WASHINGTON (February 5, 2024) - The countdown to Super Bowl LVIII is on. The San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs will square off on Sunday, February 11th in Las Vegas, the city’s first time hosting a Super Bowl. Fans from all over are preparing for Sunday’s big game, whether they’re traveling to Sin City to see the game in person or running out to the stores this week for the supplies they need to host a Super Bowl watch party.
Faculty experts at the George Washington University are available to offer insight and commentary on a number of topics related to the Super Bowl and the National Football League, including sports management and marketing, NFL leadership, sports injuries and performance, and food safety. If you would like to speak with an expert, please contact GW Media Relations at [email protected].
Sports Management
Lisa Delpy Neirotti, director of the MS in Sport Management Program and an associate professor of Sport Management, is an expert on large-scale sporting events, including the Super Bowl, World Cup and Olympic Games. Delpy Neirotti can discuss Vegas becoming a sports city, the economic impact of the Super Bowl, sports gambling and the impact of Taylor Swift on NFL viewership and audience this year, among other topics.
Meredith Geisler, is a visiting assistant professor of sport management with over 30 years of experience in sports public relations. Previously, she was senior vice president of communications for Tandem Sports + Entertainment, a full-service sports and entertainment agency. Geisler can discuss Super Bowl ads (the pre, during and post buzz), player PR and branding, and the impact of Taylor Swift on NFL viewership and audience this year, among other topics.
NFL Leadership & Management
James Wade, the inaugural Avram Tucker Professor of Strategy and Leadership, is an expert in strategic management, leadership and corporate governance. He is a co-author of a study on racial disparities in NFL coach hiring and promotions, which documented racial disparity in promotions from lower-level positions, like a position coach, to the coordinator level – the position typically held prior to becoming a head coach. The study implies that closing the gap at the top (i.e., head coaches) necessitates addressing disparity at the bottom of coaching staffs.
Food Safety
Barbara Kowalcyk is an associate professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. For 20 years she has been a nationally recognized expert in food safety with training in epidemiology, public health informatics, risk science, regulatory decision-making, and public policy. She can discuss the dangers of leaving food out too long as well as safety tips for fans hosting or attending a party on Super Bowl Sunday.
Brain Injury and the NFL
Robert W. Turner II, assistant professor of clinical research and neurology at the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences is available to comment on former NFL players and the risk of dementia. Turner, who is a former pro ball player himself, runs a lab that studies brain injury among former NFL athletes.
Turner and other experts are joining the Alzheimer’s Association this year at the Black Men’s Brain Health Conference to be held Feb. 6-7 during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas. The event will feature topics that range from disparities in brain healthcare for Black men, cognitive aging and resilience as well as issues related to caregiving.
Sports Medicine
Teresa Doerre, Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, can talk about common injuries during the Super Bowl and for non-professional athletes. Doerre is an expert on healing injuries to the shoulder, elbow, hip and other areas and can talk about injury prevention as well.
Sports Performance
Todd Miller, associate professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. He is an expert in athletic performance, including elite athletic performance as well as that of weekend warriors. He can discuss how elite athletes and others train for big competitions as well as any performance issues that come up during the game or in training.
Mary Barron, associate professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health, is the undergraduate exercise field experience director and a certified athletic trainer. She can talk about how athletes from the NFL to grade school prepare for games and train effectively. She can also talk about how to keep youth sports safe and fun.
Law
Kathryne Young, associate professor of Law at the GW Law School, is an internationally recognized expert in legal consciousness– legal systems, and the lives of everyday people. In addition, Professor Young has done empirical research of socio legal topics, including illegal gambling. Professor Young can speak on the gambling implications and rules excluding players.
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