News
By Reilly Cahill
The Ohio State University Sports and Society Institute honored six leaders whose work has expanded opportunities for students, advanced research and shaped the…
By Noah Adkins
Travel teams, private coaching and year-round training are changing the youth sports experience, raising questions about cost, pressure and whether children still…
By Noah Adkins
Ohio State students interested in careers in sports now have a new way to start building connections and professional skills early in college.
The Sports and…
SSI affiliate Dominik Stecuła recently wrote a guest column for The Columbus Dispatch on how Ohio State football can create common ground across political differences.
Stecuła, an Ohio…
by Noah Adkins
To much of the world, Jesse Owens is the four-time Olympic gold medalist who made history in Berlin.
To his grandchildren, he was simply Granddad.
The…
By Reilly Cahill
For Stuart Owens Rankin and Marlene Hemphill Dortch, memories of their grandfather Jesse Owens are not limited to four gold medals or Olympic history.
They…
Students interested in building a career in sports will have a new opportunity to prepare throughout the academic year through the Sports and Society Institute’s Career Readiness Series.
SSI…
The Sports and Society Institute is giving students a new way to explore Ohio State athletics, connect with the sports community and earn prizes along the way.
The new SSI Sports…
Nicole Kraft, director of The Ohio State University Sports and Society Institute, has been named the Summer 2026 Columbus Sports Community Champion by the Greater Columbus Sports Commission.
By Reilly Cahill
Megan Chawansky thought she had her career path figured out.
After earning three All-Big Ten honors and becoming the sixth-leading scorer in Northwestern…
By Noah Adkins
On Aug. 3, 1936, Jesse Owens stood atop the podium in Berlin after winning gold in the 100-meter dash.
Over the next coming days, Owens added three more gold…
The Ohio State University Sports and Society Institute will recognize six leaders whose work has made a lasting impact on sports, research, career development and the next generation of sports…
By Reilly Cahill
Before thousands of Ohio State students crossed the Oval for the first day of classes, the Sports and Society Institute brought together new and returning students…
Nicole Kraft, director of The Ohio State University’s Sports & Society Institute, and veteran sports journalist and Ohio State alumnus Jean-Jacques Taylor have released a new book aimed at helping…
Nicole Kraft, director of Ohio State’s Sports and Society Institute, was quoted in an Aug. 11 The Hill story examining how the WNBA’s growing popularity has placed the league at the…
Two new sports and society research projects using data from the SSI-sponsored National Sports and Society Survey were recently published in the Sociology of Sport Journal.
The…
The Ohio State Sports and Society Institute is seeking nominations for an advanced student communication and reporting team that will support storytelling and communications efforts surrounding…
The Sports and Society Institute is launching a monthly Lunch N Learn series designed to connect students with sports professionals, recent graduates and others working across the sports industry…
The Sports and Society Initiative has been elevated to the Sports and Society Institute under The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences, marking a significant new…
Are you a first- or second-year Ohio State student interested in a career in sports but unsure where to start?
The Sports & Society Institute is excited to launch the SSI Foundations…
by Olivia Rinaldi
Breaking into the sports industry is no longer as straightforward as it once seemed.
With internship opportunities shrinking and competition growing,…
By Reilly Cahill
Stadiums provide sports fans with an opportunity to cheer on their favorite teams and connect with others in an engaging atmosphere.
But the impact of…
By Reilly Cahill
In an era of college sports shaped by revenue sharing and Name, Image and Likeness, the role of athletic funding has become increasingly important.
Niraj Shah, co…
Nicole Kraft, a professor of journalism practice and SSI director, has contributed a chapter titled “Teaching Sports Media Ethics” to the new edited volume Teaching…
By Reilly Cahill
With women’s professional leagues expanding and collegiate viewership rising over the past decade, investment in women’s sports is gaining momentum.
SSI on…
For seven years, Sabrina Little tested the limits of human endurance — setting American records and winning world championships in ultrarunning.
Now, the philosopher and author is examining…
By Reilly Cahill
Less than a year ago, Brittani Becher was finishing up her final year of her Ph.D in sport and fitness administration/management at Ohio State.
Now, she is a…
The 2026 OSU Sports Analytics Conference will host a Hackathon in partnership with Sports Info Solutions (SIS) again this year. This year's prompt asks students to determine how the MLB rule…
Pickup basketball and neighborhood kickball are less common now than for generations past, giving way to more organized and formal youth sports intended to help kids get ahead, a new study…
SSI director Nicole Kraft visited the Ohio State University Newark campus Feb. 25 to meet with students interested in journalism and media careers. Kraft spoke about her own path in the sports…
The Ohio State Sports and Society Initiative hosted its third annual Sports Career Readiness Fair Feb. 6 at Ohio Stadium in partnership with the Career Success department in the College of Arts…
With the Career Readiness Fair: “So You Want a Career in Sports” just days away, Zach Howman wants students to treat the event as more than a job fair--he sees it as a low-stakes way to practice…
by Reilley Cahill
Elizabeth Conlisk’s career in sports did not begin in athletics.
After graduating from The Ohio State University, Conlisk worked three jobs and earned a…
By Reilly Cahill
With the 2026 Winter Olympics right around the corner, elite athletic performances will soon captivate audiences around the world.
But understanding what it…
A limited number of SSI Student Research Grants will be awarded to graduate students who commit to conducting sports and society research with an SSI faculty affiliate for one year, beginning in…
Sports and Society Initiative students turned a postseason football trip into a formative professional experience, thanks to the generosity of board member Dru Hancock, whose sponsorship made…
Many children grow up dreaming – or maybe even expecting – that they will become a star in football, basketball or whatever their favorite sport may be.
Most parents have more realistic…
WATCH VIDEO
By Reilly Cahill
Last season, Ohio State captured the first 12-team College Football Playoff, but there was one team that still had…
By Jeff Grabmeier
Many children grow up dreaming – or maybe even expecting – that they will become a star in football, basketball or whatever their favorite sport may be.
By Reilly Cahill
Zach Howman struggled with determining his career path in college.
“I changed my major three times before I found sports and really found something I was…
By Reilly Cahill
Lindy Noel couldn’t imagine working in sports after college.
Now, she has a Stanley Cup ring from the St. Louis Blues and serves as the corporate…
By Reilly Cahill
With the annual Sports Analytics Conference approaching, the Sports and Society Initiative presented an opportunity for students to learn more about sports research…
By Reilly Cahill
With sports betting promotions sweeping the nation, there lies uncertainty and addiction among many users.
The Sports and…
Sports betting has become a fixture of American sports culture—fueled by new technologies, advertising, and the excitement of being part of the action. But as the industry expands, so do the risks…
By Liv Rinaldi
Sports journalists have more tools than ever to cover stories that matter to their audiences — and many of them are sitting in public databases.
That was the…
By Reilly Cahill
Sports and society have undergone profound changes in the world over the last decade. Sports gambling has become legalized in numerous states,…
Longtime SSI affiliates Dawn Anderson-Butcher and Chris Knoester were interviewed about their youth sports research for the podcast Now, at Ohio State.
Anderson-Butcher highlighted her…
By Jeff Grabmeier, Ohio State Research
A new study provides evidence of the explosive growth of private clubs and travel teams in youth sports over the past 60 years.
In recent research, published in Leisure/Loisir, SSI Research Chair and Sociology Professor Chris Knoester teamed with Dr. Chris Bjork (Vassar College) to study changes in parents’ involvement in…
By Reilly Cahill
Sports and Society Initiative held its first Lunch ‘N’ Learn of the 2025-26 academic year, featuring Danny Kraft, director of creative design…
By Jay Wolf
The Little Brown Jug and the Delaware County Fair named veteran journalist Nicole Kraft as the recipient of the 2025 Tom White Media Award.
Kraft’s roots in…
Students from communication, journalism, sport industry, and other majors gained a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective of sports media during the Ohio State football game versus Grambling State…
The Friday night before the Texas–Ohio State game brought a unique opportunity for Ohio State students as ESPN Radio’s College Football Tailgate broadcast live from the Journalism Building.
Watch the Video
by Reilly Cahill
The World Cup will be held in the United States in 2026, the first time in more than three decades, and Ohio State received a special…
A limited number of SSI Student Research Grants will be awarded to graduate students who commit to conducting sports and society research with an SSI faculty affiliate for one year, beginning by…
A guest post by Marge Stafford (pictured)
The Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures offers courses on Indigenous Siberian literature that introduce students…
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, especially Dru Hancock, the Sports and Society Initiative was able to sponsor students to gain invaluable work experience at both the NCAA Men’s…
For Immediate Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio-- A new partnership has been announced between TeamWork Online and Ohio State. Ohio State students will now be able to use the exclusive program benefits…
Ohio State alum Matt Brown, creator of the Extra Points newsletter, comment on his recent experience as part of "The Price of College Football" conversation held March 21:
Last Friday, I…
SSI Director Nicole Kraft appeared on Spectrum News recently to discuss the continued popularity of women's sports, in light of the NCAA basketball tournament.
Kraft spoke with reporter…
New research by sociology Ph.D. graduates Dr. Mariah Warner and Dr. James Tompsett sheds light on sports-related mistreatment and patterns of high school sports participation. Their studies,…
New rule changes have dramatically altered the landscape of college football, and WOSU's "All Sides with Amy Juravich" tackled the topic on March 17 with these guests:
Nicole Kraft, associate…
By Olivia Riley
It was August 2023, and Keandre Jones had just been cut from the Washington Commanders.
It was not the first time he had been cut by an NFL team. Or the second…
The Sports and Society initiative is launching a new podcast, "Graduates in the Game," aimed at helping Ohio State students navigate their paths to careers in sports.
The first episode,…
By: Garrison McDaniel
When Tracy Hedrick, the chief marketing officer at Ohio State Athletics, learned that the NHL was coming to the university for the 43rd outdoor game in NHL…
From strength and conditioning to sports psychology, many careers in the sports industry operate behind the scenes, playing a crucial role in athlete success. However, many students may not…
SSI board member John Davidson, Ohio State's faculty-athletics representative, was recently part of an article in the New York Times looking at whether sports should now be considered a major in…
by Garrison McDaniel
Ohio State’s Sports and Society Initiative is teaming up with TeamWorkU, a leading platform for sports industry careers, to give students a competitive edge in…
SSI Director Nicole Kraft and Betsy Ross of the University of Notre Dame talk about their careers in sports media and the importance of teaching students about the intersection of sports and…
An article questioning the rationale for a House bill to ban transgender athletes from school sports drew upon research by sociology professor Chris Knoester that found that…
A limited number of SSI Student Research Grants will be awarded to graduate students who commit to conducting sports and society research with an SSI faculty affiliate from Summer 2025 through…
By Olivia Riley
For Greg Houston, Ohio State is “where the heart is.”
The 1980 Ohio State alum is one of SSI’s newest advisory board members. He plans to use his four decades…
By Garrison McDaniel
Kevin Griffin, a former Ohio State football captain and journalism graduate, is returning to his alma mater with a clear goal: to help students achieve their…
Evan Davis, a former OSU Sport Management graduate student and recipient of the SSI Graduate Student Research Grant, recently published an analysis of “The Great Sport Myth” in the Journal of…
From OhioMHAS
The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services awarded a $250,000 SOAR Network Innovation Grant to LiFEsports to extend its “Coach Beyond”…
By Garrison McDaniel
Chris North, one of the newest board members of the Ohio State Sports and Society Initiative (SSI), is bringing exciting possibilities for Ohio State students through…
by Garrison McDaniel
While Ohio State athletics often takes center stage at the university, there’s a dedicated team working behind the scenes to ensure student-athletes get the…
By Garrison McDaniel
The Columbus Blue Jackets are coming to Ohio Stadium March 1for a long-awaited outdoor game, but for one player it means more than just the game.
When the…
By Garrison McDaniel
Peter Tortorici is a former CEO, president, and executive producer, but most importantly, he is an Ohio State graduate returning to his roots to help the Sports…
By Olivia Riley
Ross Bjork was on his 83rd day as Ohio State senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed athletics director when he sat down Sept. 16 with SSI…
By Jordan Zimmerman
The Sports and Society Initiative in collaboration with Arts and Sciences Career Success hosted a sports involvement fair on Sept. 9 in the Journalism…
By Garrison McDaniel
Ohio State is a school unparalleled when it comes to opportunities in the sports industry--just ask Gabby Khodadad.
Khodadad maximized her time at Ohio…
SSI research chair Chris Knoester recently published on a national survey found that about 70% of Americans born in the ’90s and reaching age 18 by 2015-'16 said they took part in organized sports…
Of all the students who play sports in high school, between 3% and 5% go on to play sports in college and less than 1% will play professionally. Still, sports are an excellent vehicle for…
by Lauryn Luderman
It seems like Buckeyes always have a way of giving back to the university that gave them so much. Christopher Roy is giving back by…
New mixed-methods research by SSI Research Chair and OSU Sociology professor Chris Knoester and PhD Candidate James Tompsett, in collaboration with professor Kirsten Hextrum (Oregon State),…
By Katy Popavitch
Sports and Society Initiative awarded $500 research grants to two Ohio State Ph.D. candidates, helping to fund their sports-focused research projects.
…
By Nigel Becker
Who should play girls’ and women’s sports?
That was a major issue of contention during the Center for Ethics and Human Values’ Civil Discourse Forum, …
Ohio State students were front and center for the most watched women's basketball game ever, as they were part of the media relations team at the Women's Final Four in Cleveland.
The…
Sports and Society Initiative and Ohio State’s Sports Analytics Association hosted the fourth annual Sports Analytics Conference on April 5, featuring student presentations and panels featuring…
By Katy Popovitch and Lauryn Luderman
The Big Ten Conference hasn’t been the “big ten” since expanding to 11 teams in 1990 with the addition of Penn State. As of Aug. 2, it…
By Lauryn Luderman
One percent of Americans suffer from gambling disorders, and Tom Shoemaker used to be one of them.
Thanks to easily accessible and cost-friendly…
The Sports and Society Initiative was honored to welcome Ohio State alum Dennis Drazin to a special webinar, talking about his involvement in the key case that led to mass legalization of sports…
The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences Center for Career and Professional Success and SSI partnered Feb. 2 for our second Sports Career Readiness Fair.
The event was held in…
The National Academy of Kinesiology inducted SSI affiliate Dr. Brian Turner as a fellow at its annual conference in late September.
The academy is the premier professional organization…
By Lauryn Luderman
With the goal of inspiring women to pursue a career in sports, Ohio State’s Block O, a student-run organization that supports Buckeye…
By Katy Popovitch
Dru Hancock, retired Big 12 conference senior associate commissioner, is the newest SSI board member.
“As a retired person, sometimes it is hard to…
The University of Texas' Center for Sports Communication and Media today released its third report on Politics in Sports Media, an annual study of political concerns present in and around sports.…
by Jeff Grabmeier (Ohio State News)
The number of Americans who watch or follow girls’ and women’s sports goes well beyond those who view TV coverage of women’s athletic…
By Lauryn Luderman
Stacy McGranor, the director of customer experience strategy for the San Jose Sharks, is the newest addition to the Sports & Society initiatives…
By Katy Popovitch
Ginger Yang has joined SSI as a new faculty affiliate. Yang is a professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at Ohio State and a principal investigator at…
By Katy Popovitch
SSI created a new internship and job board this semester for students to find sports-related opportunities. The board can be accessed by scrolling down on…
by Katy Popovitch
SSI created a new community on Slack, a messaging service for teams, called “Ohio State Women in Sports” to…
A limited number of SSI Student Research Grants will be awarded to graduate students who commit to conducting sports and society research with an SSI faculty affiliate from Summer 2024 through…
Sports and Society's first "Getting Started on Sports Research" session was held Nov. 8 at Thompson Library. Organized by SSI assistant director Ryan Ruddy, the session attracted more than 40…
By Katy Popovitch
SSI began a partnership with empowHERed, a new community providing opportunities and resources for women in the sports industry, this semester. With this…
SSI was honored to be featured in the Arts and Sciences newsletter "Around the Article," in an article by senior content specialist James Grega. Grega is a graduate of Ohio State's journalism…
By Lauryn Luderman and Katy Popovitch
If it’s not the struggling run game or the fear of losing to Michigan for a third-consecutive time that’s causing Buckeye fans the…
By Lauryn Luderman
Malcolm Jenkins.
Super Bowl Champion, two-time pro-bowler and one of the best safeties the NFL has ever seen with a 13-year career split between…
By Katy Popovitch
Jan. 1, 2023, not only marked the start of a new year, but also the birth of sports gambling in Ohio.
SSI hosted “Economics of Sports Gambling”…
By Lauryn Luderman and Katy Popovitch
An important quality of an Ohio State president is that they understand the value of athletics.
No one appreciates that more…
Professor of Sociology and SSI Research Chair Chris Knoester was recently featured in an OSU College of Arts & Sciences “Voices of Excellence” podcast, describing his research focus transition…
By Lauryn Luderman
Every year, SSI looks for ways to improve its research and expand its reach across Ohio State and beyond.
With staff and faculty from many…
Ohio State University’s Mark Pantoni is considered a guru of college football recruiting. He knows what does and does not work in enticing young talent to join a blue-chip program.
Right…
Two Ohio State emeritus sociology professors were honored with recognitions of their outstanding sports and society research contributions.
Professor Tim Curry (pictured) and professor…
Ohio State’s application to become an Associated Press Sports Editors student chapter was approved by the executive committee making the Buckeyes APSE’s 12th student chapter.
Dr. Nicole…
Tim Miller, who spent a dozen years in communication with Major League Soccer clubs, will be teaching at Ohio State this fall and supporting the Sports and Society's podcasting and communication…
Sports and Society faculty members Dr. Brian Turner and Dr. Nicole Kraft spent the heart of May guiding a study abroad across four countries to explore the “European Model of Sport.”
SSI Affiliate Research Awards
2022 Fellow for the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (Dawn Anderson-Butcher)
2022 Sport Management Education…
New research by OSU Sociology PhD Candidate James Tompsett and SSI Research Chair and Sociology professor Chris Knoester, published with open access in PLoS ONE, analyzes connections between…
Sports & Society Initiative will on May 5 host the second Creative Con, a day-long career readiness event training collegiate sports creatives.
The conference will be held in the Fawcett…
The Ohio State student newspaper, The Lantern, will be crashing through the glass ceiling next year with women as sports editors for the first time.
Lauryn Luderman, right, a fourth-year…
Sports & Society Director Dr. Nicole Kraft earned the Arts and Sciences Faculty Champion Award on April 13 for her collaboration and dedication to the future success of students campus-wide.
…
March is Women’s History Month--a time to celebrate women and what they’ve accomplished. At Ohio State, we wanted to recognize the university for being a pioneer in gender equality in sports and…
By Lauryn Luderman
The Ohio State Sports Analytics Conference, hosted by the Sports and Society Initiative and the Sports Analytics Association, will be held this Friday…
By Lauryn Luderman and Tyler Boroshok
Ohio State's School of Communication and SSI were honored to connect students with the experience to work as part of the media…
by Lauryn Luderman
As of January 2023, sports gambling is legal in Ohio, but that same legalization does not apply to collegiate athletic departments.
The rule is,…
SSI is thrilled to announce the launch of "The SSI Conversation". In this new sports talk show, Megan Husslein furthers the discussion surrounding how sports and society connect.
There will…
By Greg Wilson
SSI was privileged to screen the movie “Behind the Shield: The Power & Politics of the NFL,” which deals with the reality of politics in the NFL at the…
By Lauryn Luderman
There are few better ways to acknowledge the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr., than spending an afternoon with NFL and Buckeye star Malcolm…
After Damar Hamlin’s tragic football injury, there was renewed interest in the safety and appropriateness of tackle football.
OSU sociology PhD candidate Mariah Warner and associate…
By Lauryn Luderman
SSI Assistant Director Ryan Ruddy and the Ohio State’s Sports Analytics Association visited the Columbus Metropolitan Library Friday to help school-age…
By Lauryn Luderman
After the death of Mahsa Amini, killed in police custody after her arrest for improperly wearing her hijab, protests erupted throughout Iran and were…
SSI is honored to have supported and contributed to research in a variety of forms and over many topics. Here is our annual report of research productivity.
SSI Affiliate Research…
Injuries are an unfortunate part of any sport – none more so than in the NFL, where players can be felled in front of a TV audience in the tens of millions.
Typically, when a player suffers…
A limited number of SSI Student Research Grants will be awarded to graduate students who commit to conducting sports and society research with an SSI faculty affiliate from Summer 2023 through…
The Aspen Institute’s Project Play initiative today released "State of Play 2022," the seventh edition of its annual report, which this year features work from SSI affiliate Dawn Anderson…
SSI hosted the first-ever “Offense and Defense of NIL” event on Monday where the Ohio State community was able to learn the ins and outs of name, image and likeness.
A panel of NIL experts,…
By Lauryn Luderman
Logan Hittle’s Ohio State career has been filled with unexpected turns.
He started as a janitor in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and parlayed…
by Lauryn Luderman
The Sports and Society Initiative is excited to announce the appointment of Ryan Ruddy as its assistant director.
Ruddy has been part of Ohio…
By Lauryn Luderman
Sports and Society Initiative hosted a lunch on Monday at the Ohio State Faculty Club where members from several colleges with different areas of…
By Lauryn Luderman
The Sports and Society Initiative is to welcome a pair of new affiliates who will contribute significantly to our mission.
Samantha BatesSam is…
The Sports and Society Initiative is excited to host the following events in 2022-2023. Some dates are still to come and we will be updating our calendar throughout the year:
Workshop on…
By Lauryn Luderman
The Concussion Legacy Foundation Media Project on Sept. 29 brought first-of-its-kind programming to Ohio State to train student and…
by Lauryn Luderman, SSI Editorial Intern
Within the span of one month, Serena Williams, Sylvia Fowles, Sue Bird and Allyson Felix all retired from the sport they…
Here’s another good reason for kids to participate in organized sports: They can develop the “grit” that helps them overcome challenges as adults, a new study suggests.
Grit is defined as…
At least 50 high school football players in the U.S. have died from heat stroke after falling ill on the field in the past 25 years. And high school athletes in other sports are not immune from…
Congratulations to SSI Affiliate and OSU Sport Management Prof. Kwame Agyemang for being recently awarded with a 2021 Best Paper honor from the Sport Management Education Journal.
His co…
Allowing fights among players in the National Hockey Leagues does not deter greater violence in the modern game, according to a new study.
In fact, teams and players that fight more often…
In this edition of "Scoreboard" on "In The Loop" with Christian Bryant, Bryant explores with Sports and Society Executive Director Trevon Logan how sports have adapted to a wider-than-ever…
Ohio State University’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences will lead a study on head impacts in youth tackle football in partnership with sensor technology company Athlete Intelligence…
SSI Research Chair and sociology professor Chris Knoester recently wrote in The Plain Dealer and on Cleveland.com about the Cleveland baseball team name change, the elimination of Native…
The fourth annual SSI Undergraduate Research Fair took place in-person and via zoom on April
14 with eight high-quality presentations from undergraduate students representing seven different…
By Ashley Grimmer
More than 170 people in-person and virtually joined Creative Con April 14, the first-ever student sports creative conference held at Ohio State.
Creative Con was…
With Creative Con '22 is TODAY! Let’s meet some of our presenters!
Next up is Kennon Pearson, the assistant director of creative services and graphic design for Duke…
SSI is excited for Thursday's 4th annual SSI Undergraduate Student Research Fair, taking place from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., in the Ohio Union and via zoom.
We have 9 student presentations…
With Creative Con '22 right around the corner, let’s meet some of our presenters!
Next up is Mary Kate Ramker, director of creative services at Loyola University Chicago…
With Creative Con '22 right around the corner, let’s meet some of our presenters!
Next up is Monique Bowman, the director of digital and social media for the Big Ten Conference…
With Creative Con right around the corner on April 14, let’s meet some of our presenters!
First up is Andy DeVito, director of creative and branding for the Ohio State University…
by Ashley Grimmer
The Sports and Society Initiative was honored to host a screening of the film “The Loyola Project” on March 10 at the…
Football may be America’s most popular sport, but the nation is deeply divided about whether youth should play the tackle version of the game.
In a new study, about 45% of Americans agreed…
SSI is honored to have supported and contributed to research in a variety of forms and over many topics. Here is our annual report of research productivity.
SSI Affiliate Research…
Sports and Society's top minds in sports analytics may not have the secret to winning the annual March Madness office pool, but they do have insights into how you can use some social science…
Buckeye basketball legend Clark Kellogg, a college basketball analyst for CBS Sports, and noted sports psychologist Gary "Doc" Salies will join Sports and Society and the Wexner Center for the…
Sociology professor and SSI Research Chair Chris Knoester appeared on WOSU’s “All Sides with Ann Fisher” to talk about his SSI-supported research with Evan Davis on American Institutionalized…
SSI is excited to welcome Dr. Leeann Lower-Hoppe and Dr. Kwame Agyemang as new faculty affiliates.
The designation recognizes persons who conduct outstanding sports and society research,…
The Greater Columbus Sports Commission announced plans for a yearlong celebration of Title IX and its impact on sports and society in Central Ohio.
Linda Shetina Logan, executive director,…
The College of Social Work’s Dawn Anderson-Butcher, an SSI affiliate, was selected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.
She is the college's first faculty…
The Sports and Society Initiative at the Ohio State University is hosting its third student research fair on April 14 as part of the first-ever CreativeCon at Ohio State.
We are seeking…
From the singing of the national anthem to salutes to military personnel, patriotic displays permeate major sports events in the United States.
But…
Even American women who identify as quite passionate sports fans don’t watch athletic events much more frequently than women who say they aren’t as interested in sports, a new national study finds…
A limited number of SSI Student Research Grants will be awarded to graduate students who commit to conducting sports and society research with an SSI faculty affiliate from Summer 2022 through…
Our Sports and Society interns have a unique perspective on many aspects of Ohio State athletics, and we are honored to share some of their game-day experiences to show what it is like behind…
The second Ohio State Sports Analytics Conference took place on Nov. 12, where more than 300 unique log-ins from 12 countries were recorded and several students attended in-person events.
Ohio State School of Communication and the Sports and Society Initiative were honored to meet Nov. 2 with alum Peter Tortorici, former head of CBS Entertainment and Telemundo, who also worked with…
by Ashley Grimmer
The Sports and Society Initiative partnered with the parents' organization Life Over Logo to host an event Oct. 29 addressing the negative impacts of social media…
Trevon D. Logan, the Hazel C. Youngberg Trustees Distinguished Professor of Economics and associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and executive director of the Sports and Society…
SSI was honored to spend our October Huddle with Kathryn Dobbs, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the Columbus Blue Jackets, teaching us how to navigate the world of sports…
Our Sports and Society interns have a unique perspective on many aspects of Ohio State athletics, and we are honored to share some of their game-day experiences to show what it is like behind…
By Mackenzie Shanklin
With more than 30 years of experience in pro sports, Dr. Yolanda Bruce Brooks joined the committed team at the Sports and Society Initiative and bring her…
When it comes to landing a spot on a college sports team, a student’s chances are profoundly affected by their parents’ wealth and education. Even college sports recruitment favors white suburban…
SSI is honored to announce a partnership with Life Over Logo, with the goal of promoting positive social media messaging and mental health support for student-athletes.
Created by mothers…
Our Sports and Society interns have a unique perspective on many aspects of Ohio State athletics, and we are honored to share some of their game-day experiences to show what it is like behind…
Ohio State Athletics Chief Marketing Officer Tracy Hedrick joined students for lunch and conversation at the first SSI Huddle of the 2021-2022 academic year to discuss careers in marketing and how…
The OSU Sports and Society Initiative has heavily invested in supporting sports and society research. Substantially, this has involved working with the College of Arts and…
In new research published in the Sociology of Sport Journal, 2019 SSI Student Research Grant Award winner and sociology graduate student James Tompsett (pictured) found…
Sports and Society Initiative Director Dr. Nicole Kraft, a longtime sportswriter and associate professor (clinical) of journalism, spent a recent afternoon on the other side of the microphone,…
College Creative Collectives will launch its Mentorship Sessions Aug. 19, as industry experts gather to help student creatives secure and maximize internships, and forge a successful path to the…
Data from the first National Sports and Society Survey, funded by the Sports and Society Initiative and executed by SSI Research Chair Dr. Chris Knoester (pictured) and faculty affiliate Dr. B…
Although some people may yearn for sports to be free of political or racial divisiveness, a new study shows how impossible that dream may be.
Researchers found that Americans’ views on two…
Ohio State is represented by 26 extraordinary athletes in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, set for July 23-Aug. 8, in Tokyo, who are either current, former or incoming students.
We send the…
The Ohio State University LiFEsports Initiative, managed by leaders in the Department of Athletics and the College of Social Work, has been awarded a grant from the Susan Crown Exchange (SCE)…
SSI board member Matthew Mitten, Marquette law professor and executive director of the National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University Law School, testified June 9 about “NCAA Athlete NIL…
SSI Director Nicole Kraft wrote recently in The Conversation about the ways in which sports press conferences are compromised by poor questions and can be improved by taking the chess…
The fourth and final session of Sports and Society Initiative's "Intersectionality of Change," focused on "Reporting Out, Moving Forward" and included a 75-minute talk between Luke Fedlam of…
The Sports and Society Initiative is honored to announce award winners for its third annual Undergraduate Student Research fair.
The presentation from Ohio State's Emily Nothnagle on the…
Economics majors Alexander Williams (pictured), Seth Brugler and Ben Clarke, former winners of the SSI Sports Analytics Grant, finished third in the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference research…
Emily Nothnagle, a triple major in anthropology, psychology, and music, and captain of the National Champion OSU Pistol team, recently defended her undergraduate research thesis on "Sport…
The third SSI Student Research fair took place via Zoom on April 16, as students from Ohio State, Purdue, Illinois, and Otterbein presented research on a wide range of topics covering the…
The third session of Sports and Society Initiative's "Intersectionality of Change," focused on "Developing Narrative for Change," and included a 75-minute talk between Wendy Smooth, Ohio State's…
Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day has long been an advocate for mental health. In a world where mental health is seen as a “weakness” for men, Day has been advocating for the mental health…
After the Buckeyes lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Ohio State basketball player E.J. Liddell came face to face with the vitriol too often evident on social media.
But…
In recent years, more professional athletes, from U.S. women’s soccer team player Tierna Davidson to Olympic gymnast Danell Leyva, have come out of the closet. However, locker rooms remain less…
Football player Tommy Togiai, in conjunction with The Ohio State University's annual NFL Pro Day, is working with the Sports and Society partner LiFEsports initiative, whose mission is to enhance…
The second session of Sports and Society Initiative's "Intersectionality of Change," focused on "Taking Action, Making Change," and included a 75-minute talk between moderator Clark Kellogg and…
Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell faced vitriolic backlash after the Ohio State Buckeyes lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament, but he didn't face it silently.
He posted the hate…
by Matthew Parker
Ohio State Sports Journalism Student
The NCAA was founded 114 years ago, and ever since student-athletes have earned little more than academic scholarships…
Travis Scheadler, a MSW/PhD student working with the Sport & Society Initiative and LiFEsports at The Ohio State University recently published a paper entitled “Relationships Between Athlete…
SSI offers this sampling of articles and videos to help better illuminate the Intersectionality of Change".
Articles Opinion: As America burns amid protests after George Floyd…
The first session of Sports and Society Initiative's "Intersectionality of Change," focused on "Understanding the Intersectionality of Change," and included a 45-minute talk, followed by 30-minute…
Black players in the NBA have 30% greater odds of leaving the league in any given season than white players who have equivalent performance on the court, a new study finds.
The results were…
The Ohio State Sport Management Graduate Association is hosting a series of webinars featuring alumni from the program. The public is invited to attend.
March 2, 7:30 p.m.
Sports and Society will dig deeper into social justice and sports in our four-part series "Intersec tionality of Change." Please join us! by Darby Clark With the…
by Ari Horton Sports and Society is privileged to welcome to three new members to our board: Susie Botos, and Ryan and Cynthia Carver Susie Botos Susie, is a Cleveland native and a 1991…
The 3rd SSI Student Research Fair will be a celebration of OSU student-led research on sports and social issues over the past year.
We are seeking student researchers to present their work…
by Jeff Grabmeier
Ohio State Research News
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nearly nine out of 10 Americans say they enjoy sports at least a little, but heterosexual men more commonly…
SSI, in conjunction with Ohio State LiFEsports and Anomaly Sports Group, is excited to announce its spring semester programming, which will help our audience better understand the intersection of…
An original Sports and Society article by Darby Clark As universities across the country reckon with immense financial loss due to the global pandemic, some have looked to make cuts in their…
An original Sports and Society Initiative article by intern Darby Clark Sports stadiums and arenas might finally fill up again once the pandemic begins to subside, but when they do,…
The Ohio State Sport Analytics Association recently hosted its first annual conference, in partnership with the Sport and Society Initiative, featuring 22 different research presentations from…
More Americans than not believe that college athletes should be allowed to be paid more than what it costs them to go to school, a new national study of nearly 4,000 people suggests. Findings from…
The podcast "Drafted" offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at eight college football players as they enter the NFL draft, including Ohio State's own Chase Young and Jeff Okudah. Executive…
Mental health is a struggle for so many under the best of circumstances, but the uncertainty of the COVID-19 crisis has created even bigger challenges. Sports and Society spoke with student-athletes…
The Office of International Affairs, the College of Education and Human Ecology and the Sports and Society Initiative held the conversation "Sports Around the World," as part of the Buckeye Bridge…
By Matthew J. Mitten Professor of Law and Executive Director National Sports Law Institute Marquette University Law School SSI Advisory Board Member On September 16, the Big Ten Council of Presidents…
The Sports and Society Initiative is honored to announce that Vince Doria, an alumnus of Ohio State's School of Journalism and former vice president and director of news at ESPN, has accepted the…
by Darby Clark The Horseshoe is going to be quieter this season. Much quieter. Sandy Barbour, Big Ten vice president for intercollegiate athletics, announced Sept. 16 that the Big Ten would not be…
SSI is privileged to work with incredible sports professionals on our advisory board. This month, we introduce you to Ohio State Senior Athletic Director Shaun Richard. Shaun Richard is a…
Working in sports presents many opportunities for women, but social media can be among the most challenging. SSI Director Nicole Kraft joined with Alison Lukan of The Athletic, ESPN hockey reporter…
SSI associate and anthropology graduate student Frances Sutton has been active in studying sports and society issues during the pandemic, including an anthropological perspective with Prof…
Linda Logan sat down to discuss the difficulty of navigating through the pandemic in her role as executive director for the Greater Columbus Sports Commission and the impact of the virus on the city…
Sports and Society joined with Ohio State's Sports Journalism class Sept. 4 to speak with sports media professionals about how coverage has changed amind COVID-19. Hear from: Matt Brown, Extra Point …
By Darby Clark
An experienced lawyer and sports law professor, Sports and Society Initiative advisory board member Matt Mitten knows as well as anyone the enormous power of sports…
Groundbreaking research by SSI Executive Director Dr. Trevon Logan on the value of high-level football recruits today was featured in the New York Times story, "Black Lives Matter Protests Spawn…
Emily Nothnagle, an undergrad student who is using the SSI-sponsored National Sports and Society Survey (NSASS) for her research thesis, was just awarded a $5,000 Undergrad Research Scholarship to…
Sports and Society welcomed basketball hall of Famer Katie Smith for a conversation on her career, the WNBA and social justice, among many other topics. Please enjoy our conversation!
Statement from the Sports and Society Initiative calling for equality and justice
The Sports and Society Initiative exists to unify and support those who value the…
SSI welcomed B. David Ridpath of Ohio Unviersty and economist Andy Schwarz, along with student-athletes Jack Brinkman and Ayo Adeniye to discuss the impact of university sports being eliminated.…
Sports and Society welcomed Chris and Lori Holtmann for a private conversation with students to discuss Ohio State basketball and social justice, among other topics. Please enjoy our conversation!
Matthew J. Mitten, a professor of law and executive director of the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University Law School, is a member of the SSI board of advisors. He provided this…
Sports and Society welcomed Dr. Trevon Logan to discuss how much top-tier recruits are worth to a university. Watch the video here.
Sports and Society spent a very special Huddle with Coach Ryan Day, who talked with Ohio State students about the previous and upcoming seasons, and how he is copinfg through COVID-19.
The SSI has a tradition of encouraging and celebrating undergraduate student sports and society research. One tradition is an annual Student Research Fair. The 2020 OSU Sports and Society Initiative…
SSI joined with experts in high school athletics to talk about the impact the COVID-19 cancellations will have on high school sports now and in the future. Watch our session:
High School…
Sports and Society spent a very special Huddle with some of Ohio State's most popular student-athletes--walk-ons Mark Titus, Joey Lane and Danny Hummer, who dedicated themselves to excellence on and…
The Sports and Society Inititaive is proud to have partnered with Porter Wright's sports law division to present a there part series on the NCAA's recent rulings regarding "name, image and likeness."…
Eric Oberman joined SSI for an April 30 Huddle to talk the Naismith Awards and his path from Ohio State. Please view his inspiring talk:
Clark Kellogg joined SSI for an April 23 Huddle to talk life and basketball. Please view his inspiring talk:
The Sports and Society Initiative's Huddles bring together sports leaders, students, alums and the public to talk about issues that really matter -- how sport and society intersect. Check here for…
SSI was thrilled to welcome home Kirk Herbstreit, who spent an hour with students, faculty, staff and alumni talking a variety of topics. Here is the complete video. If you have suggestions for…
The most elite players in…
Indycar driver Graham Rahal, a native of NEw Albany and big Bucleye fan, joined Sports and Society for a special virtual Huddle April 9, where he talked about the state of his sport, sponsorships…
Jerry Snodgrass of the Ohio High School Athletic Association sat down with director Nicole Kraft to talk the status of high school sports in his episoide of "Time Out".
The intersection of…
We had planned a terrific March Huddle featuring Alison Lukan, a hockey data expert and writer for The Athletic Columbus. Since we had to cancel her live visit, we instead have this terrific…
The tourism industry has been hit hard because of closings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the sports industry in Columbus is no different.
In Columbus, the Arnold Sports Festival was…
The intersection of sports and society has been disrupted by the COVID-19 crisis, but the passion and engagement for sports continue for so many.
Ohio State's Sports and Society Initiative…
SSI has announced that ALL of its events remaining event of the 2019-'20 school yaer, including MingGames scheduled for April 16, have been postponed, as per guidelines sent out March 9 by Ohio…
Ryan and Christina Day and Chris and Lori Holtmann will be featured speakers at the April 16 MindGames panel, examining the topic of mental health in athletics. Ryan Day, head coach of the Ohio State…
The Ohio State Sport and Society Initiative joined with Ohio State Athletics Communication to host "Getting Social," on Feb. 29 to prepare students for careers in sports social media.
by Savannah Deuer Dr. John Davidson is a professor in Germanic language and film studies at The Ohio State University. He is also a faculty-athletics representative with the university and…
The 2nd SSI Student Research Fair will be a celebration of OSU student-led research on sports and society issues over the past year. We encourage participation by students who have completed sports…
The Washington Redskins, in coordination with the National Football League and NFL Combine, will be hosting the NFL PR College Student Seminar Feb. 24, and Ohio State students have the chance to…
The Columbus Blue Jackets hosted the Hockey Analytics Conference Feb. 8, and the Sport and Society Initiative was well-represented at the event.
SSI funded two students to attend, second…
By Darby Clark
It’s hard to imagine what Vince Doria’s life would look like without sports.
Doria, the former senior vice president and director of news at ESPN, is a member…
The Human Performance Collaborative, a new initiative from the Ohio State University Office of Research, is working with Sports and Society to examine a variety of research areas all centered…
The NBA may soon let star high school basketball players follow Kobe Bryant's footsteps and go straight to the league. But is that right for the players? Our own Nicole Kraft tackled the topic in a…
By Darby Clark
On Dec. 30, 2019, Bryce Gowdy stepped in front of a train and ended his life.
The 17-year-old Florida high school football star, who had signed a National…
SSI Board member Kristen Watt, a Buckeye women's basketball legend and longtime broadcast voice of the team, today was honored with the Varsity O Alumni Society Phyllis Bailey Career Achievement…
The Ohio State Sports and Society Initiative is thrilled to announce the launch of our first podcast, "The Intersection," hosted by student intern Kevin Lapka and this week featuring SSI Director…
TV/radio host and personality Prim Siripipat, who was featured in the Spring 2019 SSI panel "When Sports End," has launched a new podcast dedicated to helping athletes understaning the post-playing…
Sports and Society congratulates our research grant awardees for their presentations at 2019 North American Society of Sport conference in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Here are their abstracts:
Inside Higher Ed has a feature story on Ohio State's e-gaming initiative. The article, entitled "Roses and Thorns," says s"upporters of Ohio State plan to create undergraduate degree program in…
The Big Ten Conference issued the following statement about the NCAA announcement on opportunities for students who participate in intercollegiate athletics to benefit from their name, image…
by Romi Azulay, SSI Editorial Intern
Nearly 100 people joined Ohio State’s Sports and Society Initiative for “Complying: Examining the rules and regulations that govern student…
Sports and Society is honored to host "Complying: Examining the rules and regulations that govern student athletics." Here are resources that will help illuminate the subjects we discuss: NCAA…
The 2020 Sloan Sports Analytics Conference has announced a call for abstracts for this year’s Research Paper Competition! Abstracts can now be submitted on its website. The Sloan Sports Analytics…
The Sports and Society Initiative is honored to announce the winners of its 2019 Sports Analytics and Student Research Grants, which were announced April 11 at the Ohio Union. 2019-20 Sports and…
The Sports and Society Initiative is honored to announce the winners of its first Undergraduate Student Research Fair, held April 11 at the Ohio Union. These Outstanding Poster winners each earned a …