Dr. Gil B Fried

The launch of ChatGPT, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) ChatBot, in late 2022 made many people look to the disruption such technology could play in education. This study aimed to identify the quality of short answer outputs for sport management questions from ChatGPT and suggestions on utilizing ChatGPT in the functional areas of sport management. The study was exploratory, and the methodology used was a generic qualitative inquiry. The results indicated that ChatGPT produces grammatically quality, complete, and topically accurate outputs for short answer questions. The findings indicate the pros and cons of utilizing Artificial Intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT, in the sports management higher education classroom. The discussion gives practical suggestions on how ChatGPT can supplement and support sport management education.

Sports can be expensive. Ice time for hockey practice to $200 tennis racquets can discourage some participants. From billion-dollar teams and venues to Olympic Games costing billions as well, where will sports get all the money they need to operate? One vehicle that has been used successfully for almost 100 years has been postage stamps. Funds were not generated just from selling Olympic themed stamps that generated some money for the postal service or maybe a government. The bulk of funds associated with sport-related stamps fundraising has been through semipostal stamps. Semipostal stamps provide for an additional charge over the face value with those funds going to a worthy cause. Worth causes over the years have included tuberculosis research/treatment, disease prevention, supporting the Red Cross, feeding the poor, or winter heating aid. Another beneficiary has been sports. Researching Scott Stamp Catalogues from the 1920s through 2015 has highlighted 60 countries who have issued 920 semipostal stamps to fund everything from Olympics to youth sports, sport venues, and even sport equipment purchases. This article examines how these stamps have been used successfully in the past and how they are still being used. Furthermore, one country, Germany, has been issuing sport-related semipostal stamps for over 50 years and has generated millions of dollars and sold over 250 million sport-related semipostal stamps.

The term “buffer zone’ has been used roughly for the past 20 years to highlight the space needed between an activity area and its surrounding to present the safest activity area possible. While everyone would agree there should be some space, the issue is how much? Is the designated space just an estimate or based on scientific research? If there had not been any prior injuries for many years, is the facility reasonably safe for the activity level? These are the questions that exist around “appropriate” buffer zones. This paper examines the basketball buffer zones and whether they are accurate and appropriate. After providing background information about the role of buffer zones, risk management basics, and basic physics of movement, this paper attempts to provide the most appropriate basketball buffer zone distance via surveys, player measurements, and a dose of physics.

The use of analytics has been growing throughout the sport industry. Although the concepts of analytics and big data are frequently used in the sport industry and highlighted in numerous media outlets, sport management students often do not have a strong understanding of why and how analytics are important for their future career, especially as it relates to sport marketing. This case study describes a fictitious student's desire to be an intern in the analytics department at Major League Soccer and the student's interaction with an industry professional who is an expert on customer relationship management and marketing analytics in the sport industry. The study provides information on how and why analytics are used in sport marketing and how data can be used to make decisions.

Fraud is a very broad term, but the underlying theme is the intentional act of deception for personal financial gain. This case study highlights three examples of fraud at different levels of sport: youth, collegiate, and professional. Students are provided a broad perspective of financial fraud and are exposed to differing types of criminal activity at each level of sport. Furthermore, the authors provide an understanding of financial fraud, illegal activities related to fraud, and the responsibilities that all sport management professionals have within various positions at each respective level. Finally, this case provides students with an opportunity to suggest solutions and deterrents for dealing with financial fraud at each level. Specifically, the authors provide a rationale for the use of internal controls within an organization to segregate an organization’s financial responsibilities and reduce the risk of financial fraud.

Excerpt - Most of those familiar with sport law, especially the liability side, know about the “baseball rule.” The rule as applied by many courts for almost 100 years is that an owner or operator of a ballpark should not be held liable if a patron is hit by a projectile leaving the field if the owner/operator has provided enough screened seats for those who might demand such protected seats and if the most dangerous part(s) of the ballparks are protected. The law has faced challenges over the past couple years with some courts refusing to adopt the principal and using a basic negligence approach (such as assumption of risk). There currently is a class action suit against Major League Baseball (MLB), which faced a summary judgement decision in California last month based on jurisdictional issues with teams outside of California. The suit, examining what MLB is doing to protect fans, was also impacted by a recommendation by MLB before the start of the 2015-16 season to encourage teams to expand the amount of netting at ballparks.

Excerpt - I have been called by some the “Ralph Nader” of foul ball safety. I have written several peer reviewed journal articles associated with spectator safety, especially relating to foul balls and broken bats. I also have been an expert witness in a number of foul ball (bat) cases. I have been on the winning side of some cases, but often came-up short when courts applied the baseball rule. I have been on the record that the baseball rule is not necessarily bad. My concern has always been implementing the rule.