Rick Eckstein, PhD
Professor of Sociology | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Villanova University
Villanova, PA, UNITED STATES
Rick Eckstein, PhD, is an expert on sports and society, intercollegiate spending, stadium financing and labor and unions.
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Areas of Expertise (9)
Youth Sports
Gender and Sports
Social Inequality and Poverty
Sports and Society
Labor and Unions
Stadium Financing
Sociology of Sport
College Athletics Reform
Title IX
Biography
Dr. Rick Eckstein is an expert on the evolution of youth sports to its elite culture and pay-to-play framework. In addition, he can discuss the gender inequalities that still exist in sports, even with Title IX. He has data-driven criticism of higher education's spending priorities, particularly related to athletics. Dr. Eckstein can also discuss the construction of publicly financed sports stadiums, and he has previously commented on issues related to labor and unions.
Education (2)
SUNY, Stony Brook: PhD
Marietta College: BA
Select Accomplishments (2)
Recipient, Excellence in Teaching Award, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (professional)
2012
Recipient, Lindback Teaching Award (professional)
1999
Select Media Appearances (8)
Labor Movements Are Gaining Momentum in the U.S. What Happens When the Dust Settles?
NBC News Digital
2023-09-30
The United Auto Workers went on strike September 14 after the UAW and Detroit's Big Three, General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, couldn't agree with the union on the terms of a new contract. And over the past few months, Hollywood was wracked by a rare double strike as writers hit the picket lines in May and actors joined them in July... "Labor has maybe just had enough," said Rick Eckstein, a professor and sociology program director at Villanova University. "They had been giving up benefits and wages for 30 to 40 years almost across the board."
For Tesla and Musk, Auto Strike Carries Benefits and Risks
The New York Times
2023-09-21
The UAW's determination to secure a big victory for its members, amid a nationwide resurgence in union activism, harbors risks for Tesla and Elon Musk, its chief executive, who has attacked and ridiculed unions... "The strike could be a bellwether," said Villanova University professor Rick Eckstein. "It's a hot time in the labor movement."
San Francisco 49ers Stadium Tax Fight Heads to Court
McClatchy Washington Bureau
2019-05-20
Rick Eckstein, a Villanova University sociology professor who co-wrote a book about public financing of stadiums, said that sports teams are typically much more sophisticated than the cities and counties with whom they negotiate stadium deals. "The teams are always about two or three steps ahead of the municipalities in being clever," Eckstein said.
Audacious College Admissions Scandal Left So Many Red Flags Missed by So Many
The Los Angeles Times
2019-03-18
William "Rick" Singer ran a tight operation. For years, he and his team churned out the bribes and lies at the heart of his college admission scam without getting caught... "This process was set up to be exploited by unscrupulous people," said Rick Eckstein, a sociology professor at Villanova University and an expert on the high-school-to-college athletic pipeline.
U.S. Republican Tax Plan May Mean Slightly Less Grand Sports Stadiums
Reuters
2017-11-03
Some wealthy owners of U.S. major-league sports teams may have to put up more of their own money to fund stadium construction under a tax bill proposed by U.S. House of Representatives Republicans... "I'm sure the teams will be in a lather, but based on experience, if the cities/counties/states want to subsidize the stadium they'll figure out some way," Rick Eckstein, a sociology professor at Pennsylvania's Villanova University, wrote in an email.
Until Youth Soccer Is Fixed, U.S. Men's National Team Is Destined to Fail
The Conversation
2017-10-13
"David beating Goliath is very exciting—unless you're a fan of Goliath. The United States has 330 million people and a massive youth soccer system, yet its men's national soccer team just got bushwhacked by a team from Trinidad and Tobago, a country with 1.3 million residents. How could this happen?"
Warriors' Exit Won't Leave Oracle Arena Bereft, Officials Pledge
San Francisco Chronicle
2016-04-18
When the Warriors walk away from Oracle Arena in 2019 to move into their new home in San Francisco, Oakland will take a hit to its psyche and, potentially, its pocketbook. The sparkling cylindrical building will always hold a special place in the hearts of fans—it's where the Warriors made history last week by breaking the NBA record for wins in a season... "If they can't get what they need in an existing arena, they ask to leave," said Rick Eckstein, a sports economist at Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
Column: Harrison Fumbles Away a Life Lesson for His Sons
Associated Press
2015-08-21
James Harrison made his kids give their trophies back. There's no reward, the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker insisted, just for showing up. Sorry, James, you got that one wrong… "Participation in youth sports has been declining steadily over the last decade," said Rick Eckstein, a sociology professor at Villanova University. "If giving kids a trophy for showing up and trying to improve keeps them involved, then it is a good thing."
Select Academic Articles (4)
Challenging the Flutie Factor: Intercollegiate Sports, Undergraduate Enrollments and the Neoliberal University
Humanity & SocietyPeterson-Horner, E., Eckstein, R.
2014
Sports Sociology's Still Untapped Potential
Sociological ForumEckstein, R., Moss, D., Delaney, K.
2010
Urban Power Structures and Publicly Financed Stadiums
Sociological ForumEckstein, R., Delaney, K.
2007
The Surprising Face of Racist Attitudes
Journal for Peace and Justice StudiesEckstein, R.
2006
