Events

No law has been more important to the global development of women’s soccer than Title IX, the U.S. civil rights law that mandates equal educational opportunity on the basis of gender. While the rest of the world considered football to be a manly sport, improper and too dangerous for women, in the United States women’s soccer stepped into a vacuum created by American football, catapulted by Title IX and universities’ investment in collegiate women’s soccer. Now athletes around the world in women’s soccer are demanding equal treatment and equal pay from their federations.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, and the Sport Humanities program at Arizona State University is leveraging this moment to reflect on the global impact of the American law, and women athletes’ unrelenting drive to make football for everyone. This fall there is also a Men’s World Cup, and ASU will be the hub of all things World Cup in the Valley with Sparky’s Cup: ASU Celebrates the World’s Sport.

Join Arizona State University on October 4 for “Title IX and Global Football,” as we converge our Title IX and World Cup celebrations.

We are thrilled to announce that Briana Scurry will be our featured guest for “Title IX and Global Football.” Scurry was the goalkeeper of the World Cup winning “’99ers,” the most significant U.S. Women’s National Team in history. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, served as starting goalkeeper for the USWNT for a decade, and enjoyed an elite soccer career spanning four decades. Briana Scurry is the author of the new memoir My Greatest Save, and the subject of the new documentary The Only, which will be screened as part of the event.

Following the documentary screening, Briana Scurry will be joined by a panel of former and current players and academic experts from the United States, Mexico, and England.

What better way to celebrate the World Cup at ASU than to start with women’s soccer, in this 50th anniversary year of Title IX.

This event is a cross-collaboration of two initiatives, combining the Sport Humanities' Title IX 50th anniversary series & Sparky's Cup: ASU Celebrates the World's Sport

Panel: Briana Scurry, World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist, author of the new memoir My Greatest Save, and the subject of the new documentary The Only (View documentary trailer HERE)

Kelcey Ervick, professor of English, Indiana University, South Bend, author of the graphic memoir and history of Title IX, The Keeper, former college soccer player

Lindsey Meân, associate professor in ASU's Social and Behavioral Sciences

Paola Lopez Yrigoyen, professional soccer player for Cruz Azul, Pachuca, and Pumas

Alexia Delgado, Sun Devil Soccer Captain and Mexican national team player

Nicole Douglas, Sun Devil Soccer career goals record-holder and English youth national team player

Hosted by: Victoria Jackson, clinical assistant professor in ASU's School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies, former college and professional track and field athlete

Sponsors: The Global Sport Institute, Sport Humanities, ASU Humanities, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Department of English, Convergence Lab, Sun Devil Athletics, ASU Provost's Office

October 4, 2023 | 3:30p - 7:30p

Event schedule:

• 3:30-5:45 screening of Briana Scurry's documentary, The Only, followed by Q&A
• 5:45-6:00 brief intermission
• 6:00-7:30 panel: Title IX and Global Football

Sun Devil Athletics, Global Sport Institute, and J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation presented the Sun Devil Athletics’ Venture Challenge. This new initiative was a launchpad for aspiring entrepreneurs and helped establish new and innovative sport concepts that can be launched, piloted, and scaled at Sun Devil Athletics' various facilities. Selected entrepreneurs were invited to participate in the venture challenge to compete for funding and resources to launch their ideas with Sun Devil Athletics.

Winners were also announced at the Venture Devils Demo Day on April 29, 2022.

The winning ventures were Timeout, VO2 and VBAmerica. These three start-ups in addition to Cycle and Gifted will get to test their products within the ASU Athletic Department and earn up to $20,000 in funding. Get to know the winning ventures here. 

This event was held in-person and livestreamed on Wednesday, April 20th at 2:30pm - 3:30pm (Arizona/Pacific).

Global Sport Institute and Global Futures Laboratory presented a panel of academic and sports industry leaders converging at the intersection of sport and the environment. As a $620B industry, sport is deeply embedded in communities around the world with a distinct platform that can be leveraged to safeguard the environment. From air pollution and declining youth sport participation in lower-income areas to allocating more public land for sport and recreation to stadium design addressing carbon emissions standards, how can sport become the platform for creating change and pushing policy action forward?

This panel explored the intersection of sport and the environment focusing on challenges and solutions for sustainable development at the community level, professional level, and government level impacting public policy decisions. 

Guest Panel:

Jennifer Vanos, PhD | Assistant Professor, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures

Jennifer Vanos is an assistant professor in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. She focuses on extreme heat, thermal comfort, and air pollution in her research, and examines health impacts on vulnerable populations, such as children and athletes. She is currently running numerous field projects in Arizona and collaborates with schools, government, and non-profits in community-based research.

Vanos is an active member of the Urban Climate Research Center at ASU and a scientific advisor for the Korey Stringer Institute. She currently serves on the executive board of the International Society of Biometeorology and is the chair of the Board on Environment and Health for the American Meteorological Society (AMS). She completed her PhD in 2012 at the University of Guelph in Canada and her post-doctoral degree with Health Canada.

Roger McClendon | Executive Director of the Green Sports Alliance 

In his role, he leads the Alliance of international sports and stadium executives, as well as sustainability experts, to use sports as a vehicle to promote healthy, sustainability communities throughout the world. Prior to joining the Alliance, Roger was the first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer for Yum! Brands, whose holdings include Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC restaurants. He also led the development of Blueline, a sustainable design guide for restaurants built on the LEED certification program. Blueline was a global standard implemented in approximately 5,000 Yum! Brand restaurants globally. Due to his efforts, Yum! Was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index in 2017 and 2018, as well as one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine. Roger’s other passion is basketball. He was named a McDonald’s All-American in 1984, on eof the top 25 high school basketball players in the nation and went on to be a four-year starter who closed his University of Cincinnati men’s basketball career as the No. 2 scorer, second only to Oscar Robertson at the time. Roger was inducted into the UC Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer & Electrical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati.

Stephanie Gerretsen, PhD | Postdoctoral research scholar for Global Sport Institute

Stephanie's research interests lie in the intersection of sport, urban planning and development, and public policy. Prior to joining the Global Sport Institute, Stephanie served as an urban policy consultant at UN-Habitat in Nairobi, Kenya where she worked within the National Urban Policy Programme on several country projects, in addition to producing various normative products on the development and monitoring and evaluation of urban acupuncture projects, mainstreaming public health matters in national urban policies, and integrating the private sector in urban development projects. 

Sofi Armenakian | Director of Operations and Sustainability at Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena

Sofi currently works for the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena as the Director of Operations and Sustainability. In addition to overseeing the conversion, uniform, housekeeping departments and work order systems for the award-winning venue, she was the first State Farm Arena employee to be tasked with leading sustainability efforts with a focus on zero-waste operations for the franchise. Under her supervision, State Farm Arena hosted the first-ever zero-waste NBA All-Star Game (2021) and delivered the first TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certified sporting event in the world (Hawks Eastern Conference First Round Game 4 versus the New York Knicks on May 30, 2021). Armenakian is the first director of sustainability in the NBA

Jordan Enke | Senior Vice President of Stadium Operations at Austin FC

Jordan Enke is the Senior Vice President of Stadium Operations at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.  His responsibilities include overseeing general operations, safety and security, event booking, facilities, grounds, event services, guest services, parking and mobility, and sustainability initiatives.  Jordan has been with Austin FC and Q2 Stadium since 2019 and was an initial member of the front office staff.  As an early member of the Austin FC front office, he was responsible for pre-construction initiatives involving site selection then transitioning to the design and construction efforts for Q2 Stadium and St. David’s Performance Center.

Moderated by:

George Basile, PhD | Professor of Practice, School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures

George Basile is an internationally recognized creative thinker and practitioner in the field of sustainability working to reframe sustainability as a "decision challenge". Basile started out on a traditional academic career path, with a BS in Physics from University of California-Irvine followed by a PhD in Biophysics from University of California-Berkeley and a post-doc at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He has held teaching positions at Berkeley and Stanford, and helped develop undergraduate and graduate sustainability programs in the United States and EU. He currently serves on the boards of nonprofit organizations and new ventures, and advises Fortune 500 clients and startups on sustainable strategies, operations, tools and actions. He served as the R&D head of The Natural Step, an accelerator of global sustainability and the Executive Director of the ASU/GIOS Decision Theater.

Basile is widely published and is a sought after speaker focusing on creating strategic alignment between business drivers and emerging market needs.

This event took place on 1/28/2022. To stay up to date on upcoming events, sign up for our newsletter.

On this Global Sport Matters Live Show, Global Sport Institute leadership joined sports journalists Greg Moore and Shalise Manza Young, as well as sports lawyer and former commissioner of the United Football League Michael Huyghue to discuss the triumphs and failures of a slowly diversifying sports leadership in recent years, and how the beliefs of fans will impact leagues and teams in the year to come.

Guest Panel:

Kenneth Shropshire | CEO at Global Sport Institute 

Professor Shropshire is the adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University. He took on this current leadership role following a thirty-year career as an endowed full professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. There he was also Director of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative, Professor of Africana Studies, and Academic Director of Wharton’s sports-focused executive education programs. He also guided the launch of the non-profit Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) in 2016 and serving on its board. As a sports-industry leader he is former President of the Sports Lawyers Association, the largest such organization in the world.

Scott Brooks, PhD | Director of Research at the Global Sport Institute

Dr. Brooks is Director of Research for the Institute where he acts as campus liaison, assists in the allocation of research grants, and coordinates the Institute's research agenda and projects. As a scholar, Brooks is primarily interested in: youth and sport; inequality in sport, coaching and leadership; and community based sports interventions. His book, Black Men Can’t Shoot (University of Chicago, 2009), tells the importance of exposure, networks, and opportunities towards earning an athletic scholarship. 

Greg Moore | Columnist at the Arizona Republic

Greg Moore has worked for the The Associated Press and The Kansas City Star, covering politics and government in the U.S. and Kenya from the desk and the field. Moore uses his prior experiences covering issues outside of sport for issues when sports stories cross into politics, crime, business, free speech, social equality and race. 

Shalise Manza Young | Award-winning Sports Columist

Shalise Manza Young is an award-winning sports writer with the Providence Journal and Boston Globe with experience in television broadcasting who has spent over 10 years covering the New England Patriots and NFL. She currently writes for Yahoo Sports.

Michael Huyghue | Sports Lawyer & Former Commissioner of United Football League

Michael Huyghue (pronounced "HEWG") is widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the professional sports industry having a career that spans over 30 years. Huyghue was twice named to the Sports Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 Sports Executives. Huyghue has been a pioneer in the industry, paving the way for many other African Americans who followed in his footsteps.

Most recently, Huyghue was the Commissioner of the United Football League, comprised primarily of young National Football League players and former NFL Head Coaches. Huyghue founded and directed the UFL raising over two hundred million dollars in seed money. The UFL operated for four nationally televised seasons, competing directly against the NFL. The UFL saw limited viewership but over 150 of its players and dozens of its coaches found full time positions in the NFL. 

(Photo credit: Rick Schultz, Getty Images)

This event took place on 1/20/2022. For access to the full episode, please contact Kendall Jones by email at Kendall.Jones@asu.edu . To stay up to date on upcoming events, sign up for our newsletter.

Center for Imagination in the Borderlands, Global Sport Institute and the ASU Art Museum held a conversation with Freedom Reads Founder and Director Reginald Dwayne Betts and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Mitchell Jackson, moderated by Global Sport Institute CEO Kenneth Shropshire.

Toward A Different Kind of Winning: Nurturing Black Creativity and Masculinity engaged the importance of articulating and making legible the many languages and stories that carry us through our most painful and joyful moments, our defeats and victories. It was our luck to experience one of the many fields of strength and care that emerge when Black creativity and masculinity are nurtured together, in story and language, in friendship and in being alongside, through the thick and the thin, toward something that outlasts winning. This conversation was in collaboration with the Undoing Time: Art and Histories of Incarceration exhibit (now until Feb. 12) currently on display at the ASU Art Museum.

The event also included an excerpted performance from Betts’ solo show, Felon: An American Washi Tale, which weaves traditional theater, poetry, fine art and Japanese papermaking aesthetic principles into a meditation on Betts’ experiences of incarceration and his legal work to free friends that are still in prison.

We're honored to have had the opportunity to hear from Betts, Jackson and Shropshire. This event also contained closed captioning and ASL interpretive services.

*We raffled 10 autographed book bundles of the speakers' works to attendees. Book bundle included: Survival Math by Mitchell Jackson, Felon:Poems by Reginald Dwayne Betts, and Sport Matters by Kenneth Shropshire.

About the speakers:

Professor Kenneth L. Shropshire is CEO of the Global Sport Institute and the adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University. He took on this current leadership role following a 30-year career as an endowed full professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mitchell S. Jackson is the winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing and the 2021 National Magazine Award in Feature Writing. Jackson is also a well-regarded speaker who has delivered lectures and key note addresses all over the world, including the annual TED Conference, the Ubud (Bali) Writers and Readers Festival, and the Sydney Writers’ Festival, as well as at esteemed institutions, among them Yale University, Brown University, Cornell University, and Columbia University. A formerly incarcerated person, Jackson is also a social justice advocate who, as part of his outreach, visits prisons and youth facilities in the United States and abroad.

Reginald Dwayne Betts transformed himself from a sixteen-year old kid sentenced to nine-years in prison to a critically acclaimed writer and graduate of the Yale Law School. He has written three acclaimed collections of poetry, the recently published Felon, Bastards of the Reagan Era and Shahid Reads His Own Palm.

This event took place on 11/12/2021. For an article recap and access to the full episode, visit here. To stay up to date on upcoming events, sign up for our newsletter.

On this Global Sport Matters Live show, host Dr. Nicole LaVoi, Director of the Tucker Center for Girls & Women at the University of Minnesota, explored the journey of basketball’s women from different perspectives. From the front office, as coaches, players, media and beyond, panelists discussed the challenges and successes for the sport along the way, and what they see for its future.

Guest Panel:

Amira Rose Davis, PhD | Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies at Penn State University

Amira Rose Davis is an Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies at Penn State University where she specializes in 20th Century American History with an emphasis on race, gender, sports and politics. She is the author of the forthcoming book, “Can’t Eat a Medal”: The Lives and Labors of Black Women Athletes in the Age of Jim Crow. Her work has appeared in scholarly journals such as Radical History Review and Journal of African American History as well as popular outlets such as The New Republic and ZORA. Additionally, Davis provides sports commentary for public venues such as NPR, ESPN, and BBC. She is also the co-host of the Feminist Sports Podcast, Burn it All Down.

Nikki Fargas | President, Las Vegas Aces 

Nikki Fargas attended and played at the University of Tennessee under Coach Patt Summit and went on to coach for Tenessee and UCLA. In 2011 she became the Head Coach for the LSU Lady Tigers Basketball Team. Eventually, in 2021, Nikki proudly became the President of the Las Vegas Aces.

Charnea Johnson-Chapman | Arizona State University Women's Basketball Alum

Charnea Johnson-Chapman is currently working as a service coordinator for the Arizona Early Intervention Program. She's originally from Southern California but moved to Arizona to attend ASU on a basketball scholarship. She graduated with a major in Family and Human Development with a minor in Criminology and criminal Justice. It is her goal in life to start a chain of group homes to get kids off the street, which has been her dream since high school. Outside of work she does attend practice with the team once a week and enjoys being active. 

Kyle Adams | Principal and Chief Strategist of itsBIGGERthantheball

Kyle Adams serves as the Principal and Chief Strategist of itsBIGGERthantheball, LLC, a leadership development company that helps equip coaches, educators, and organizations with the resources, dexterity, and awareness necessary in providing transformative learning experiences for the next generation of leaders. Through itsBIGGERthantheball, he has provided consulting and facilitated team building workshops for institutions such as the University of Washington’s Center for Leadership in Athletics, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, College of Charleston, University of Delaware, Kentucky State University, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, and East Stroudsburg University.

Julie Rousseau, PhD | Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at University of Southern California

Dr. Julie Rousseau (aka Dr. J) is the Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, former Chair of USC Athletics Black Lives Matter Action Team, and an Adjunct Professor, teaching identity development for female student athletes, in the Gender and Sexuality Studies Department at the University of Southern California.

Hosted by:

Nicole LaVoi, PhD | Director of the Tucker Center for Girls & Women at the University of Minnesota

Nicole M. LaVoi, Ph.D. is a Senior Lecturer in the area of social and behavioral sciences in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota and the Director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport. Through her multidisciplinary research she answers critical questions that can make a difference in the lives of sport stakeholders—particularly girls and women. As a leading scholar on gender, leadership and women coaches, LaVoi has published 100+ book chapters, research reports and peer-reviewed articles across multiple disciplines.

This event took place on 10/15/2021. For an article recap and access to the full episode, visit here. To stay up to date on upcoming events, sign up for our newsletter.

From youth leagues to the professional ranks, baseball’s once vibrant connection to Black America has eroded. Recently, the sport has increased its efforts to rebuild that relationship. But many challenges remain, including a pay-for-play youth system that leaves too many Black children behind, a neglected talent pipeline that has lost Black athletes to other sports, and narrow, barrier-strewn pathway to Major League Baseball managerial positions for qualified candidates of Color.

In Latin America, Asia, and elsewhere, baseball has successfully broadened its appeal across racial and cultural lines. Can it do the same at home? And in the 21st century, can a sport steeped in tradition and nostalgia become more diverse and inclusive in new ways?

On this GSM Live, experts discussed how we can move from ‘pastime’ to present, and examine the opportunities MLB has to reinvest and reconnect with those who have disappeared from the field of play, reinvigorating the sport to better reflect the America we see today.

Check back to read our newest Field Study from the Global Sport Institute examining the career pathway for MLB Managers from 2010 to 2019, publishing on Tuesday, October 5th.

This event took place on 9/17/2021. For an article recap and access to the full episode, visit here. To stay up to date on upcoming events, sign up for our newsletter.

Rising to the top of your game comes with perks: money, access, and opportunities galore. For a lot of athletes, the amount of wealth given in contracts can be great, but also overwhelming, and may even lead to financial despair when the well dries up, sometimes unexpectedly.

According to a 2015 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, 15.7% of NFL athletes have filed for bankruptcy 12 years after they retire. And in three major American sports (NFL, MLB, NBA) the average career spans less than 5 years, which doesn't leave much time to accrue wealth like other people.

Going big in sports is rewarded, often required, as athletes are conditioned to "leave it all on the field" but in the real world, it's moderation that can lead to sustained wins. How can we prepare athletes (and ourselves) for the next phase in life after the game lights go off? And now with the advent of name, image and likeness rulings across the U.S., what are the pitfalls to avoid?

GSM Live host and Global Sport Institute CEO Kenneth Shropshire spoke to the experts about creating wealth and habits that can set athletes up for success.

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Sport as a globalized commodity has brought unity and diplomacy throughout the world. It draws humans together from all backgrounds and cultures to compete on a world stage and is dubbed the “universal language,” because it can be shared and played anywhere and at any time.

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

When Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1926, she beat the record of every man who’d attempted it before her—by two hours. And she did it in a two-piece bathing suit that she’d fashioned herself, eschewing the bulky wool dress, stockings, and shoes expected to be worn by women swimmers for modesty’s sake. Before Title IX’s 1972 passage, Ederle, and pioneering sportswomen from Mildred Ella “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias to Wilma Rudolph to Billie Jean King, began the work of breaking down cultural norms around sex and sport, as well as race and class—while making history in the process.

In what ways has the world changed since women were denied the opportunity to compete because of their biology? What forgotten feats by trailblazers, on and off the turf, have been relegated to the footnotes of history? And how have earlier fights for gender equality laid the groundwork for today’s debates over equal pay, anti-trans legislation, and other issues?

Co-hosted with Zócalo Public Square

Show Guests:

Amy Alcott | A professional golfer and golf course designer who joined the LPGA Tour in 1975 and is a World Golf Hall of Famer

Victoria Jackson | A sports historian and Clinical Assistant Professor of History in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies at Arizona State University

Jill Pilgrim | A business, sports and dispute resolution attorney who also founded Pilgrim & Associates Law

Hosted by:
Lindsay Gibbs | Writer, “Power Plays” Newsletter & Host of the “Burn It All Down” Podcast

To view the full event recap and recording, click here.

When Skip Bayless, co-host of Fox Sports' "Undisputed" show, criticized Dak Prescott on his comments about struggling with depression through last year, the public backlash was swift, severe and unforgiving. Prior the pandemic, athletes were beginning to open up about the struggles they faced in sports, which is a sharp turn away from the "old school" mentality to just "suck it up."

The history of hypermasculinity in sport doesn't start and stop with the athlete. It's a system perpetuated from the top to the bottom, but in today's arenas, younger generations may be helping to change the landscape and detoxify toxic masculinity in sport through an openness of seeking help for mental health to "non-traditional" styles of fashion pushing the boundaries of the binary.

On the June GSM Live, experts discussed this culture shift in sports and the ways to cultivate a more open and supportive environment for athletes today.

Show Guests:
Don McPherson | Former NFL & CFL quarterback and author of "You Throw Like a Girl: The Blindspot of Masculinity"

Erica Rand, PhD | Professor of Art and Visual Culture and Gender and Sexuality Studies, Bates College

Chris Kluwe | Former NFL player for the Minnesota Vikings, outspoken advocate for gender equality, and author of Otaku

Paulette Stevenson, PhD | Residential Faculty at Mesa Community College, doctorate in rhetoric, writing and literacies and gender studies certificate, Arizona State University

Stan Thangaraj, PhD | Associate professor of Anthropology at The City College of New York examining stereotypes associated with race, gender and sport

Hosted by:
Luke Brenneman, PhD | Postdoctoral Research Scholar at the Global Sport Institute
Dr. Brenneman’s research focuses on enhancing the fan experience and leveraging the unifying power of sport to reduce prejudice and foster positive contact between fans of various group identities. He has developed strategies and templates for organizing events to achieve these goals based on his research at the 2016 Rio Olympics, 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, 2014 FIFA Men’s World Cup, and other events. Brenneman has been published in academic journals, edited volumes, and Host City magazine. He has certificates in Conflict Mediation, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and Social Transformation and has experience organizing public dialogue events, professional and academic conferences, and university events.  He has also taught courses at ASU on conflict and negotiation, intercultural communication, and other topics.

To view the full event recap and recording, click here.

Higher education is an environment ripe for discovery, new knowledge, and innovation. However, the role of Athletic Director at university levels still reflects the commonly seen disparities between representation of race, gender, experience, and perhaps most ironically - education level. Beyond Black and White, what are the underlying factors for the still murky ‘pipeline’ to administrative leadership in American college sport? In the latest field study report from the Global Sport Institute, research reveals that much like coaching, the diversity at the top is still very monochromatic and that more often than not, non-white athletic directors hold higher degrees in education than their white counterparts. 

Predominantly white institutions and historically black colleges and universities joined GSM Live to shed some light on the pathways into the position and what opportunities look like, and what the role of the Athletic Director demands in a pandemic (and post-pandemic) world.

Guests: 

Jody Conradt | Former Women's Basketball Coach at UT Arlington 1973-76, Former Women’s AD 1992-2001 at University of Texas and Chair of Diversity Equity and Inclusion at UT.

Dr. Brandon Martin | Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics at University of Missouri-Kansas City and Co-Chair of the Black AD Alliance

China Jude, Ed.D | Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Denver Broncos Football Club, Former Senior Associate Athletics Director for Administration/Senior Woman Administrator at University of Wyoming

Herb Courtney II | CEO of Renaissance Search & Consulting 

Stan Johnson | President and founder of Stan Johnson & Associates & Executive Director of Minority Opportunities Athletic Association

Led by:
Scott Brooks, PhD | Director of Research for the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University

Photo credit: Photo by Stan Grossfeld/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

To view the full event recap and recording, click here.

For many, it’s been approximately a year in the life of a pandemic. We’ve seen tragedy, resilience, growing gaps of opportunity and opportunities for growth, juxtaposed in communities across the globe. The world of sport was not immune.

From a pause in play, to a push for more progressive racial justice, to unanswered questions about the long-lasting impacts of COVID-19 that still linger in the air - what do we wish we knew then, that we know now?

On our April GSM Live show, we welcomed back guests from our Around the World: COVID-19 & Sport show one year later to discuss how they and sport have transformed in the last 12 months.

Global Guests:

Tracey Holmes | Australian Journalist and presenter on ABC News Radio

Andrés Martinez | Arizona State University Professor of Practice & Journalist

Ilhaam Groenewald | Chief Director of Maties Sports at Stellenbosch University, S. Africa

Simon Chadwick | Director of Eurasian Sport at emlyon business school

Natalie Welch | Faculty Athletics Representative & Professor at Linfield University, member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Steve Ross | Professor of Law at Penn State & Executive Director, Penn State Center for the Study of Sports in Society

Lori Okimura | Executive Board Member, Angel City Sports & Fmr. Chairman, USA Volleyball

Hosted by:
Kenneth L. Shropshire | CEO, Global Sport Institute

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

Women's sport was set to be the forefront of conversation and action in 2020 before the pandemic halted the industry. Now, we have a chance to see real issues make gains, like the gender pay gap, but we must also tackle the issue of sports for youth girls as well. Over the years, girls participation in sport has been dropping faster than the rate of boys. Access, safety and health concerns have always been an issue named in the decline of participation, but what will the longterm impact of COVID-19 be moving forward? We need to begin building better solutions to keep girls in sport and keep women's sport on the rise.

Joining the conversation:

Phaidra Knight | President of Women's Sports Foundation, World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee, Lawyer and Entrepreneur
Phaidra Knight, J.D. is Women’s Sports Foundation President, World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee, sports media talent, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and mixed martial artist. One of the premier players in the sport of rugby, she made three appearances in the Rugby World Cup, was selected as the top player in the world in two different positions, was named the USA Rugby Player of the Decade in 2010, and became the first African American and eighth woman inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. In 2017, Knight was named head coach of the newly formed Monroe College women’s rugby team in the Bronx, New York, and she has served as a director and coach of Play Rugby USA, the premier Olympic nonprofit dedicated to reaching kids in underserved communities in New York. Read more on Phaidra Knight

Dr. Jen Welter, NFL’s First Female Coach | Speaker | GrrridIron Girls Founder | First Female Coach in Madden| First Female Running Back in Men’s Pro Football | Author | Motion and Emotion Pioneer
Dr. Jen Welter is a groundbreaking, barrier-busting force of nature. She is a female trailblazer, a sports pioneer, PhD, passionate leader, world-renowned speaker, entrepreneur and source of inspiration around the globe. Her relentless pursuit of individual excellence and success in challenging the status quo time and time again, fuels her current drive to help others achieve their best—in sports, health and wellness, professional pursuits and in life.She is driven by the belief that “Greatness is a choice you make over and over. And when you choose personal greatness—big or small—it becomes a part of who you are.” In every realm she tackles, Dr. Jen is a game changer, bringing vision, power and purpose to her mission of breaking the chains of what has always been and redefining what is and will be.She tackled her football career with fearless tenacity and an unprecedented track record of pioneering firsts. Building on her remarkable career in women’s football, that included 2 Gold medals with Team USA, 4 World Championships and 8 All-Star selections, Dr. Jen busted into the men’s game, as the first female running back signed to a men’s professional team. Blending her passion for the game with a powerful, unique communication style, she broke through the biggest boys club of all, the NFL, as the first female coach in the league and the Madden NFL20 video game. Crystallizing her journey into a playbook for overall success, she published“Play Big, Lessons in Living Limitless from the First Woman to Coach in the NFL.” Read more on Dr. Jen Welter

Alaina Zanin, PhD | Assistant Professor of Organizational and Health Communications
Alaina C. Zanin (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma) is an assistant professor of organizational and health communication at Arizona State University. Her research interests include identity negotiation in non-traditional organizational contexts like sport teams, particularly in relation to gender disparities and inequity. Her work is published in journals, such as Small Group Research, the Journal of Applied Communication Research, Qualitative Health Research, Communication and Sport, and Management Communication Quarterly.

Vera Lopez, PhD | Professor of Justice and Social Inquiry in the School of Social Transformation
Vera Lopez is a professor of justice and social inquiry in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University. She received an MA in Program Evaluation and a PhD in School Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. She also completed a one-year child clinical research internship at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a two-year NIMH-funded research postdoctoral fellowship at ASU's Prevention Research Center (now REACH Institute), and a clinical internship at the Arizona Department of Juvenile Correction's Black Canyon Correctional School for girls. In 2009, Lopez was selected from a national competition to be a visiting scholar at the University of Houston's Center for Mexican American Studies where she spent the 2009-2010 academic year conducting research on Mexican American girls' relationship power, trust, and infidelity. Currently, Lopez is beginning a new research project on Latina girls and sports, which is funded by a seed grant from the ASU Global Sport Institute. To date, Lopez has conducted focus groups with 78 Latina girls and intensive interviews with 10 coaches. Data collection is ongoing.

Photo credit: Getty Images

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

The Global Sport Institute recently released its newest findings on the diversity in NFL head coaching positions since the inception of the Rooney Rule 18 years ago in Field Studies: NFL Head Coach Hiring and Pathways in the Rooney Rule Era. After years of yo-yoed progress, the disparity of White coaches and coaches of Color remains large. What is the next option to paving a path for greater equity in head coach hiring? 

The Rooney Rule began with the threat of litigation by Johnnie Cochran and Cyrus Mehri, elevating the conversation to target the NFL's League office. In the time since, the activity on the part of the league has been extensive, yet it is clear that the league itself doesn't hire the head coaches. The onus sits squarely on the shoulders of franchises and owners, the decision makers, the ones with the most power to ultimately spark actual progress. Should litigation be laser-focused to the club level, and shift away from the currently broad, and continually loopholed league-wide implementation of the Rooney Rule?

On this episode of GSM Live, presented by Global Sport Institute and Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, experts discuss the feasibility, desirability, and viability of legal action against National Football League franchises for discrimination in the hiring of head coaches.

Check out the newly released and expanded data: (click on image to view)

Guest Panel:

N. Jeremi Duru | Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law

Professor N. Jeremi Duru teaches sports law, civil procedure, and employment discrimination, and he is among the nation’s foremost sports law authorities. He is a co-author of one of the field’s premier casebooks, Sports Law and Regulation: Cases and Materials (5th edition) (Wolters Kluwer), as well as one of the field’s premier explorations of sports agency, The Business of Sports Agents (3rd edition) (U. of Penn Press). In addition, he is the sole author of Advancing the Ball: Race, Reformation, and the Quest for Equal Coaching Opportunity in the NFL (Oxford University Press), which examines the NFL’s movement toward increased equality of opportunity for coaches and front office personnel.

Professor Duru is active in the national sports law community, serving as a member of the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s Anti-Doping Review Board, the NCAA’s Committees on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport, and the National Sports Law Institute’s Board of Advisors. He also frequently lectures and consults abroad. Among other international engagements, he has taught and studied on a Fulbright Fellowship at Faculdades Integradas Helio Alonso in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and has served as a visiting professor at the University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia and the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, China. In addition, he has served as a lecturer in the Union of European Football Association’s Executive Masters Program for International Players. Full bio link

Carl E. Douglas| President at Douglas Hicks Law Firm

Carl E. Douglas is the former Managing Attorney at the Law Offices of Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr, best known for his work as the Coordinator of O.J. Simpson’s criminal defense team. His work as a member of O.J. Simpson’s criminal defense “Dream Team” was prominently featured in ESPN’s 30 for 30, Academy Award winning documentary, O.J.: Made In America. While at The Cochran Firm, Mr. Douglas tried dozens of cases to verdict, in a wide array of personal injury, civil rights, and criminal law matters. After going out on his own in 1996, he broadened his list of accomplishments. Mr. Douglas was the attorney for the lead plaintiff in Patricia Anderson v. General Motors Corporation, a product liability trial where the jury returned a $4.9 billion dollar verdict, which was then the largest personal injury verdict ever awarded in United States. As lead counsel in a seven-week trial against the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, concerning the police death of an unarmed African-American man, Mr. Douglas helped the victim’s family obtain a verdict of $8,000,000.00.

Melissa S. Woods| Partner at Cohen, Weiss and Simon, LLP

Melissa S. Woods joined the firm as of counsel in 2018 and became a partner in 2020.  Ms. Woods specializes in litigating labor and employment law matters before governmental agencies, and state and federal courts, on behalf of unions and individual employees. She also represents unions in employer bankruptcy proceedings. Ms. Woods leads the firm’s sexual harassment prevention practice, where she shares her extensive experience investigating allegations of discrimination and harassment, providing legal and strategic advice on policy matters, and creating and conducting discrimination and harassment prevention training. In 2019, Ms. Woods was inducted as a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, an organization that recognizes those who have distinguished themselves in the field.

Kenneth Shropshire | CEO of the Global Sport Institute and adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University

Professor Shropshire is CEO of the Global Sport Institute and the adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University. He took on this current leadership role following  a thirty-year career as an endowed full professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. There he was also Director of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative, Professor of Africana Studies, and Academic Director of Wharton’s sports-focused executive education programs. He now holds the title of Wharton Endowed Professor Emeritus. Full bio link

Led by:
William C. Rhoden | Award-winning Author & Journalist at ESPN's The Undefeated
The former award-winning sports columnist for The New York Times and author of “Forty Million Dollar Slaves,” is a columnist and Editor-at-Large for The Undefeated, ESPN’s news site about sports, race, and culture. He is the curator of the Rhoden Fellows and is also the author of several books, including 40 Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete.

Before joining The Undefeated, Rhoden wrote an award-winning sports column for the New York Times and appeared as a guest on ESPN’s Sports Reporters for nearly 30 years. Rhoden began his journalism career as a news reporter at the Baltimore Afro American Newspaper. He was a senior editor with Ebony Magazine and then a columnist and jazz critic for the Baltimore Sun. Rhoden attended Morgan State University in Baltimore where he majored in English.

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

From the Global Sport Institute Research Lab comes an in-depth look at the hiring and firing trends within the National Football League's head coaching positions by race since the inception of the Rooney Rule in 2003. This new data examines the pipeline to head coach and sheds light on the real impact the Rooney Rule has had for coaches of color in the highest levels of sport.

On this episode of Global Sport Matters Live, we spoke with the experts who have studied and experienced the Rooney Rule to examine how the NFL moves forward.

Take a look at the Global Sport Institute Research Lab's first Field Study: A 10-Season Snapshot of NFL Coaching. New data will be released on Friday, February 5th.

Joining the Discussion:

Doug Williams | Senior Vice President of Player Development with the Washington Football Team, Former Quarterback & Super Bowl XXII Champion

N. Jeremi Duru | Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law

Ray Anderson | Vice President of University Athletics at Arizona State University

Rachel Lofton | Co-author of Global Sport Institute Field Study: An 18-Season Snapshot of NFL Coaching Hires

Esé Ighedosa, Esq. | President - House of Athlete

Jim Rooney | Author of "A Different Way to Win"

Hosted by:
Kenneth Shropshire | CEO of the Global Sport Institute and adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

As we flip the calendar from 2020 to 2021, it is easy to think that things will simply return to 'normal'. A vaccine has begun rolling out, professional sports are coming back - sans bubbles - but last year has proved to us that sport will not be the same going forward.

We spent a lot of last year learning about racial inequities, humanizing athletes and acknowledging the need for change. Coming into this new year, how do we move from acknowledgement into action? And what are the tough conversations we need to have in sport for 2021?

It's time to have the tough conversations on mental health, youth sport and DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion). On the next show we talk to the experts who are doing the work to create solutions that impact the future of sport. 

Joining the discussion:

Jeremy Goldberg | President of LeagueApps
Jeremy Goldberg is the President & Quarterback of LeagueApps, a sports technology company headquartered in New York City, where he oversees the marketing, business development, community and impact functions.  LeagueApps, the operating system and community for the youth sports industry, is on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500, a ranking of the 500 fastest growing tech and media companies in North America, and was recently named the Top 25 Best Employers in Sports by Front Office Sports.  Jeremy is also an operating partner at 212MEDIA, a venture development firm that produced LeagueApps, Homer (backed by Sesame Workshop and Lego Ventures), Saavn (exited to Reliance Jio), and LiftMetrix (exited to Hootsuite).  Previously, he served in technology strategy roles at the Mitchell Madison Group and Generate Insights and was the Founder and CEO of poliVOICE. Jeremy is also passionate about his causes, having worked in various capacities for Obama for America and Seeds of Peace, founded and Co-Chairs the PLAY Sports Coalition, and serves on the boards of Seeds of Peace and Search for Common Ground, and on the Women in Innovation (WIN) Advisory Council. Jeremy holds a bachelor’s degree with Honors from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, and a master’s in international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs.

Ashland Johnson, Esq. | Attorney and Founder of Inclusion Playbook
An attorney, equity and inclusion strategist, and former Division I athlete, Ashland Johnson has over a decade of civil rights experience working with social justice communities, advising sports leaders, and serving in leadership roles in advocacy organizations. Ashland has extensive experience working with major sports leagues and associations, including the NBA, NCAA, NFL, USOC, and various national governing bodies to strengthen their social responsibility programming, policies, and platforms at the intersection of inclusion, race, gender, and the law. She recently authored the groundbreaking report, Play to Win: Improving the Lives of LGBTQ Youth in Sports which provides critical insights and action steps for more inclusive sporting spaces.

Dr. Wilsa Charles Malveaux, MD MA | Sport Psychiatrist & Former Elite Athlete
Dr. Wilsa Charles Malveaux has a focus on Sports Psychiatry, helping athletes with mental illness, performance, life/career transitions, and overcoming unexpected setbacks. She has successfully worked with athletes at varying stages of their career, including high school, collegiate, professional, and retired athletes. Dr. Charles-Malveaux currently lends her expertise as a psychiatric consultant to the U. S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), to a professional sports league, and multiple professional sports teams, and organizations. She is also the Western Regional Trustee, Region IV for the Black Psychiatrists of America (BPA); and CEO and President of WCM Sports Psych. 

Led by:
Scott Brooks, PhD | Sociologist and Director of Research for the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University

Tell us what you think are the important and difficult conversations around mental health, youth sport and diversity, equity and inclusion HERE

Photo credit: Getty Images, Visionhaus: 969523248

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

It's true that no one could have predicted all that this year has been, but what about the next? Sport is a microcosm of our larger world and it has the power to influence those connected to it. As we have seen leagues, players and fans grapple with a pandemic and join demands for racial justice, how will the future of sport influence the world around us?

Taking stock of 2020, Global Sport Matters is brought back a few of our past guests, as well as some new, to talk business, activism, technology and more as we ask the question: "What's next in 2021 for sport?"

Joining the conversation:
Jessica Luther | Freelance Journalist and Author. Jessica Luther is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, the New York Times Magazine, Texas Monthly, Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, and Vice Sports, among others. She is the author of Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape and has written extensively on the intersection of sports and violence off the field.

Kavitha A. Davidson | Sportswriter, Author and Host of The Lead at the Athletic. Kavitha A. Davidson is a sportswriter and host of The Lead, an in-depth daily sports news podcast produced by The Athletic. She is on the board of directors at the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center. She was a writer with ESPNW and ESPN The Magazine and a sports columnist at Bloomberg covering the intersections of sports and society, culture, politics, race, gender, and business. Her work has also appeared in NBC THINK, the Guardian, and Rolling Stone.

Jessica Luther and Kavitha Davidson new book, Loving Sports When They Don't Love You Back

Brian David Johnson | Futurist in Residence, Center for Science and the Imagination and Professor in Practice in the School for the Future of Innovation and Society. Brian David Johnson is a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society, and a Futurist and Fellow at Frost & Sullivan, a visionary innovation company that’s focused on growth. He also works with governments, militaries, trade organizations, and startups to help them envision their future. He has over 30 patents and is the author of a number of books of fiction and nonfiction, including Science Fiction Prototyping; Screen Future: The Future of Entertainment, Computing and the Devices We Love; Humanity and the Machine: What Comes After Greed?; and Vintage Tomorrows: A Historian and a Futurist Journey through Steampunk into the Future of Technology. His writing has appeared in publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal and Slate to IEEE Computer and Successful Farming, and he appears regularly on Bloomberg TV, PBS, Fox News, and the Discovery Channel. He has directed two feature films, and is an illustrator and commissioned painter.

Mirna Valerio | Marathon runner, Inclusion activist, and Author, “A Beautiful Work in Progress." Mirna Valerio is a native of Brooklyn, NY, a former educator, cross-country coach, ultramarathoner, and author of the bestselling memoir, A Beautiful Work in Progress. After a health scare in 2008, she recommited herself to the sport and started her blog Fatgirlrunning—about her experiences as a larger woman in a world of thinner endurance athletes— while training for her first marathon. Mirna's athletic story has been featured in the WSJ, Runner’s World, on NBC Nightly News, CNN, Women’s Running Magazine, Self Magazine Online, Outside Online, and Runner's World Magazine as well as the viral REI-produced documentary short, The Mirnavator. In 2018 she was chosen as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, and most recently appeared the Kelly Clarkson Show.

Dr. Scott Brooks | Sociologist and Director of Research at Global Sport Institute. As a scholar, Brooks is primarily interested in: youth and sport; inequality in sport, coaching and leadership; and community based sports interventions. He has published in academic journals, edited volumes, and textbooks; been quoted and reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Der Speigel, and SLAM magazine; and invited to speak on the topic of sport internationally. His book, Black Men Can’t Shoot (University of Chicago, 2009), tells the importance of exposure, networks, and opportunities towards earning an athletic scholarship. Additionally, Dr. Brooks has consulted the NFL, MLB, college and high school coaches and athletes; and is a senior fellow at the Wharton Sports Business Initiative and Yale Urban Ethnography Project.

Martin Carlsson-Wall | Associate Professor of Accounting at Stockholm School of Economics. In 2015, Carlsson-Wall founded the Center for Sports and Business with Professor Kalle Kraus and in 2016 he took over as the Center Director. The research center has 40 faculty and strategic partnerships with many of the large Swedish sports (i.e. football, hockey, golf, skiing, etc). 

Ilhaam Groenewald | Chief Director of Maties Sport at Stellenbosch University. Ilhaam Groenewald has been Chief Director of Maties Sport since 2014 and is a former Independent Executive Council Member of SA Rugby and President of University Sport South Africa. Most recently, Ilhaam was elected to the new South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) board.

Led By:
Andrew Ramsammy | Director of Digital Content for the Global Sport Institute at ASU. Andrew Ramsammy leads the vision for the Global Sport Matters content platform and media enterprise. Before joining GSI, he was the Director of Audience Strategy at Arizona PBS. As a leading media executive, Andrew is a multiple Emmy Award winner with more than 20 years of global experience in creative, content and production.

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

A new study reveals that 1 in 5 athletes reported difficulty exercising related to mental health. Yet, exercise is said to be beneficial to reducing depression and anxiety.

As the world has now reached the eleventh lap of 2020, Global Sport Matters Live examines the intersection of mental health and sport. Specifically, exploring two areas that impact mental health - emotional and physical.

A new study from Stanford University and Strava on athlete mental health found that 22.5% of those surveyed felt down or depressed, up from 3.9% the same time last year. Further, 1 in 5 professional athletes in the study reported difficulty exercising related to mental health. 

Although the increase is not entirely surprising, what may be is that the study also revealed an increase in perseverance and resilience among athletes who adapted and adjusted during this time. 

This year, there has also been an increase in physical injuries as teams have had to alter offseason training. Although common for athletes, chronic pain can impact sleep, eating habits, as well as mood, which contributes to mental health. As the US elections have loosened marijuana restrictions in five more states, will we see a disruption in the type of pain medicine prescribed for athletes moving forward?

On this episode of GSM Live, we spoke to experts from the National Football League Players Association to ultramarathon runners to examine the state of mental health among athletes and how to cope with an uncertain future.

Joining the conversation:

Rebecca Mehra | Professional Track Runner and Campaign Manager
Rebecca Mehra is a professional middle distance runner with Littlewing Athletics, an all-women's team based in Bend, OR, and sponsored by Oiselle. She is also a public policy professional, having served as a special assistant to the Mayor of Bend, and most recently a Campaign Manager for a local candidate running for office. She received her undergraduate and Master's degrees from Stanford University, in international relations and communications respectively.

She will be competing at the Olympic Trials in 2021 for a chance to make the US Olympic Team.

Dr. Megan Roche | Ultramarathon Runner, Co-author of "The Happy Runner" and Lead Study Researcher of Impacts of COVID-19 on Professional Athletes
Megan is a five-time national trail running champion, a North American mountain running champion, and a six-time member of Team USA. She graduated from Duke University with a degree in Neuroscience and received her M.D. from Stanford Medical School. Megan is currently working on a PhD in Epidemiology at Stanford with a research focus on sports medicine and physical activity. She coaches runners of all abilities with Some Work All Play (SWAP). 

Dr. Ian Pickup | Pro Vice Chancellor (Education & Experience) and COO at University of East London
Ian Pickup is Pro Vice Chancellor (Education & Experience) and Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for the leadership, development and effective delivery of the student experience. Prior to joining UEL in April 2019, Ian was Deputy COO (Student and Academic Experience) at SOAS University of London and previous roles include Head of the Student Experience at University College Cork, Ireland, and Director of Student Affairs at the University of Roehampton.

Amber Cargill, Psy. D. | Director of Wellness at the National Football League Players Association

Global Sport Summit 2020 originally scheduled for April 2-3 is suspended until further notice. Please see our official statement here. Please note that Nov. 1 is serving as a placeholder and is NOT a confirmed date.

The third annual summit will return to the Hotel Palomar in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. The event will explore cutting-edge research and bring together expertise across a diverse set of disciplines to thoughtfully examine timely topics impacting the world of sport. This year will take a special focus on "Sport and The Body" - the Global Sport Institute's annual theme for the current year.

Who should attend? Any individual or organization with an interest and/or involvement in the broad world of sport. Including but not limited to:

• Sport-related CEOs and leadership teams
• Researchers, scholars, and academics
• Sport entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors
• Sports journalists and/or media professionals 
• Sports historians, documentarians, or those working in humanities
• Sports-related public relations and marketing professionals
• Non-profit and community leaders
• Students

The Global Sport Summit past program partners include: Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Sports Law and Business; W. P. Carey School of Business, Sports Business; School of Community Resources and Development, Community Sport Management; and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Sports Journalism; School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, Sports, Culture and Ethics.

Video recap: Global Sport Summit 2019

via ASU Now: Looking at sports as a microcosm of racial, gender disparities in society

3 Thought Provoking Quotes from 2019 Global Sport Summit Speakers

2019 Global Sport Summit Examines Race and Sport Around the Globe

Winning ASU Global Sport Venture Devils Named at GSI Annual Summit

To view the full event recap with recording, click here. 

In 2023, LeBron James Jr. will make his decision about which college he’ll attend and the world of basketball will be watching with bated breath. They know that the school he chooses will be spotlighted, likely bring in new sponsorships, and could also attract a whole new base of fans…all possible from just that one decision. 

Over the years arguments about opportunity and exposure have pushed top high school athletes like Kayvon Thibodeaux to visit Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), but ultimately decide on a Predominantly White Institute (PWI). After visiting Florida A&M University, Thibodeaux chose to attend Oregon State stating, “Nobody wants to eat McDonald’s when you can get filet mignon.” 

In Jemele Hill’s 2019 article for The Atlantic, she espouses that Black players need to recognize that they are the talent, which attracts the exposure and opportunity no matter where they go. Not the other way around. And that when the majority of Black athletes choose HBCUs, the impact could be a tidal wave of change.

As 2020 rewrites the rules of ‘business as usual’, so too should we re-examine the longstanding debate between HBCUs and PWIs. What is the impact of choosing one over the other? 

On the next GSM Live, we bring together a panel from HBCUs & PWIs for their take on the dilemma, the decision and the debate over college choice for the Black athlete.

Tamica Smith Jones | Director of Intercollegiate Athletics (AD) for the University of California, Riverside

Since AD Smith Jones has been at the helm of the Highlanders’ Athletics Department, her focus has centered on building a culture for champions and guiding the rising Division I program in the Big West Conference with a renewed sense of purpose and energy. As a result, the Highlanders have won seven individual Big West Championships, a first-ever national championship in the weight throw, the 2018 Big West Conference Men’s Soccer Tournament Championship, and a first-ever appearance in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament/Men’s College Cup.

Under the direction of AD Smith Jones, the Highlanders are leading the way on a wide range of strategic initiatives and important issues impacting today’s student-athlete, which include an increased focus on mental health and wellness with the Sports Medicine team connecting campus resources and external experts and complementary leadership training to navigate a successful professional life after sport. The increased collaborations with campus partners enabled Athletics to provide more immediate educational and emotional support for its student-athletes. And, in 2018, Athletics began providing additional nutritional support through its R’Fueling Station program (to provide healthy foods and snacks) and entered into a partnership with a local nutritionist to work closely with its Strength and Conditioning program. 

Edwin Moses, PhD | Track & Field Olympic Gold Medalist, Chairman of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation

Track & Field icon, Edwin Moses, won Olympic gold medals in 1976 and 1984, three World Cup titles, two World Championships, and broke the World Record four times as a 400-meter hurdler. He remained undefeated in 122 consecutive races spanning nine years, nine months, and nine days.

Known as The Thinking Man’s Athlete ™, Moses graduated from Morehouse College on an academic scholarship where he earned a dual B.S. in Physics and Engineering. He went on to receive his MBA from Pepperdine University. In 2017, Dr. Moses was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

For the past 20 years, Moses cemented his place as a global sports icon through his work as Chairman of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, an association of sporting legends, which uses the positive influence of sport as a powerful tool for social change around the globe. He was personally selected by the late, President Nelson Mandela to lead this organization. These areas of professional concentration have fed Moses’ lifelong passion for STEM, Diversity, and Inclusion, Women’s Empowerment, Governance, and Executive Leadership.

Victoria Jackson, PhD | Arizona State University clinical assistant professor of history, specializing in sport, and former NCAA champ and retired professional track and field athlete

Jackson's work explores how the games we play and watch tell us much about the communities in which we live. She is also an expert in the history of sport in higher education. Her research connects the effort to expand opportunity for college women in sport and the issues in big-time college sports which disproportionately affect young black men.

Jackson is a clinical assistant professor of history and works with Sun Devil Athletics on a variety of initiatives and is a member of the inaugural cohort of Global Sport Scholars affiliated with the Global Sport Institute at ASU.

Apart from her research, she was a cross country and track and field athlete for UNC and ASU, a national champion for the Sun Devils at 10,000 meters, and a professional runner endorsed by Nike.

Ron Thomas | Director of the Journalism & Sports Program at Morehouse College

A sports writer and copy editor for four decades, became the first director of Morehouse College’s Journalism and Sports Program in 2007. The culmination of his work occurred in 2017 when he received the Morehouse College Professor of the Year award and National Association of Black Journalists Legacy Award.

Prior to joining Morehouse, Thomas worked for 29 years in the San Francisco Bay Area. In two stints from 1978-1991, he covered college sports, the Golden State Warriors and San Francisco 49ers for the San Francisco Chronicle, and from 1982-84, he was USA Today’s first NBA reporter/editor.

A member of the National Association of Black Journalists since 1977, Thomas was the first chair of its Sports Task Force and co-hosts its annual ceremonies honoring retired black sports pioneers.

Moderated by:
William C. Rhoden | Award-winning Author & Journalist

The former award-winning sports columnist for The New York Times and author of “Forty Million Dollar Slaves,” is a columnist and Editor-at-Large for The Undefeated, ESPN’s news site about sports, race, and culture. He is the curator of the Rhoden Fellows and is also the author of several books, including 40 Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete.

Before joining The Undefeated, Rhoden wrote an award-winning sports column for the New York Times and appeared as a guest on ESPN’s Sports Reporters for nearly 30 years. Rhoden began his journalism career as a news reporter at the Baltimore Afro American Newspaper. He was a senior editor with Ebony Magazine and then a columnist and jazz critic for the Baltimore Sun. Rhoden attended Morgan State University in Baltimore where he majored in English.

Ron Thomas image credit from Getty images: 1180717250

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

In college sports football may 'reign supreme’ in popularity, but it is behind the curve when it comes to diversity at its top tier coaching positions. The newest field study report to come out of the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University shows the stark, yet unsurprising, reality of NCAA Power 5 conference Division 1 head coaches over the past decade - who is and isn’t given the opportunity to hold the position. 

During the pandemic, the demand to end racial injustice permeating throughout America has yet to quell, even as we enter Fall 2020 season.  As 'Name, Image, Likeness' and college athlete unions gain support, will coaches also see a call for change and move towards more equity?

Joining the conversation:

Fitz Hill, EdD | Executive Director, Scott Ford Center for Entrepreneurship & Community Dev. & Foundation at Arkansas Baptist College. Hill served as the head football coach at San Jose State University from 2001 to 2004. He was also the president of Arkansas Baptist College from 2006 to 2016. Fitz Hill was a former collegiate athlete playing football for the University of Louisianna at Monroe. 

C. Keith Harrison, PhD | DeVos Associate Unit Head/Chief Academic Officer; Professor at the University of Central Florida. Harrison’s career focus is in a few areas: the identity of the student-athlete and professional athlete experience; diversity and inclusion issues related to gender and race relations in education, business, sport and entertainment; and the marketing of emerging multicultural demographics in the global environment in terms of fan engagement. Since 2012, Harrison has been the principal investigator/researcher and co-author with Scott Bukstein for the NFL’s “Good Business” series in terms of diversity and inclusion initiatives within the NFL as well as on female spectators and influencers of the NFL brand. 

Richard Lapchick, PhD | Endowed Chair & Director, DeVos Sport Business Management at UCF; Vice President/CEO, Institute for Sport & Social Justice; Director, The Institute for Diversity & Ethics in Sport. Human rights activist, pioneer for racial equality, internationally recognized expert on sports issues, scholar and author Richard E. Lapchick is often described as “the racial conscience of sport.”  Lapchick also helped found the Center for the Study of Sport in Society in 1984 at Northeastern University. He served as director for 17 years and is now the Director Emeritus. The Center has attracted national attention to its pioneering efforts to ensure the education of athletes from junior high school through the professional ranks. Lapchick is a regular columnist for ESPN.com and the Sports Business Journal and has received numerous humanitarian awards from around the globe.

Sam Sachs | Founder of The No Hate Zone. Sachs has served as a Human Rights Commissioner for the City of Portland Or, from 2013 to 2015. He served as Chair of The Community and Police Relations Committee, and Chair of the HRC Nominating Committee.Mr. Sachs graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Black Studies. In 2009, Mr. Sachs successfully lobbied the Oregon State Legislature to pass a landmark bill, House Bill 3118, “The Rooney Rule,” which requires the interviewing of at least one qualified minority applicant when hiring a head coach or athletics director at any of the Oregon state-funded universities. The No Hate Zone was created out of love, frustration, and determination to end hate and racism.

Karen Gallagher, PhD | Senior Researcher at the Global Sport Institute. Gallagher's works in developing research initiatives, leading research projects, and establishing internal and external research collaborations. Her work focuses on elite athletes and the post-sport journey, building on her work with military Veterans in the military-to-civilian transition.dissertation work and subsequent publications and presentations have focused on military service-related conditions, including mild traumatic brain injury, and military-to-civilian transition and their impact on higher-order cognitive processes. She was named a Pat Tillman Scholar in 2016. Gallagher is a U.S. Army Airborne Gulf War 1 veteran where she deployed with the 35th Signal Brigade as a chemical specialist.

Hosted by:

Kenneth Shropshire | CEO, Global Sport Institute. Professor Shropshire is the adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University. He took on this current leadership role following  a thirty-year career as an endowed full professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. There he was also Director of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative, Professor of Africana Studies, and Academic Director of Wharton’s sports-focused executive education programs. He also guided the launch of the non-profit Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) in 2016 and serving on its board. As a sports-industry leader he is former President of the Sports Lawyers Association, the largest such organization in the world.

Global Sport Matters Live is a conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

Photo credit: Getty Images: 1228364827

Each academic year, the Global Sport Institute opens grant funding opportunities for ASU researchers through our Seed Grant Program. We invite all faculty, especially junior faculty, to attend and learn more about the program and how to apply. *(RFP now available to view: Click here)

Each academic year, the Global Sport Institute opens grant funding opportunities for ASU researchers through our Seed Grant Program. We invite all faculty, especially junior faculty, to attend and learn more about the program and how to apply. *(RFP now available to view: Click here)

Global Sport Institute CEO Kenneth Shropshire and Director of Research Scott Brooks will lead an annual roundtable for Black scholars in sport. The forum examines opportunities to further research  and exchange resources in the area of race and sport that will have a positive impact on the world of sport.

Questions about the event? Contact Kendall.Jones@asu.edu

2020 Global Sport Research Conference (ReCon) is a virtual gathering of researchers worldwide to listen, present and connect on current work and findings, held on July 22, 2020.

The theme is ‘exploring edgework and risk taking in sport’ with presentations from Arizona State University’s Global Sport Institute researchers and University of Brighton Sport and Leisure Cultures research group on areas within sport and social sciences.

View the program: Click here

Event begins at 8:30 a.m. (Pacific, US); 11:30 a.m. (Eastern, US); 4:30 p.m. (BST)

Agenda: 

8:30 AM: Conference opens; 30-minute e-poster session

• Karen Gallagher ( e-poster)
• Sean Heath ( e-poster)
• Mark Doidge ( e-poster)
• Luke Brenneman ( e-poster)
• Alex Channon ( e-poster)
• Tom Carter ( e-poster)

9:00 AM - 11:40 AM: Research presentations (15 minute presentation followed by 5 min Q&A)

• 9:05a     Daniel Burdsey ( Abstract)
• 9:25a     Scott Brooks & Anastasiya Khomutova ( Abstract)
• 9:45a     Rachel Lofton ( Abstract)
• 10:05a  Tom Carter ( Abstract)

~15 minute “intermission”

• 10:40a   Luke Brenneman ( Abstract)
• 11:00a   Paul Gilchrist ( Abstract)
• 11:20a   Alex Channon ( Abstract)
   

Researcher Bios:

Dr. Alex Channon is a Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and Sport Studies at the University of Brighton.  He is the course leader for the BSc (Hons) Sport Business Management and BA (Hons) Sport Studies degrees.  Alex’s research focuses on the social scientific study of martial arts and combat sports, covering themes including gender, violence, pedagogy, risk, and medical support.  He is a member of the Martial Arts Studies Research Network Advisory Board and a member of the Special Advisory Group of the UNESCO International Centre of Martial Arts for Youth Development and Engagement.  He has published numerous research articles and book chapters, as well as edited three books, much of which can be accessed on the University of Brighton’s repository, or by request at a.channon@brighton.ac.uk.

Dr. Paul Gilchrist is Principal Lecturer in Human Geography in the School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, UK. He teaches social and cultural geography and has research expertise in the geographies of sport, leisure and popular culture, publishing widely in these areas. He is a founding convenor of the Political Studies Association's Sport and Politics Study Group and is joint editor of the book series Advances in Leisure Studies (Routledge). Paul's research has been funded by the British Academy and the Arts and Humanities Research Council. His current research is on the legal conditions and political conflicts of leisure events and practices in a variety of spatial contexts. He believes the best research is collaborative and in areas where you have a passion. He tweets @paulgilchrist. 

Dr. Daniel Burdsey is Deputy Head of School (Research and Enterprise) in the School of Sport and Service Management at the University of Brighton, UK; and Associate Professor (Status Only) in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto, Canada. His current research theorises race and racism in football (soccer), with a particular focus on connecting ideas around Empire, de/coloniality, and anti-racist resistance. His new book Racism and English Football: For Club and Country will be published by Routledge in fall 2020.

Dr. Karen Gallagher is the Senior Researcher at the Global Sport Institute. She serves as Project Manager on collaborative research efforts. She works in developing programs and research projects related to athlete post-sport transition. Gallagher earned her Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University in 2017. Dr. Gallagher's dissertation work and subsequent publications and presentations have focused on military service-related conditions, including mild traumatic brain injury, and military-to-civilian transition and their impact on higher-order cognitive processes. She has published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and has been featured in multiple news and feature stories by a variety of media outlets, including Fox Sports. She has taught graduate courses in Traumatic Brain Injury and Motor Speech Disorders. Dr. Gallagher is a U.S. Army Airborne Gulf War 1 veteran where she deployed with the 35th Signal Brigade as a chemical specialist.

 Dr. Scott Brooks is an Associate Professor with the T. Denny Sanford School of Social & Family Dynamics at the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at ASU. As Director of Research for the Institute he acts as campus liaison, assists in the allocation of research grants, and coordinates the Institute's research agenda and projects. As a scholar, Brooks is primarily interested in: youth and sport; inequality in sport, coaching and leadership; and community based sports interventions. His book, Black Men Can’t Shoot (University of Chicago, 2009), tells the importance of exposure, networks, and opportunities towards earning an athletic scholarship. Additionally, Dr. Brooks has consulted the NFL, MLB, college and high school coaches and athletes; and is a senior fellow at the Wharton Sports Business Initiative and Yale Urban Ethnography Project.

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

Across the world of sport LGBTQ+ support is growing. From organizations and campaigns to end homophobia in sport all the way to the latest United States Supreme Court ruling in favor of federal protections for LGBTQ+ workers. With Global Pride Day coming up on June 27th, we’re sitting down with the experts to discuss pride in global sport, the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights and how we use the momentum of the moment to make gains for the community. 

On the show:

Ashland Johnson | Founder, Inclusion Playbook. Ashland Johnson is the founder and president of the Inclusion Playbook, a sports impact consultancy. An attorney, equity and inclusion strategist, and former Division I athlete, Ashland has over a decade of civil rights experience. Ashland recently served as the Director of Public Education & Research for the Human Rights Campaign. Prior to HRC, Ashland served as Athlete Ally's Policy Director, working with sports leaders to promote LGBTQ inclusion both on the field and under the law. She previously served as Policy Counsel for at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, where she helped develop the first national LGBTQ Sports Project. Ashland has extensive experience working with major sports leagues and associations, including the NBA, NCAA, USOC, and various national governing bodies to strengthen their social responsibility programming, policies, and platforms at the intersection of inclusion, race, gender, and the law. 

Chris Mosier | American transgender advocate, triathlete and founder of www.transathlete.com. Chris Mosier is a trailblazing hall of fame triathlete, All-American duathlete, and a 6-time member of Team USA. In 2015 he became the first known transgender man to represent the United States in international competition, and was the catalyst for change for the International Olympic Committee policy on transgender athletes. He is also a 2x National Champion and the first transgender athlete to qualify for the Olympic Trials in a category different than their sex assigned at birth. Chris is known as the go-to source for policy and information on transgender people in sport.  He has mentored transgender athletes around the globe. In 2013, Chris created the site transathlete.com, a resource for students, athletes, coaches, and administrators to find information about trans inclusion in athletics at various levels of play.

Billy Bean | MLB VP & Special Assistant to the Commissioner. Billy Bean serves at MLB as Vice-President & Special Assistant to the Commissioner. As a senior advisor to Commissioner Manfred, his role focuses on baseball’s social responsibility initiatives and LGBT inclusion. Among his responsibilities, Bean works with MLB’s 30 clubs to bring awareness to all players, coaches, managers, umpires, employees, and stakeholders throughout baseball to ensure an equitable, inclusive, and supportive workplace for everyone. Billy is a member of the MLB Owner’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and was instrumental in the development of MLB’s ‘Shred Hate’ bullying prevention program, a ground breaking educational youth campaign and partnership with ESPN.  He is also the author of the book, “Going the Other Way.”

Rosario Coco | Project Manager, www.out-sport.eu. Rosario Coco is an LGBTI activist and project designer. He graduated in Philosophy from University of Pisa and specialized in Bioethics and Sport Management in Rome. He is interested in the topics of sport, sexual education and SOGI discrimination. On behalf of AICS (Associazione Italiana Cultura e Sport), he coordinates "Outsport", a European research and training project, and operates in the field of professional lifelong learning with Gaynet, the Italian Association of LGBTI journalists and culture operators.

Led by: Cyd Zeigler | Co-founder of Outsports.com and National Gay Football League. Cyd Zeigler is the cofounder and coeditor of Outsports.com, the world's most renowned publication dealing with LGBTQ issues in sports. One of the world's leading experts on the intersection of sexuality and sports, Zeigler has been tapped to discuss the issue by CNN, ESPN, the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and many others. He has worked with countless athletes to tell their coming-out stories, including professional athletes Michael Sam, John Amaechi, and Ryan O'Callaghan. He is also the author of Fair Play: How LGBT Athletes Are Claiming Their Rightful Place in Sports. A graduate of Stanford University, Zeigler now lives in Los Angeles with his husband and two cats.

Global Sport Matters Live is a conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

Photo by Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

Threatcasting uses data and methodology to better predict and prepare for the future. Professional sports leagues, tech companies, the military and more have called on Brian David Johnson, the Father of Threatcasting, to give story to today's information that will help them survive an unpredictable future. So what does the future of sport look like?

Today, pandemics aren't a possibility, they are a certainty. At the same time, we are seeing a shifting moral mindset as injustice seen in the digital age is arming sports fans, players and front offices with new knowledge that is prompting demands for change... or else.

So then, what threatens the future of sport? How should the world of sport be preparing? How do current policies like the Rooney Rule lessen or worsen possible threats? And what else are we missing?

In this episode, we talk with Brian David Johnson , Dr. Deborah Stroman, Kelvin Watt, and Global Sport Institute's Kenneth Shropshire about Threatcasting, innovation, and the shifting world of sport.

On the show:
Brian David Johnson | Futurist in Residence, Center for Science and the Imagination and Professor in Practice in the School for the Future of Innovation and Society. Brian David Johnson is a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University’s School for the Future of Innovation in Society, and a Futurist and Fellow at Frost & Sullivan, a visionary innovation company that’s focused on growth. He also works with governments, militaries, trade organizations, and startups to help them envision their future. He has over 30 patents and is the author of a number of books of fiction and nonfiction, including Science Fiction Prototyping; Screen Future: The Future of Entertainment, Computing and the Devices We Love; Humanity and the Machine: What Comes After Greed?; and Vintage Tomorrows: A Historian and a Futurist Journey through Steampunk into the Future of Technology. His writing has appeared in publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal and Slate to IEEE Computer and Successful Farming, and he appears regularly on Bloomberg TV, PBS, Fox News, and the Discovery Channel. He has directed two feature films, and is an illustrator and commissioned painter.

Kenneth Shropshire | CEO of the Global Sport Institute and adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University. Shropshire's career has been highlighted by leading the launch of several noteworthy ventures including leading the 1984 Olympics boxing competition event, founding the Wharton Sports Business Initiative, guiding the launch of the non-profit Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), among others. His most recent books are "The Mis-Education of the Student Athlete: How to Fix College Sports"; "Sport Matters: Leadership, Power, and the Quest for Respect in Sports"; "Negotiate Like the Pros: A Top Sports Negotiator’s Lessons for Making Deals, Building Relationships and Getting What You Want" . He has also consulted on projects with NCAA, MLB, NFL, NFLPA and is on the board of directors of Moelis & Company, a global independent investment bank, on the nonprofit board of the USA Volleyball, and as an adviser to the Sixers Innovation Lab. After a 30-year career at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Shropshire launched the Global Sport Institute, a research-focused entity examining critical issues impacting the world of sport.

Deborah Stroman | Adjunct Associate Professor at the Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to joining the Gillings School, she was a clinical associate professor at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School, where she provided instruction and service to students related to organizational behavior and the examination of the extensive sport business industry. Along with Dr. Geni Eng, Dr. Stroman co-designed and teaches in the popular “Leading for Racial Equity” graduate student course, which propelled similar instruction and education across the entire campus. Dr. Stroman has three decades of extensive experience working with senior administrators, faculty, staff, students and alumni on leadership and equity issues on campus and beyond. She also currently serves as an entrepreneur-in-residence at the American Underground, the South’s largest business accelerator (located in Durham, N.C.), and as a trainer with the Racial Equity Institute LLC.

Kelvin Watt | MD Africa and Asia at Nielsen Sports. Kelvin joined MegaPro Marketing fresh out of University in 1992 and enjoyed 8 years at South Africa’s preeminent sports marketing organisation working on the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 1996 African Cup of Nations and the initial Commercialisation of South African Rugby amongst other ground breaking projects in Africa. In 2000 he started his own Group of companies which finally included Frontiers S&E, Kaelo Engage, Repucom Africa, Mazoe Productions and Sportsworld Africa with interests ranging from sponsorship, event activation, hospitality, PR and communication, broadcast production as well as research and insight. In late 2017 Repucom Africa was sold to Nielsen and as part of that transaction Kelvin joined Nielsen Sports to run Africa and the Middle East and follow his passion for research and data and their application to the modern sports industry. Today, he leads the Nielsen Sports and Games business for Africa and Asia.

Led by:
Andrew Ramsammy | Director of Digital Content at Global Sport Matters

Global Sport Matters Live is a conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

Photo credit: Getty Images Sport, Paul Kane / Stringer

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

Governors announce the reopening of major leagues and communities, but what does this mean for youth sport? Professional teams may have deeper pockets to fund necessary precautions for players, but the youth and community sports industry has suffered major financial setbacks due to COVID-19. Even given the green light, without a vaccine available, many parents aren't willing to take the risk. 

In a recent poll, Global Sport Institute asked whether parents would allow their children to return to their organized sport, 62% said they would not due to concerns of catching COVID-19, and 63% said that they wouldn't allow their child to return until there was a vaccine.

Sport is a way for kids and young adults to find community, build skills and confidence, as well as maintain a healthy lifestyle. With the absence of sport, 72% of parents we asked reported that the inability to play sports has caused their child stress or anxiety. What can parents do in the interim to create safe ways for their youth to engage in sport?

This episode we talk to the experts about how kids are coping without sport, what it will take for parents to feel safe, and ways parents can engage their kids in sport through the summer. In light of current events, our conversation will also center on the role our youth can play in creating social change through sport. 

Joining the conversation:

Bobby Dulle | General Manager, Phoenix Rising Football Club. Bobby Dulle is in his fourth season as Phoenix Rising FC’s General Manager.  As GM, Dulle is responsible for overseeing all business and sport operations. Prior to his time with Phoenix Rising FC, he previously spent nine seasons with the World Famous Harlem Globetrotters and while there, he oversaw Globetrotters global touring operations. Dulle earned his bachelor’s degree in 2006 from Grand Canyon University while competing with the men’s soccer team. He and his wife, Teressa, reside in Chandler with their two sons, Landon (8), Hudson (7) and their daughter Elena (3). Visit Phoenix Rising FC.

Renata Simril | President and CEO of LA84 Foundation. Formed as a legacy of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Summer Games, LA84 transforms lives through its investment in youth sport programs, infrastructure, research, and education across eight Counties of Southern California, and is a national leader in elevating the role that sports play in positive youth development. Prior to this role, Renata served as Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff to the Publisher of the Los Angeles Times, where she oversaw staff operations and special projects. Her earlier career included three seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where she served as Senior Vice President of External Affairs and over a decade in real estate development with Jones Lang LaSalle, Forest City Development and LCOR, Inc. Visit LA84 Foundation.

Eric Legg | Assistant Professor in the School of Community Resources and Development at Arizona State University. Eric's research uses a socio-ecological approach to explore the question of how we construct community sport experiences to maximum positive development outcomes, with a specific focus on positive youth development. Recognizing that youth sports exist within an ecological framework that includes coaches, parents, participants, volunteers, and management structures, Legg approaches this question through a variety of lenses including social-psychology, and management theories. Legg’s teaching and research is informed by his previous work experience in municipal parks and recreation, as well as his volunteer experience with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and the founding of his own non-profit organization (Tennis on the Hill). 

Dr. Ahada McCummings | Up2Us Sports National Director, Strategic Partnerships, Raleigh, North Carolina. As the National Director of Strategic Partnerships at Up2Us Sports, Ahada is responsible for identifying and cultivating relationships with strategic partners such as youth serving organizations, sports teams and school districts. She currently manages high-priority initiatives with adidas and RISE to build expertise, outreach and delivery of cutting-edge training content that empowers coaches to address issues pertaining to gender, race and social equity. Prior to working at Up2Us Sports, Ahada worked in the mental health field as a licensed professional counselor for 15 years, used her counseling background to work in the mental training field with athletes and teams around mental performance improvement, and later received her doctorate in Global Training & Development so that she could further use her knowledge and skill set to improve performance within organizations. Ahada is also the founder and CEO of a non-profit, sport-based youth development organization, as well as a high school and club volleyball coach. Visit Up2Us Sports.

Led by:
Scott Brooks | Director of Research, Global Sport Institute

Global Sport Matters Live is a conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

Sport is returning. Expected profit losses are discussed daily prompting most to rush a restart, while for others it's an end to their team. As we see parts of the world reopening with eyes on sport in particular, it will be the coaches that will deal directly with success or fallout moving forward.

During the pause, Assistant Coach Geoff Arnold leads Zoom Sundays, an online gathering of coaches from all levels and experience, co-hosted by Dr. Scott Brooks. The calls are a way to bring guidance, community and guest speakers to coaches around the nation. Topics around career advancement, NIL ruling, media scrutiny for coaches of color, and what this “new normal” means are just the tip of the iceberg.

All levels of coaches today face a growing number of challenges to navigate: physical safety requirements, strict policies on training and live games, not to mention job safety. In addition, they are tasked with bringing the best out in their team through mental stress they, their staff, and their players may be experiencing. 

In today's world with the pandemic and recent racial justice protests at the forefront, how will coaches' roles expand even further beyond the playbook?

On this episode, we bring together high school and collegiate coaches to discuss their role in today's world, the realities of being a coach of color, and what the "new normal" looks like.

Joining the conversation:
Venessa Jacobs |  Head Volleyball Coach at Southern University. Venessa Hackett-Jacobs is the head women’s volleyball coach at Southern University and A&M College. During the Hackett-Jacobs era, the Southern University volleyball program elevated its profile from a dormant status to the league's conference tournament runner-up in her second season in 2014. Hackett-Jacobs is a 1996 LSU graduate who earned a volleyball scholarship from the Lady Tigers. Hackett-Jacobs’ coaching style promotes a focus on technique, repetition, and teamwork while utilizing relational concepts/heuristics for athletes of all ages. Hackett-Jacobs provides training for athletes ages 8-17, and prospective coaches as a master coach for club and volleyball camps to grow the sport.

Kerrick Jackson | Head Baseball Coach at Southern University. Kerrick Jackson is the Men’s Head Baseball Coach at Southern University. As a result of the Jaguars success on the field, Coach Jackson was chosen as SWAC Coach of the Year, as well as LSWA (Louisiana Sports Writers Association) Coach of the Year. In 2018, Jackson was asked by the American Baseball Coaches Association to serve as chair for their Diversity committee focused on minority recruiting and sustainability for players and coaches of color in baseball. Prior to joining Southern University as Head Baseball Coach, Kerrick Jackson served as an MLB Certified Player Agent for the Boras Corporation, where he was responsible for identifying, evaluating and recruiting premier amateur baseball players from across the country, along with helping them prepare for the MLB Amateur Draft.

Geoff Arnold | Assistant Coach for Mens Basketball at Rider University. Geoff Arnold is the Rider Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach. A 1986 SJU graduate, Geoff Arnold was part of three of the Hawks’ four Atlantic 10 Championships, as a player in 1986 and as an assistant coach in 2014 and 2016. Prior to making his return to Saint Joseph’s, Arnold was the associate head coach at Drexel University for seven years. While there, he was instrumental in the Dragons’ recruiting efforts that helped them reach the postseason four times in seven seasons, including a 23-9 record in 2006-07. Originally from Sharon Hill, Pa. and Darby Township High School, Arnold is the uncle of former Saint Joseph’s star Langston Galloway, who is currently with the NBA’s Detroit Pistons. In 2018, Arnold was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame – Delaware County Chapter.

Lou Richie | Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland Boys Basketball Coach, Co-founder of Triple Threat Academy

Dawn Staley | American basketball Hall of Fame player, South Carolina Women's Basketball Coach, three-time Olympic gold medalist, Naismith Player of the Year '91 & '92, Naismith Coach of the Year '20. Staley is still recognized for her body of work as a one of the most decorated participants in United States women’s basketball history. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame solidified that legacy with her enshrinement as part of the Class of 2013. The Phoenix Club of Philadelphia established the Dawn Staley Award recognizing the nation’s top guard in women’s Division I basketball in 2013 as well. Staley was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2012 and was one of the final nominees for induction to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame the same year. In the summer of 2011, the WNBA recognized her as one of the league’s “Top 15,” honoring the most influential players in the league’s history. At the helm of the Gamecocks over the last 11 seasons, Staley has been named National Coach of the Year (2014, Basketball Times), a Naismith National Coach of the Year Finalist (2014, 2015, 2016), SEC Coach of the Year (2014, Coaches and AP; 2015, Coaches; 2016, Coaches and AP) and BCA Female Coach of the Year (2012).

Led by:
Scott Brooks | Director of Research at Global Sport Institute

Global Sport Matters Live is a conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

Photo credit: Getty Images: MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images / Contributor

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

In March, 14 football clubs across Brazil offered their stadiums and training facilities to emergency services. Fast forward to the end of May where parts of the world are reopening their economies and sport leagues are following suit, in South America, the latest shows the region as the new epicenter of COVID-19.

Major football championships, like the Liga MX Clausura, Copa America, Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Nations League Finals have been suspended and postponed though their eventual returns are expected. Like MLB teams in the US, baseball is scrambling to find safe ways to bring back national and international players amidst travel bans and strategic containment of spread.

On this episode, we look at what reset means in Latin America amidst rising cases, the culture of sport and the role it plays in every day life, as well as what's next for athletes and communities alike.

Joining the conversation:

Carla Bustamante | Communication Director, Naranjeros de Hermosillo Baseball Club. Carla Bustamante is from Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. She has worked as a television reporter, anchor and field broadcaster for Telemax being the first woman in the sports as a broadcaster, Megacable and ESPN, as well as a columnist for the sports magazines Score and Béisbol Total, the newspaper Expreso and Naranjeros.com. She is also been a reporter outside of her country at the Caribbean Series Tournament in Venezuela and Puerto Rico, and in the United States at MLB games. In 2006, Carla took on a more behind-the-scenes role when she joined the Naranjeros de Hermosillo Baseball Club, where she was until 2019 director of Public Relations, being the first woman to work in a executive position at her current organization. Since 2019 and now she is the Communication Director and Image for the team. 

Brenda Elsey |  Associate Professor of History at Hofstra University and Co-Host of Burn It All Down. Brenda Elsey is an associate professor of history at Hofstra University. She is the coauthor (with Joshua Nadel) of Futbolera: A History of Women in Sport in Latin America and author of Citizens and Sportsmen: Fútbol and Politics in Twentieth-Century Chile, as well as numerous academic articles on gender and popular culture in Latin America. Her work has also appeared in Sports Illustrated, The Guardian, and The New Republic. She is development lead for the Fare network in the Americas, an NGO that fights discrimination in soccer and develops grassroots projects using soccer for social justice. She is the co-host of the weekly sport and feminism podcast Burn It All Down.

Julio Ricardo Varela | Journalist, Senior Executive for Futuro Media, Co-Host of In The Thick. Julio (Julito) Ricardo Varela is an award-winning journalist and senior executive for Futuro Media, which produces Latino Rebels, the globally-recognized digital news site he founded in 2011 and still directs. At Futuro, Julio is also co-host of the In The Thick political podcast with Maria Hinojosa and senior digital editor for Latino USA. Previously, Julio was digital producer for Al Jazeera “The Stream” and his work has been featured in many global outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, The Guardian, Quartz, Le Monde, WGBH, WNYC, Face the Nation, MSNBC, Fusion, Univision and Telemundo. He has made numerous national TV appearances for Futuro Media.

Victor Ocando | International Sports Lawyer, Lecturer, and external Legal Counsel for soccer clubs and agents in Venezuela, South America and Europe. Victor Ocando is an international sports lawyer with experience as an external Legal Counsel for soccer clubs and agents in Venezuela, South America and Europe. He is a frequent lecturer in conferences and seminars about Sports Management and Sports Law. 

Hosted By: 

Andrew Ramsammy | Director of Digital Content for Global Sport Matters and Global Sport Institute 

Global Sport Matters Live is a conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

Ahmaud Arbery's case has sparked outrage in the sport community. An athlete himself, Ahmaud was out jogging during the day on February 23rd when two armed men, claiming he resembled a burglar, fatally shot him.

Among those in the sports world to condemn the killing was LeBron James who took to social media stating, "We're literally hunted everyday..." Athletes from around the country have now added their names to a letter demanding that the US Attorney General investigate the death and police handling of Arbery's case, which took over two months to see Gregory and Travis McMichael, the two main suspects, arrested.

Is this a new moment in athlete activism?

On May 8th, with what would have been Ahmaud Arbery's 26th birthday, runners and non-runners alike clocked in 2.23 miles in his honor. Athletes, communities, and the world are watching closely as the case progresses - but what can be done beyond hashtags?

On this episode, we're talking with experts about the intersection of race, sport and privilege delving into areas of freedom of movement, athlete activism and the reset moment in sport.

Joining the conversation:
Dr. Rashawn Ray | Sociologist at University of Maryland & Brookings Institute. Dr. Rashawn Ray is with the Brookings Institute and Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland. As co-editor of Contexts Magazine: Sociology for the Public, Ray’s research addresses the mechanisms that manufacture and maintain racial and social inequality with a particular focus on police-civilian relations and men’s treatment of women. Ray has published over 50 books, articles, and book chapters, and nearly 20 op-eds, including the his recent edition of Race and Ethnic Relations in the 21st Century: History, Theory, Institutions, and Policy.

Mirna Valerio | Marathon runner, Inclusion activist, and Author, “A Beautiful Work in Progress." Mirna Valerio is a native of Brooklyn, NY, a former educator, cross-country coach, ultramarathoner, and author of the bestselling memoir, A Beautiful Work in Progress. After a health scare in 2008, she recommited herself to the sport and started her blog Fatgirlrunning—about her experiences as a larger woman in a world of thinner endurance athletes— while training for her first marathon. Mirna's athletic story has been featured in the WSJ, Runner’s World, on NBC Nightly News, CNN, Women’s Running Magazine, Self Magazine Online, Outside Online, and Runner's World Magazine as well as the viral REI-produced documentary short, The Mirnavator. In 2018 she was chosen as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, and most recently appeared the Kelly Clarkson Show. 

Dr. Lois Brown | Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at Arizona State University. Dr. Lois Brown is director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy and Foundation Professor of English at Arizona State University. She is a public historian and a scholar of African American literature and culture whose groundbreaking research reshapes our understanding of race, class, gender, education, faith, and place in America. Her published works include Black Daughter of the Revolution: A Literary Biography of Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins, the first modern edition of Memoir of James Jackson, The Attentive and Obedient Scholar which is the earliest known biography of a free child of color in the North, and Encyclopedia of the Literary Harlem Renaissance. She was featured on the acclaimed PBS documentary The Abolitionists and has curated and collaborated on exhibitions for major American museums and libraries. Brown is an award-winning teacher whose courses focus on early African American literary history, African American and American women writers, enslavement and the literary imagination, environmental humanities and film.

Dr. Louis Moore | Associate Professor of History (African American, Sport & Gender) at Grand Valley State University. Louis Moore is an Associate Professor of History at Grand Valley State University. He teaches African American History, Civil Rights, Sports History, and US History. His research and writing examines the interconnections between race and sports. He is the author of two recently published books, I Fight for a Living: Boxing and the Battle for Black Manhood, 1880-1915 and We Will Win the Day: The Civil Rights Movement, the Black Athlete, and the Quest for Equality. He has also written for a number of online outlets including The Shadow League, Vox, and African American Intellectual Historical Society, and has appeared on news outlets including NPR, MSNBC, and BBC Sports talking sports and race. 

Led by:
Dr. Scott Brooks | Sociologist and Director of Research at Global Sport Institute. As a scholar, Brooks is primarily interested in: youth and sport; inequality in sport, coaching and leadership; and community based sports interventions. He has published in academic journals, edited volumes, and textbooks; been quoted and reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Der Speigel, and SLAM magazine; and invited to speak on the topic of sport internationally. His book, Black Men Can’t Shoot (University of Chicago, 2009), tells the importance of exposure, networks, and opportunities towards earning an athletic scholarship. Additionally, Dr. Brooks has consulted the NFL, MLB, college and high school coaches and athletes; and is a senior fellow at the Wharton Sports Business Initiative and Yale Urban Ethnography Project.

Global Sport Matters Live is a conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

Photo credit: Getty Images: Sean Rayford / Stringer, 1212202985

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

Native American communities have been hit harder than others in the wake of the pandemic. The realities of lacking resources have been brought to the forefront during this time.

Communities have been forced to cancel large gatherings, like most of the world, including the 2020 Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI), which has far reaching impact for young people and the community on and off the court. The games brought the community leaders together developing collaborative bonds across different tribes, as well as opportunities for higher education with college and job fairs.

In this episode we will speak with experts on the impact of COVID-19 on Native American communities and sport, and what reset means for recovering.

This GSM Live is hosted in partnership with Indian Country Today

Joining the conversation:

Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Daniel (Sioux) | A fourth generation runner and citizen of Kul Wicasa Oyate (Lower Brule Sioux Tribe), she is passionate and devoted advocate for Indian Country and all people. Nationally known for her advocacy and grassroots organization for anti-pipelines/climate justice efforts, change the name/not your mascot, the epidemic and crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW), native youth initiatives, and now raising awareness of those lost to COVID-19, using her platform, #RunningForJustice. 

Dr. Michelle Tom (Navajo) | Dr. Tom grew up in Dilkon, Arizona on the Navajo Nation Reservation. A daughter of two silversmiths who are both nationally recognized for their work, she was recruited to play Division 1 Arizona State University Basketball and became a starter and captain. After receiving her Master of Public Health degree, Dr. Tom attended medical school at Nova Southeastern Univeristy. She returned to serve her community in March 2019, and is currently treating COVID-19 patients at Winslow Indian Health Care Center and Little Colorado Medical Center on the border of Navajo Nations and Hopi Reservation in Eastern Arizona. She labels herself as an advocate because she wants her Native people to flourish so to preserve the rich language and culture of all Native communities.

Brent Cahwee (Pawnee/Euchee) | Co-founder of NDNsports, established in 2000, promoting awareness of Native American athletes competing in a wide variety of college and professional sports to the public and native community online.

Natalie Welch (Cherokee) | An enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Natalie grew up on the Qualla Boundary in North Carolina. Previously, she's worked with Nike’s Native initiative, Nike N7 and the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, and has conducted extensive research on Native American athletes and Cherokee stickball. Currently, she teaches Sport Management courses at Linfield college, builds relationships with local Native community promoting Native atheletes and issues, and hosts a podcast featuring Native American athletes, called The Creative Native.

Hosted by:
Patty Talahongva (Hopi), Executive Producer of Indian Country Today. A journalist, documentary producer, news executive and was the first Native American anchor of a national news program in the United States. She is involved in Native American youth and community development projects.

This conversation is brought to you in partnership with Indian Country Today.

Indian Country Today is a daily digital news platform that covers the Indigenous world, including American Indians, Alaska Natives and First Nations. It was founded in 1981 as a weekly print newspaper, The Lakota Times; the publication's name changed in 1992 to Indian Country Today.

Global Sport Matters Live is a conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

To view the full event recap with recording, click here.

During our first global conversation in early April, we spoke with experts from every continent about the impact that COVID-19 continues to have on the world of sport. Out of this, we came across a big question: "How do we reset sport?", posed by Simon Chadwick, Director of Eurasian Sport at emLYON Business School.

In our next conversation, we start chipping away at this idea.

Resetting sport can mean many different things. How will sport operate moving forward? Can we take this moment to evaluate changes needed to make sport better? Will change actually happen?

On this episode we'll invite a panel of experts on to the show to talk sports around the globe and hit on the rumored return of baseball and sports in the USA, bringing back sport in Australia amidst players' concerns, and what COVID-19 means for women's sport and the fight for equality.

Joining the conversation:
Tracey Holmes, Australian journalist, is a presenter on ABC News Radio, with an extensive career in television and radio, specialising predominantly in sport.

Victoria Jackson, Arizona State University clinical assistant professor of history, specializing in sport, and former NCAA champ and retired professional track and field athlete.

Howard Bryant, American author, sports journalist, and radio and television personality. He writes weekly columns for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine, ESPN, and appears regularly on ESPN Radio.

Moderated by: 
Kenneth Shropshire, CEO of Global Sport Institute and adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport

Global Sport Matters Live is a conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

____________________________________________________________

Previously on Global Sport Matters Live: COVID-19 + Sport

(Video length: 1:30:35) This global discussion shared perspectives from around the world and took place on Friday, April 3rd. 

The global impact of COVID-19 has put a collective pause on the world of sport as we know it, and these unprecedented times will have a far-reaching impact long after the virus subsides. With the NCAA canceling championships, leagues halting seasons, and Olympic athletes at the mercy of the growing pandemic, many questions linger. What impact has been felt thus far? And what should we brace ourselves for when sports make their eventual return?

Global Speakers on this episode featured Tracey Holmes (Australian Journalist and presenter on ABC News Radio) Andres Martinez (Arizona State University Professor of Practice & Journalist), Ilhaam Groenewald (Chief Director of Maties Sports at Stellenbosch University , S. Africa), James Skinner (Director for Sports Business at Loughborough University, London), Simon Chadwick (Director of Eurasian Sport at emlyon business school), Steve Ross | Director for Penn State Institute for Sports Law, Policy, and Research. Moderated by Kenneth Shropshire (CEO of the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University).

Professor Dennita Sewell is a Global Sport Institute Seed Grant Recipient and creator of the Fashion Wearable Technology course co-taught with engineer Abhik Chowdhury. This course brings together teams made up of fashion and engineering students working collaboratively to innovate or create a wearable technology for athletes. Whether the athlete was seeking a cooling mechanism for their hockey uniform, or a runner wanted to feel safe when exercising outside at night, the students worked to create a solution. Along with concept creation, the class taught educational skills in pitching ideas, business planning, and working in teams.

As a final project, students create pitch videos and receive valuable feedback from industry professionals in the US and UK on Thursday, April 30th from 4:00p - 7:00p (PDT). A winning team will be announced on May 1st and receive a top prize of an all-expense paid trip to Portland, OR to pitch their concept at adidas HQ.

Meet the judges:

Edwin Martinez | As a part of adidas Strategic Partnerships, Edwin has embedded wearables into the adidas innovation pipeline, and has managed a portfolio of partners in the fields of media, gaming, and digital. He has a background in apparel product management and an education in advertising.

Rana Abu-Ghazala | With over 9 years of experience guiding visuals for legacy and startup fashion companies, Rana currently serves as Director of Creative at NYC-based menswear fashion-tech startup, Bombfell. Seasoned in creative direction and product development, Rana is looking forward to participating in the evolution of performance wear and sustainability in the industry.

Jeff Kunowski | As Associate Director of Innovation Programs for the Global Sport Institute, Jeff oversees the Global Sport Institute’s sport-related development and funding programs including the Global Sport Venture Development Program, Phoenix Rising Venture Challenge and the Global Sport Social Impact Challenge. He serves this role in a cross appointment with ASU Entrepreneurship + Innovation. Jeff is also a member of the ASU W.P. Carey Sports Business Advisory Board and the ASU MS Innovation and Venture Development Advisory Board.

Mili John Tharakan | Having developed, managed and launched smart textiles products (direct to consumer and B2B), in USA, UK and India, Mili's present work explores issues of democratizing technology to find new ways in which traditional textile narratives can shape the future of Smart textiles. Exploring and merging techniques and materials of traditional textiles with smart materials and technology to develop NeoCraft, a new genre of crafts for social change. She has a passion for traditional crafts and her desire to see its evolution in the digital age has kept challenging her towards creating artefacts that lie in the gap between 'craft' and 'gadgets'.

Dr. Troy McDaniels | Assistant professor in the polytechnic school and a past recipient of a GSI seed grant, with over 15 years of experience in wearables and haptics.

Read more about the Fashion Wearable Technology class here.

Global Sport Institute is bringing the SXSW 2020 panel discussion to you! Join us online for Empowering the Athlete in the Post-Sport Journey, hosted Wednesday, April 15th at 1:00p (Phoenix, AZ); 4:00p (ET).

Collegiate and professional athlete transitions are unique due to the typical length of preparation, intense level of identity and connectedness, and the unpredictable nature of when one’s career can end. This often leads to identity foreclosure, where an athlete sacrifices their education and additional identity options or career aspirations. We know that the more you prepare to transition out of the original dream, the more time you have to focus on the next dream and move into the reality of a new working life. Transition is eased for athletes who engage in continuous learning and when a transition plan is securely in place before the athletic experience ends. This panel will dive into the effects of transition and what can be done to help athletes prepare for life outside of sport.

Mori Taheripour | With over a decade of extensive experience at the intersection of sports and social change in both the public and private sectors, Mori Taheripour is a globally-recognized executive and award-winning educator with unique expertise in negotiation, diversity and inclusion, athlete education and development, high impact philanthropy and sport for development.

Karen Gallagher | Dr. Gallagher is a Senior Postdoctoral Research Scholar at the Global Sport Institute. She serves as Project Manager on collaborative research efforts. She works in developing programs and research projects related to athlete post-sport transition. Gallagher earned her Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University in 2017. 

Jacques McClendon | As the director of player engagement for the Los Angeles Rams, after spending seven seasons as an offensive lineman in the NFL, McClendon is responsible for assisting players with the transition to professional football and developing off-the-field success programs and activities.

Kenneth Shropshire | Professor Shropshire is CEO of the Global Sport Institute and the adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University after a thirty-year career as an endowed full professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is an author, educator and speaker consulting on athlete-transition and financial education and has worked with NCAA, Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Football League Players Association, the United States Olympic Committee and PGA golfer Rory McIlroy.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW. Further information here.

Each year, we invite the top ventures from our Spring and Fall Demo Day sessions to perform a live pitch at the Global Sport Summit and compete for additional funds and other various prizes. Ventures range in areas of the sports industry and each is given an opportunity to gain meaningful funding to bring their idea to the next level. Because COVID-19 prevents an in-person pitch event, we will be hosting this year's Spring Pitch Competition virtually with a set of judges ready to award the next top ventures. 

The Global Sport Institute is proud to partner with Entrepreneurship and Innovation to award the top ventures through the program. The program is led by Jeff Kunowski, Associate Director of Innovation Programs at Global Sport Institute.

We will hold a closed Q&A session on Monday, April 13th with judges and ventures and announce winners by Tuesday, April 14th. 

Meet the Ventures:

• Strax Gear
• Stonne
• Fair Future Co
• GoSurf
• Accelerated Cycles
• Barrage Training Tech
• FutureForm
• Futbar

Meet the judges:

Kenneth Shropshire, CEO Global Sport Institute

Professor Shropshire is CEO of the Global Sport Institute and the adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University after a thirty-year career as an endowed full professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Shropshire's career has been highlighted by leading the launch of several noteworthy ventures in a variety of sectors including: leading the boxing competition during the last profitable Olympic Games, which was also the most televised event of the Games in 1984; founding and leading the Wharton Sports Business Initiative, one of the world’s most respected sports business think tanks in 2004; serving as a founder and board member of the Valley Green Bank, which was sold to Univest Corp. for $76 million in 2014; and guiding the launch of the non-profit Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) in 2016 and serving on its board. As a sports-industry leader he is former President of the Sports Lawyers Association, the largest such organization in the world, and also former Program Chair of the ABA Forum Committee, Sports Law Section. His views and insights on the sports industry can be heard via his “Why Sport Matters” podcast. He is an author, educator and speaker consulting on athlete-transition and financial education and has worked with NCAA, Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Football League Players Association, the United States Olympic Committee and PGA golfer Rory McIlroy.

Jake Plummer, Co-founder of ReadyList Sports

Jake the Snake was a 10-year vet and Pro Bowl quarterback in the NFL (Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos). He is known for his All-American season and run to the Rose Bowl while at Arizona State, winning the Cardinals’ first playoff game since 1947, and breaking John Elway’s franchise records, while taking the Broncos to the AFC Championship Game in 2005.  In December, Jake was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Since retirement, Jake has pursued entrepreneurship and launched the business venture, ReadyList Sports.

Justin Forsett, CEO & Co-founder at Hustle Clean

Justin is a former NFL running back and now a successful entrepreneur. He played 9 years in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and Denver Broncos. 

Since then, Justin has become an entrepreneur and the founder / CEO of Hustle Clean, which has been featured on Shark Tank, Fox, CBS, NBC and Cheddar. The Company’s products, including an on-the-go Shower Collection called ShowerPill which consist of a novel body wipe proven to kill 99.9 percent of germs, have taken off with availability at over 1,000 locations including Target, Crunch Fitness, Pharmaca, and UFC Gyms. Investors and advisors include many professional athletes including Jonathan Stewart, Steve Smith Sr., Ronnie Lott, Kyle Juszczyk and Prince Amukamara.

Tracy Lea, Assistant Director of Venture Development, ASU Entrepreneurship + Innovation

Tracy Lea serves Entrepreneurship + Innovation as Assistant Director, Venture Development. In her role, she co-leads the ASU Venture Devils program around the three pillars of support which include the mentor, funding and spaces network to nearly 300 student, faculty, community and alumni startups, including the prestigious Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative.  Edson teams have raised over $15 million in external funding the past several years and have filed over 40 patents.  As part of the Venture Devils program, Tracy manages over 50 Venture Mentors designated as faculty associates to leverage their entrepreneurial expertise to further the ventures they serve.  Drawing on her military background Tracy spearheads the group's military, defense and veteran initiatives designed to elevate the imprint of veteran entrepreneurs. In addition, she teaches Entrepreneurship and Value Creation to both engineering and business students at ASU.

Faculty Cross Talk: Human Performance + Sport
The science of human performance is rapidly evolving as major advances in research, innovation and technology contribute to a greater understanding of the intersections between physical and behavioral health. Medical breakthroughs combined with the proliferation of wearable technologies and other highly customizable solutions can help elucidate the causal factors of injury, improve prevention, recovery, resilience and longevity--fueling higher performance and inspiring purposeful living.

Research in this field benefits people from all walks of life, from athletes seeking to maintain a competitive edge to military veterans recovering from injury or post-traumatic stress disorder to a broad spectrum of individuals wishing to recover or enhance mental and physical performance.

Global Sport Institute invites ASU faculty and graduate students to participate in our Faculty Cross Talk: Human Performance Sciences. Hear from ASU Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives Drew Trojanowski on a university-wide effort to mobilize a broad consortium of academic, philanthropic, and industry partners engaged in the comprehensive, fully integrated exploration and advancement of human performance and recovery.

Our goal is to map the university’s assets in this field and apply them to launching the premier institute for human performance, dedicated to transforming our current understanding of performance and behavioral health through the lenses of science and wellness.

Following a brief 20-minute speaker presentation, participants can share ideas, research and projects to form new connections and collaborations.

Helpful ideas around the topic of Human Performance may include:
•How can military veterans and athletes use human performance science to improve physical and mental health after injury?
•What other constituencies benefit most from advancements in human performance sciences (e.g., athletes, active military, students, skilled workers, elderly)?
•How can ASU collectively translate knowledge into action for these various constituents?
•What opportunities exist for collaboration across units in this field?

Click Here to Register

Questions? Email Kendall Jones (kendall.jones@asu.edu)

Live webinar begins 11:00a (Phoenix, AZ); 2:00p (Eastern Time)

The global impact of COVID-19 has put a collective pause on the world of sport as we know it, and these unprecedented times will have a far-reaching impact long after the virus subsides. With the NCAA canceling championships, leagues halting seasons, and Olympic athletes at the mercy of the growing pandemic, many questions linger. What impact has been felt thus far? And what should we brace ourselves for when sports make their eventual return? Join us for a global discussion as we share perspectives from around the world.

Joining the conversation:

Ilhaam Groenewald, Chief Director of Maties Sports at Stellenbosch University and Executive Board Member of South African Rugby Union

Simon Chadwick, Director of Eurasian Sport at emlyon Business School

Tracey Holmes, Australian Journalist and presenter on ABC News Radio

Andrés Martinez, Arizona State University Professor of Practice & Journalist

James Skinner, Director for Sports Business at Loughborough University, London

Natalie Welch, Assistant Professor for Sports Management and Sports Marketing at Linfield College, enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Stephen F. Ross, Director for Penn State Institute for Sports Law, Policy, and Research 

Moderated by:
Kenneth Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sport Institute

Around the World is the newest live conversation series presented by Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University and Global Sport Matters. Diverse thought leaders and experts will come together virtually to give their perspective on the most relevant issues impacting sport. From their corner of the globe, a rotation of guests will discuss what they’re facing locally, take questions and ideas from a virtual audience, and share solutions that improve the world of sport.

On Thursday, April 2nd we'll drop a special episode of the Global Sport Matters Podcast. Kenneth L. Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sport Institute will be joined by award-winning columnist and Visiting Senior Practitioner for the Global Sport Institute, William C. Rhoden.

COVID-19 is the rival no one in sport could prepare for or can defeat yet. Since mid-March, professional sports leagues around the world have either canceled their seasons all together or postponed them indefinitely. In this episode Ken and Bill discuss the implications of this - from fanless arenas to player eligibility.

They invite guests Traci Green (Head coach, Harvard Women's Tennis), Ray Anderson (Athletic Director, Sun Devil Athletics), and Grant Fogerty (ASU Men's Basketball player) to weigh in on these issues and share their personal experiences with canceled seasons, disappointed players, and how they plan move forward next year. Professor Jules Boykoff (Pacific University) also joins the show to discuss why he encouraged the cancelation of this summer's Olympic games, and what that means for athletes and beyond.

Head to https://globalsportmatters.com/listen/podcasts/ on April 2nd to listen to the episode!

Global Sport Institute invites the ASU community to explore topics around our 2019 -2020 academic theme, Sport and the Body, at our February cross talk, co-hosted with the Nutrition, Obesity, Exercise, and Lifestyle swarm from the Arizona Wellbeing Commons.
Allison Ross will present her current work focused on unifying and empowering girls through sport. Stavros Kavouras will talk about his extensive research on hydration and exercise performance.
ASU faculty and graduate students are invited to enjoy a complimentary lunch and participate in the faculty cross talk. Bring any and all research and/or project ideas to share with others and find collaborations with other faculty, scholars, and practitioners.

Global Sport Institute hosts faculty cross talks provide opportunities for faculty, graduate students, and other interested scholars and practitioners to meet and exchange ideas relevant to sport research and projects. The general format includes a catered lunch, speakers, Q & A, and a designated time and format for idea-exchange.

Questions? Email Kendall Jones (kendall.jones@asu.edu)

About NOEL:
The nutrition, obesity, exercise and lifestyle division encompasses partnerships across the state to improve the health and wellbeing of Arizona. We will bring ideas together to develop interventions that are multi-sector, multi-institutional and multi-level collaborations. We will pay special attention to health disparities and use innovative strategies to monitor, promote and evaluate behaviors across the lifespan. Our goal is to disseminate the work we conduct and obtain large scale grants to fund our efforts (e.g., R01, Center grants, training grants). 

About Allison Ross:

Dr. Ross studies the contribution of physical activity to individual and community health in schools and neighborhoods. With a social-ecological framework, her research investigates how individual, socio-cultural, and environmental factors affect behavior, and how they collectively impact health and well-being.

About Stavros Kavouras:

Dr. Stavros directs the Hydration Science Lab where he is studying the mechanisms by whichwater intake impact health and performance. His current researchfocuses on the effect of water intake on glucose regulation and its implication on children’s hydration and obesity.

Throughout the history of the sport, black bodies have been seen as fast, strong and powerful on the football field. However, there have long been questions associated with African Americans in leadership positions on the field of play. Today, nearly 70% of the players in the NFL are African American, yet very few have led their team as quarterbacks.

Inspired by these factors, our panel of former and current quarterbacks explored the history of those that have held the position, the status of black men represented in leadership today, and the best path for success going forward.

Moderated by William C. Rhoden, award-winning sports writer and visiting professor at Arizona State University.

Quarterback panelists include:

• Marlin Briscoe
• Dwayne Haskins
• Jayden Daniels
• James "Shack" Harris
• Warren Moon
• Doug Williams

Watch the full event here. (Event begins at 16:07 minutes in the link)

International dispute resolution is complex and constantly evolving due to the fast pace of the global economy and technological innovation. The Second Annual Schiefelbein Global Dispute Resolution Conference will convene top lawyers, counsel for global corporations, internationally-recognized arbitrators and mediators, academics, and leaders at arbitration institutions to engage in discussions on timely issues in international dispute resolution.

Global Sport Institute CEO & Professor, Kenneth Shropshire will moderate a dynamic panel of speakers on the topic of resolutions to international disputes in sport. Details and panel below:

Resolving International Sports Disputes
Kenneth Shropshire, CEO & Professor, Global Sport Institute | Arizona State University, Scottsdale, United States (moderator)
Ray Anderson, Vice President for University Athletics | Arizona State University, Tempe, United States
Jeff Benz, Arbitrator/Mediator/Barrister | JAMS/4 New Square, London, United Kingdom
Despina Mavromati, Attorney | SportLegis, Lausanne, Switzerland
Louise Reilly, Barrister & Arbitrator | Bar of Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

American Indian Student Support Services, Live Well @ ASU, the American Indian Graduate Student Association, and Global Sport Institute invite you to attend a viewing party of the Netflix series “Basketball or Nothing." At the viewing, featured basketball player, Josiah Tsosie, will speak about his experience as part of the Chinle team and the making of the documentary. 

Netflix's "Basketball or Nothing" is a six episode docuseries following Chinle High basketball team in Arizona's Navajo Nation on a quest to win a state championship and bring pride to their isolated community.

Free to attend. Following the screening will be a Rezball or Nothing Basketball Tournament from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 22nd. The championship games will be played on Sunday, November 24th from 1:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. to determine the winning team. Tournament will take place at the Sun Devil Fitness Complex.

The second annual SeventySix Capital Sports Innovation Conference in Philadelphia will inspire and educate attendees on sports technology, esports, and sports betting – industries where innovation is moving at an accelerated pace.

Attendees will benefit from panels, keynote interviews, industry deep dives at lunch, and a sports startup pitch competition, all focused on the latest innovations in sports including athlete perspectives, data analytics, media, and more.

Startups focused on the sports digitalization, esports, and sports betting industries are invited to apply for our pitch competition where $10,000 in prizes will be awarded to top entrepreneurs!

Kenneth Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sport Institute at ASU and adidas Distinguished Professor of Sport will be discussing all things sports and technology.

Around the world the arts, design and sport are woven into cultures, discourse and community. From visual arts and design to movement and dance to music and media, the intersection between art and sport can inspire innovation that impacts societies around the globe. 

This month, the Global Sport Institute and Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts invite ASU faculty and graduate students to attend our Faculty Cross Talk: Arts, Design and Sport. Hear from Dr. Ariane Middel, assistant professor with the School of Arts, Media and Engineering, presenting research findings on measuring and mapping out microclimates along the marathon course ahead of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Middel's research team identified hot spots where spectators may face discomfort or illness because of the extreme heat and humidity in the region in August, presenting solutions that can remain in place long after the games are over. Read more in the ASU Now article here.

Dr. Dean Bacalzo, assistant professor of Industrial Design will share about his project to create a reliable, cost-effective urine color system for athletes to self-assess their hydration levels by combining user-friendly design principles with field research that advances methods to assess factors that affect athlete performance.

Following the brief 20 minute speaker presentation, participants can share ideas, research and projects to form new connections and collaborations. 

Helpful ideas around the topic of Arts, Design and Sport may be:

• How can music therapy impact athletes with Alzheimer's?
• Can a stadium be a work of art?
• How can the 'sports uniform' be reinvented?
• How can dance and movement help athlete performance?
• How else can an arena be used?

All ASU faculty and graduate students welcome to enjoy a complimentary lunch and participate in the faculty cross talk. Bring any and all research and/or project ideas to share with others and find collaborations with other faculty, scholars, and practitioners.

About Faculty Cross Talks:

Global Sport Institute hosts faculty cross talks provide opportunities for faculty, graduate students, and other interested scholars and practitioners to meet and exchange ideas relevant to sport research and projects. The general format includes a catered lunch, 1-2 speakers, Q & A, and a designated time and format for idea-exchange.

Questions? Email Kendall Jones, (kendall.jones@asu.edu)

Global Sport Institute, Entrepreneurship + Innovation and Sun Devil Athletics host a dynamic conversation for student athletes focused on entrepreneurship, sport, and how to build an innovative career.

On the panel:

• Jeminise Parris, Women's Track and Field, Sun Devil Athlete 
• Roman Rozell, Men's Wrestling, Sun Devil Athlete 
• Jeff Kunowski, Associate Director of Innovation Programs, Global Sport Institute 

Moderated by: Brittany Martin, Program Manager, Venture Development, Entrepreneurship + Innovation

This an invite-only event for ASU's Student Athletes. 

The Global Sport Institute and Ability360 are celebrating National Family Health and Fitness Day at the world-class facilities of Ability360 Sport & Fitness Center! Learn and try out adaptive sports activities from experts, hear from diverse and inspiring athletes, and learn about community resources in an active, family-friendly, fun, and welcoming atmosphere.

The day will kick off at our "opening ceremonies" with inspiring words from a diverse body of athlete ambassadors. Then, opt to join in on dance fitness with an inclusive Zumba® class. After kick-off attendees can check out open stations with rotating activities like the rock climbing wall, wheelchair rugby and basketball, tours of the facility, and more. Exhibitors will also be present and ready with an array of information and community resources to help families stay active and healthy.

This event is FREE and welcomes all body types, from ages 1-101+. Free ample parking is available in the structure between the fitness center and the Ability 360 center.

This event is in conjunction with the launch of the Global Sport Institute’s new theme, Sport and The Body. The purpose of this event is to defy typical perceptions of what an “athletic body” looks like, and to share with the community a fun and inclusive opportunity for all body types to participate in sport.

The Women Sports Film Festival uses the power of documentary film to celebrate female athletes and the filmmakers who bring their stories to the screen. Their mission is to advance equity in women’s sports and filmmaking by creating a platform that amplifies the stories of strong, embodied women. 

To learn more about the festival, head to womensportsfilm.com. To enjoy 10% off ANY admission, click here to purchase tickets and use our unique promo code: GLOBAL10

Wondering how your work ties into sport? Join us at this event to find out how. The Global Sport Institute is launching our 2019-2020 theme, Sport and The Body, to ASU faculty, staff, and graduate students interested in sport. We will provide a catered lunch will begin with a brief introduction of the Institute.

We'll present details of the new theme and corresponding research grants available for the 2019-2020 academic year including topics, policies, and deadlines, as well as research grants unrelated to the theme.

Then we'll host conversations between a multidisciplinary group of speakers, including Dr. Deborah Helitzer (Dean of ASU College of Health Solutions), Dr. Teri Pipe ASU Chief Well-Being Officer and former Dean of the ASU College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Dr. Robert Turner (Department of Clinical Research and Leadership at The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Science), Dr. Siddhartha Angadi (ASU College of Health Solutions), Dr. Charles H. Adler (Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic), and others. Speakers will discuss the breadth of topics we can explore within Sport and the Body, including social sciences, hard sciences, and humanities.

The Global Sport Institute will host screenings at the summer's finest film festival!

The Global Sport Institute at ASU has partnered with the 17th Annual RSF Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival presented by Run & Shoot Filmworks for the inaugural competition in celebration of the annual theme, Race and Sport Around the Globe. Together, we invited filmmakers to share their vision of how the power of sport can be translated through the lens of film in a short documentary format. Read more about the event and our film competition here.

At the festival we will debut the winning short documentary from the competition, as well as a premiere screening of Brian Banks, starring Aldis Hodge, Greg Kinnear, Sherri Shepherd, and Morgan Freeman.

The inspirational true story of Brian Banks (Aldis Hodge), an All-American high school football star committed to USC who finds his life upended when he is wrongly convicted of a crime he didn't commit. Despite lack of evidence, Banks is railroaded through a broken justice system and sentenced to a decade of prison and probation. Years later, with the support of Justin Brooks (Greg Kinnear) and the California Innocence Project, Banks fights to reclaim his life and fulfill his dreams of playing in the NFL. 

The second annual summit returned to the Hotel Palomar in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. The event explored cutting-edge research and brought together expertise across a diverse set of disciplines to thoughtfully examine timely topics impacting the world of sports.

Interested in attending our annual Global Sport Summit next year, but wondering if you qualify to attend? 

We welcome any individual or organization with an interest and/or involvement in the broad world of sport. Including but not limited to:

• Sport-related CEOs and leadership teams
• Researchers, scholars, and academics
• Sport entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors
• Sports journalists and/or media professionals 
• Sports historians, documentarians, or those working in humanities
• Sports-related public relations and marketing professionals
• Non-profit and community leaders
• Students

The annual events are presented by the Global Sport Institute in partnership with the following ASU programs: Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Sports Law and Business; W. P. Carey School of Business, Sports Business; School of Community Resources and Development, Community Sport Management; and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Sports Journalism. 

For more on our 2019 Global Sport Summit check out our recap blog post here: 

https://medium.com/global-sport-institute/2019-global-sport-summit-examines-race-and-sport-around-the-globe-8250350e4a2b

Check out what was on the agenda from Global Sport Summit 2019 here.

Almost everywhere you look, globalization appears to be in full retreat, derailed by tribalism, protectionism, nationalism, the reassertion of boundaries, and even an elitist progressive craving for all things locally-sourced.

Almost everywhere. Sport, of all things, is an important exception, the globalist’s improbable final beachhead. It’s important ground to hold. Sports are a form of global popular culture that influence how millions of people around the world connect to each other, situate themselves in the world, and self-identify.

Take soccer, which has made tremendous inroads in the USA. Can globalists here take solace in the fact that today’s kids represent the first generation whose worldview as sports fans extends beyond our shores? Similarly, in a Brexit-rattled Britain, does the stunning globalization of the English Premier League point the way to an alternative future? Stepping away from soccer, might the engagement of the NFL with Mexico and the NBA with China prove a powerful countervailing form of public diplomacy, independent of our government?

Andres Martinez Bio:

Andrés Martinez is a special advisor to ASU President Michael Crow, a professor of practice in the Cronkite School and the editorial director of Future Tense, a Washington, D.C.-based ideas journalism partnership between ASU, Slate magazine, and New America.

Martinez is focused on building media and research partnerships for ASU in both Mexico and Washington. He writes and speaks often on international economic issues and sports, and the link between both topics. He is currently working on a book project focused on the globalization of the English Premier League, and other sports leagues. Martinez is a director of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, and has also been the editorial director and executive editor of ASU-affiliated Zócalo Public Square in Los Angeles.

A native of Mexico, Martinez earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history at Yale, a Master of Arts degree in Russian history at Stanford University, and a Juris Doctor degree at Columbia University Law School, where he was a member of the Columbia Law Review.  

Mr. Martinez is a frequent contributor to Global Sport Matters and was a Global Sport Institute 2017-18 Seed Grant recepient. He was awarded for his work in writing a book on the Globalization of the English Premier League. https://globalsport.asu.edu/grant-recipient/andres-martinez-premier-league-and-globalizations-contradictions

Global Sport Matters articles by Andrés Martinez: 

• https://globalsportmatters.com/business/2018/05/03/wembley-sale-latest-globalization-premier-league/ 
• https://globalsportmatters.com/business/2018/04/09/dont-count-on-a-boycott-to-interrupt-russia-world-cup/ 
• https://globalsportmatters.com/culture/2018/06/13/world-cup-hope-future-american-gains/ 
• https://globalsportmatters.com/business/2018/05/11/relegation-great-dramas-premier-league/ 
• https://globalsportmatters.com/culture/2019/06/05/opinion-premier-leagues-domination-of-europe-the-antithesis-of-brexit/  

For more : https://cronkite.asu.edu/about/faculty-and-leadership/faculty/andres-martinez-bio 

In honor of Black History Month, the Global Sport Institute presented a special documentary screening and discussion of The Renaissance Period of the African American in Sports, a film that highlights the achievements of nine African-American athletes during and after the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.

Distinguished panelists included co-producer Herbert Douglas, the oldest living African-American Olympic medalist (London 1948), Harrison Dillard, the oldest living American gold medalist (London 1948), and film producer Bob Lot. Discussion to be moderated by Dr. Victoria Jackson, Sports Historian and Lecturer of History at Arizona State University. 

Check out a recap of the event from our blog: https://medium.com/global-sport-institute/renaissance-of-the-african-american-athlete-991572542b2e 

Paola Boivin, Digital Director of the Cronkite News Sports Bureau at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, spoke about her recent experience as a member of the College Football Playoff selection committee. Dr. Allison Ross, Assistant Research Professor in ASU’s School of Community Resources & Development, discussed her research on how leisure and physical activity can strengthen a community, and the role of physical and social environments in this process.

This was Global Sport Institute's first Faculty Cross-Talk to take place at the Downtown campus, and was held in the Beus Center for Law and Society, room 544. The general format for the free events include a catered lunch, two faculty speakers, Q & A, and a designated time and format for idea-exchange and building collaborative, cross-disciplinary partnerships between faculty, graduate students, and other interested scholars and practitioners.

Faculty and graduate students from all disciplines are always welcome. The goal of these events are to foster an environment for cross-disciplinary engagement. Guests are encouraged to attend the entire event, but are also welcome to attend for a portion as their schedules allow.

Presented by VSiN, SeventySix Capital and the Global Sport Institute

Brent Musburger, legendary broadcaster and founder of VSiN, and former NBA commissioner David Stern had an intimate conversation about the future of sports betting, tech and media.

Schedule:
12:00 – 1:00 PM • Brent Musburger interviews David Stern
1:00 – 2:30 PM • Additional sports betting panels

The Global Sport Institute was joined by the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy for Raising a Fist to Taking a Knee, a 50th anniversary commemoration and conversation about the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and the influence of athlete activism then and now. 

Watch the full event on our Facebook page here.

ASU Now Event Recap: https://asunow.asu.edu/20181023-global-engagement-raising-fist-change-asu-global-sport-institute

History is repeating itself in athlete activism. Fifty years after John Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their black-gloved fists during the national anthem at the Mexico City Olympics, athlete activism is again one of the most relevant – and controversial – political topics in the United States. Carlos and Smith directly influenced what Colin Kaepernick and other NFL players are doing now, and both protests ignited debates about the role of athletes in society. 1968’s podium and 2018’s NFL sideline are connected across time, space, and anthem. Raising a fist or taking a knee, athlete activism matters.

Global Sport Institute launched its 2018 – 2019 theme, Race and Sport Around the Globe, to our ASU faculty, staff, and graduate students interested in sport. The keynote speaker was Dr. Elijah Anderson, from the sociology department at Yale University. Dr. Anderson spoke on the state of race in society around the globe, the role sport and sport research can play, and questions we can all address throughout the upcoming year. ASU’s Sanford School co-sponsored Dr. Anderson’s visit to campus.

The Global Sport Institute and GlobalSport Matters hosted a screening  of: The Carter Effect. Sean Menard gives viewers an unprecedented look at Vince Carter: the six-foot-six, eight-time NBA All-Star from Daytona Beach who made waves in the Canadian basketball scene when he joined the Raptors in 1998.

This galvanizing documentary chronicles the rise of the Toronto Raptors and the pivotal role of basketball superstar Vince Carter in building the team’s notoriety and planting Toronto firmly on the world’s pop-culture map. The Carter Effect captures the thrill of the game, the complexity of the industry, and the intoxicating mix of athletics, civic pride, music, and surging diversity that make Toronto the entirely unique city that it’s become.

At the core of the film is an interview with the charismatic Carter himself, who speaks with insight and candor about his career and involvement with the Raptors. The legendary 2000 NBA Slam Dunk contest, the relationship between Carter and Tracy McGrady, the gut-wrenching drama of Carter’s departure from Toronto, and the recent, gratifying steps toward reconciliation.

After the screening, there was a dynamic film discussion with moderator and TV host Marci Ien of Toronto’s CTV, former Toronto Raptors Coach Darrell Walker, NBA assistant coach for the Boston Celtics Jerome Allen and the Global Sport Institute’s Scott N. Brooks.

The inaugural Global Sport Summit was the first-of-its-kind event and combined cutting-edge research with industry expertise to thoughtfully explore timely topics impacting the world of sports. Program highlights included a one-on-one sit down with Kenneth L. Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sport Institute and Mark King, President of adidas Group North America, and a keynote address from David Epstein, author of the New York Times bestselling book The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance. With a broad focus on the future of sport, general sessions and breakout sessions examined Super Athletes of the Future: The Ethics and Implications of Gene Editing; Get off the Couch! Stadium Technology Innovation and Fan Experience Future Models of Sports Media; and much more.

Global Sport Summit attendees and local sports industry professionals attended this open-air event at the LUSTRE bar on the rooftop of the Hotel Palomar.  While enjoying complimentary appetizers and the cityscape of Downtown Phoenix, they learned more about the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University. 

This interactive panel focused on athlete degree-completion—specifically how innovative approaches to education, including online options, can be used to increase access within this nontraditional population. In addition, we will examine how education can help athletes transition out of their playing careers, and onto a path to long-term success. 

This event took place against the backdrop of the men's Pac-12 basketball tournament and Pac-12 Global. The Global Sport Institute created the Global University Sport Summit to explore the strategy, trends and impact of sports globalization at the collegiate level, both within and outside of the U.S. 

Anita DeFrantz, a member of the International Olympic Committee and IOC Executive Board, discussed the impact of the Olympic Games with Victoria Jackson, sports historian and lecturer at the ASU School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies. This talk was in partnership with the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

See the full event video here.

Dr. Rob Gray, Associate Professor and Program Chair, Human Systems Engineering, spoke on global sport engineering and technology.

Presented by ASU's Center for Study of Race and Democracy

Long before #TakeAKnee protests, the movement against Native American mascots, derogatory team naming and cultural appropriation in sports proved a catalyst for discussion and debate about race and democracy in American culture. “More Than a Word” offers an inside look at these contentious issues through the campaign and legal cases against the Washington R*skins, and traces how racist terminology became embraced and beloved by sports teams and fans.

Kenneth L. Shropshire, CEO of the ASU Global Sport Institute and the Adidas Distinguished Professor in Global Sport, explored the unifying power of sports with Brett Kurland, director of Cronkite News — Phoenix Sports Bureau.

See the full event video here.

The Global Sport Institute at ASU, in conjunction with adidas NYC and New America NYC, joined forces for a conversation on how local, national, and international policies — as well as cultural and socioeconomic barriers — impact sports access and participation.

Roger Guenveur Smith gives voice to the man at the center of the brutal police beating that helped fuel the 1992 LA riots.

Followed by a Color of Conversation with
• Roger Guenveur Smith
• Director Spike Lee
• Global Sport Institute CEO Kenneth L. Shropshire discussing how African American athletes are using their prominence to shine a light on police brutality.

This event shared the story of six young female basketball players on Skylar Diggins' AAU team as they set out to prove that they are among the best basketball players in the country.   

The Film Screening was followed by a Color of Conversation with: 
• Producer Crystal McCrary
• ASU Hall of Famer and former WNBA pro Kym Hampton
• Dr. Scott Brooks, author of Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Title IX and Black Men Can’t Shoot

Global Sport Institute's CEO, Kenneth L. Shropshire,  was the event keynote speaker.