan engagement, and policy support. Data were analyzed using hierarchical …

New Marker Unveiled To Honor Una, Jeff Mcintyre

Documents

A new marker was unveiled to honor the University of North Alabama as being the only college football team in history to win three consecutive national championships- The TimesDaily 

There's 'No Place Like Home' For Una Lions, Jeff Hodges

Documents

News article in The Florence Times-Tri-Cities Daily on the impact Flowers Hall has for the UNA Lions and their at home win ratio.

Hall Of Fame- Hal Self (Induction Class Of 1990), University Of North Alabama

Documents

Hal Self-- Hall of Fame Class induction of 1990. The Flowers Hall Annex, now known as the UNA Athletics Offices, was renamed in honor of Self (Self Field House)

Director Of Physical Education, Diorama 1949

Documents

Hubert A. Flowers was Director of Physical Education. Flowers Hall was named after him.

Flowers Hall To Undergo Updates For Division I Move, Jacob Cole

Documents

Updates to Flowers Hall to compete in Division I athletics--The Flor-Ala

Flowers Fought Long And Hard For Athletics, Ronald Thomas

Documents

News article from The Flor-Ala on Eddie Flowers and Flowers Hall

A Labor Market Unleashed: College Football Labor Substitution In The Transfer Portal Era, Adrian M. Simion, Jeremy M. Losak, Catalina Bush

Sport Management - All Scholarship

College football's labor market has been transformed by litigation-driven regulatory change eliminating long-standing mobility restrictions. Central to this transformation is a new roster construction dilemma — whether to acquire experienced collegiate talent through the transfer portal or invest in traditional high school recruiting. Using a fixed effects panel of 127 Football Bowl Subdivision programs across six recruiting cycles (2019–2024), we examine whether schools substitute transfers for high school recruits. Three findings emerge. First, portal activity is associated with reduced three-star recruiting but no relationship with four-star or five-star prospects, with substitution driven by quantity rather than quality. Second, substitution is …

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.