The Sport Professor Podcast

Game Theory and the NFL Draft

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 if you are interested in the history and evolution of the NFL draft and in learning what strategies best set a team up for success just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

Game Theory and Money in Sports

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. So, if you are interested in learning about stadium financing and revenue sharing in professional sports and how playing with house money changes both, just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

Introduction to Sport Sponsorship

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 interested in learning about the history, evolution, and current day practices of sport sponsors just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

Sport History - The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

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 college basketball postseason play has changed and grown since its inception in 1938 then just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

Sport Ethics - Performance Enhancement

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 sport. So if you are interested in the history of sport drug use or learning about the ethical questions surrounding PEDs just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

Sport Ethics - Cheating vs. Gamesmanship

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 threaten the core purpose of sport, sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

Game Theory and Major League Soccer

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 interested in what game theory has to teach us about why soccer has struggled to gain a strong foothold with the American sports fan just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

Game Theory and Sports - Simultaneous Games

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, and strategies players can take to come out on top. So if you’re interested in learning what game theory has to teach us both on the playing field and behind the scenes, just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

Game Theory and Sports - An Introduction

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 about the Patriots trading away Jimmy G. or what it reveals about Le’Von Bell's refusal to play under the franchise tag, this podcast is for you. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.

An Introduction to Sport Marketing

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 marketer’s approaches to attracting fans and sponsors just sit back, relax, and enjoy this episode of The Sport Professor Podcast.