Featured Post from University of Delaware

March Madness: Experts comment on picking underdogs, prop bets and economic benefits

Mar 18, 2025

1 min

Why do people pick underdogs when filling out their brackets for the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments? How do people consume March Madness? How does the tournament benefit host cities and teams economically? University of Delaware experts have the answers.

The following UD faculty members can provide their expertise for journalists working on stories about the tournaments.

• Jackie Silverman, assistant professor of marketing: Why people might have chosen underdogs still hanging around in their brackets,

• John Allgood, instructor of sport management: How people consume March Madness (streaming vs. cable TV) and how major collegiate sports events can help brand individual schools. Contact UD media relations to reach him.

• Tim DeSchriver, associate professor of sport management: Sports gambling (including prop bets) and advertising targets.

• Matthew Robinson, professor of sport management: Economic benefits of the host city.

• Matt McGranaghan, assistant professor of marketing: Consumer attention span during commercial breaks.

To reach these experts directly and set up interviews, visit the expert profiles below and click on the contact button.

Connect with:

Tim DeSchriver

Associate Professor of Sport Management; Area Head - Sport Management

Prof. DeSchriver’s research is in sport finance, economics and marketing; specifically professional sport and collegiate athletics.

Sport ManagementSports FinanceProfessional SportCollegiate Athletics

Matthew Robinson

Professor, Sport Management

Prof. Robinson is an expert on international sport development.

CoachingSports as a Diplomatic ToolInternational Sports GovernanceU.S. Sports ModelOlympics

Matthew McGranaghan

Assistant Professor, Marketing

Prof. McGranaghan studies the economics of consumer attention and the indirect effects of marketing interventions.

Business AdministrationNeuroscienceApplied EconomicsManagementMarketing

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Jun 9, 2026

1 min

World Cup 2026: Former soccer executive analyzes tournament economics and youth soccer structure

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup days away, the University of Delaware's John Allgood is available to discuss the business of soccer, youth sports participation and the tournament's impact on communities and the economy. As a former United Soccer League (USL) top executive, Allgood brings firsthand experience and knowledge of the commercial operations and development sides of the sport. He also currently serves as an instructor of sport management at UD. Areas of expertise relevant to the World Cup include: • Economic impact: How the tournament will drive local revenue. • The business of soccer: Sports marketing and the commercialization of global sports entertainment. • U.S. youth soccer: The tiered structure of soccer in the U.S., including the pay-to-play system in youth soccer that is different from development models in other countries. • Participation and interest: How the World Cup will boost participation and fan interest in soccer, especially among youth players. • Soccer as a unifying force: The sports' social impact and how it brings people together. To reach Allgood directly and arrange an interview, click the "contact" button on his profile. Interested journalists can also send an email to mediarelations@udel.edu.

Jun 8, 2026

1 min

World Cup: Hall of Fame heading expert can talk about concussions

With a focus on concussion research, the University of Delaware's Thomas Kaminski serves as the sole U.S. representative on the FIFA Heading Expert Group, putting UD on the world soccer stage. Kaminski's contributions to the sport earned him a place in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame. Kaminski, professor of kinesiology and applied physiology at UD's College of Health Sciences, has studied heading in soccer and concussion risk for nearly three decades. It's just one of the many topics he can discuss in relation to the upcoming World Cup: • Concussion risks, prevention strategies and sports-related mild traumatic brain injuries. • Ankle instability and how evolving safety standards are influencing the modern game. • Purposeful headers in interscholastic and intercollegiate soccer. Kaminski will be inducted into the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Hall of Fame at the 77th NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo on June 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. The award represents the profession’s highest honor and honors members who have dedicated their lives to service and left a lasting impact on the profession. “I’m honored and humbled to join such a distinguished group of athletic training pioneers – people who have shaped and pushed the profession forward to where it is today,” Kaminski said. To reach Kaminski directly and arrange an interview, visit his ExpertFile profile and click on the "connect" button. Interested members of the media can also email mediarelations@udel.edu.

Jun 4, 2026

2 min

NBA Finals: Pricey tickets have fans debating the value of a memory

With the NBA Finals back in New York and San Antonio, some fans holding pricey tickets face an emotional and financial decision: Savor a major life memory or cash out for big money to spend on something else? The University of Delaware's Amit Kumar has conducted research on these types of choices. Kumar, an assistant professor of marketing and psychological & brain sciences, says that it may come down to a choice between material possessions that people often buy because they think those things are going to make them happy and a satisfying experiential purchase that tends to "last" in a psychological sense. The Spurs haven't been to the Finals since 2014. It's been 27 years for the Knicks – and 53 years since the team hoisted the championship trophy. So, in this case, the decision comes down to a large lump of money to spend on, say, a kitchen remodeling project or a new watch; versus the memory of witnessing a rare NBA Finals home game. "If there's a consumer deciding between buying antique living room furniture to replace the set they already have in their house or instead spending that money on the experience of seeing the Knicks play the Spurs, they are likely to derive more enduring satisfaction from the memories of being at the game, the stories they tell about going and having been there, and the social interactions they have as a result," Kumar said. He added that the lesson for people's everyday lives is really to tilt their spending in a way such that they spend a bit less on material goods and a bit more on experiences. To connect with Kumar directly and arrange an interview, visit his profile and click on the "contact" button. To reach him directly, send an email to mediarelations@udel.edu.