Commentary – The Sport Journal

Celebrating the Olympics

A note from the editor: In recognition of the upcoming Olympics, The Sports Journal has “temporarily” allowed for the addition of unique perspectives on Olympic Sports. Please enjoy the commentary from Dr. John Cairney from the University of Queensland.

For the first time in over a decade, NHL players are set to return to the Olympic stage, sparking widespread excitement among ice hockey enthusiasts worldwide. Announced by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman , this decision to participate in the 2026 and 2030 Winter Games ends a hiatus that has lasted since 2014. It reflects a strategic move to enhance international competition among the world’s elite hockey players, aiming to alternate between the Olympics and the World Cup of Hockey every two years.

The NHL’s withdrawal after the 2014 Olympics stemmed from logistical and financial concerns, including potential revenue losses and the risks of competitive imbalance and player injuries when resuming the season. The injury of John Tavares during the 2014 Sochi Olympics underscored the risk of injury, while also pointing to the demanding nature of Olympic play. Conversely, the break offered a rest period for those not participating, leading to concerns about unequal player fatigue and readiness. Players not competing in the Olympics could potentially benefit from the break, gaining an edge over those who did participate.

Despite these concerns, there was scant research at the time to evaluate their validity, even though professional sports, including ice hockey, are rich in data capable of informing such analyses. Our research team aimed to fill this gap by investigating the impact of NHL participation in the Winter Games on both team and individual player performance, with a
focus on injury and fatigue. Our findings offered some surprising insights.

Our first study looked at the team-level “fatigue effect,” suggesting that teams with more Olympic participants might experience a dip in performance post-Games due to player fatigue, potentially affecting their regular season play. We analysed goal differentials (goals for minus goals against) before and after the Olympics, taking into account the number of players each team sent and mid-season trades’ impacts. Although some Olympic years showed a trend towards a negative effect on goal differential, indicative of a potential fatigue effect, the overall impact on team performance was minor.

The second study focused on individual player performance, particularly during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. We examined performance metrics before and after the Olympics to test the “fatigue theory” at an individual level. Our findings indicated that the number of Olympic minutes played had no significant effect on post-Olympic performance for players overall. However, a closer look at player positions revealed that forwards experienced a slight decrease in points per game post-Olympics if they played more minutes. Defensemen, on the other hand, were unaffected. Overall, our research suggests that concerns about performance declines due to Olympic participation may have been exaggerated.

Our studies provide reassurance that NHL players’ return to the Winter Olympics is beneficial for the sport. While issues related to scheduling, injury risks, and competitive balance remain, the evidence indicates that these factors minimally impact the league and its athletes. The advantages of Olympic participation, including sport promotion, player experience, and fan engagement, significantly outweigh the potential downsides. As the NHL sends its stars back to the Olympic ice, this move is celebrated not only by fans but also as a victory for the global prestige of ice hockey.

References

¹https://www.nhl.com/blues/news/nhl-to-return-to-olympics-host-4-nations-face-off#:~:text=For%20the%20first%20time%20in,the%20first%20time%20since%202014.
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/nhls-worst-nightmare-realized-star-player-john-tavares-hurt-during-winter-olympics/#:~:text=NHL%27s%20Worst%20Nightmare%20Realized%3A%20Star%20Player%20John%20Tavares%20Hurt%20During%20Winter%20Olympics,-February%2021%2C%202014&text=BOSTON%20(CBS)%20%2D%20New%20York,over%20Latvia%20in%20quarterfinal%20play.
²https://www.scitechnol.com/peer-review/the-impact-of-the-olympics-on-regular-season-team-performance-in-the-national-hockey-league-5ghI.php?article_id=4359
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2020.00076/full

George Minoso2024-05-08T11:05:32-05:00June 7th, 2024|Commentary, General|Comments Off

Title IX and Its Impact on Opportunities for Women in NCAA Coaching and Administrative Leadership

Authors: Elisa Van Kirk

Department of Education, St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, US

Corresponding Author:

Elisa Van Kirkl
SLU- 23 Romoda Dr.
Atwood Hall 21
Canton, NY, 13617
evankirk@stlawu.edu
860-919-3274

Dr. Elisa Van Kirk is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. Van Kirk played Division I softball and was a collegiate coach at the Division III level for over a decade. Currently, Van Kirk primarily works with the University’s graduate students who are pursuing a Master of Art in Leadership degree.
Van Kirk’s research focuses on collegiate athletics, athletic leadership, as well as sports and gender.

Title IX and Its Impact on Opportunities for Women in NCAA Coaching and Administrative Leadership

ABSTRACT

Title IX was evolutionary when first enacted, and it provided a framework to address equity in education in many respects; however, it has had limited effects in many other areas, including in NCAA athletic administration. In this commentary, a discussion is offered in regard to the ongoing impacts of Title IX in college athletics and ways in which this legislation has impacted women and their opportunities for leadership. Examples from the literature from women who once held roles in NCAA Division III leadership are considered and their experiences are drawn upon to demonstrate ways in which barriers and sources of inequity continue to exist. Recommendations are offered for women seeking leadership positions based on the experiences of the women in this study.

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Vandy Pacetti-Donelson2023-03-13T09:35:26-05:00March 13th, 2023|Commentary, Sport Education, Sports History, Women and Sports|Comments Off

Participation Trophies along with Grade Inflation Are Hurting More Than Helping

Authors: Matthew J Williams D.S.M.
Department of Education, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, VA, USA

Corresponding Author:

Matthew J Williams
1 College Avenue
Wise, VA 24293
mjw2em@uvawise.edu
785-452-2353

Matthew J Williams D.S.M., M.B.A., M.S., is an Associate Professor of Sport Management at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise. His areas of research interest include NASCAR, COVID-19, college athletics, professional sports, and sport management issues.

Participation Trophies along with Grade Inflation Are Hurting More Than Helping

ABSTRACT

In the early 1900’s we had a philosophy that children who participated in sports would be better citizens in the United States. We believed that sports would allow children to experience responsibility, success, failure, and disappointment in a controlled safe environment. In the last 25 years, times have changed, and we have used sports to reward children with participation trophies regardless of how well they played or their contribution to the team. This change in philosophy has now moved into education and students believe that if they show up to class or do minimal work in the classroom, they should be rewarded with a higher grade than they deserve. This type of behavior has created grade inflation.

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U.S. Sports Academy2022-12-14T16:22:04-06:00December 16th, 2022|Commentary, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the stress it put on College Athletics

Authors: Matthew J. Williams¹, Devin M. Mathis ²

¹Department of Education, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Wise, VA, USA
²Senior Student, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Wise, VA, USA

Corresponding Author:
G. Andrew Williams M.A. M.S.
96 Los Olmos
Green Valley, AZ 85614
parktaylorplace@aol.com
520 668-4701

Matthew J. Williams D.S.M., M.B.A., M.S. is an Associate Professor of Sport Management at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise. His areas of research interests include NASCAR, COVID-19, college athletics, professional sports, and sports management issues.

Devin M. Mathis is currently a senior student majoring in Business and Sport Management at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise. Devin’s area of research interest is the COVID-19 Pandemic and the effect it has had on college athletics.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the stress it put College Athletics

ABSTRACT

In the early spring of 2020, the COVID-19 Pandemic invaded the United States and brought not only the economy to a stand-still, but college athletics as well. When all spring college sports were halted, along with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, it created a loss of revenue for college athletics. This forced college presidents and athletic directors to abandon their old business models in order to restructure their athletic budgets, thus moving both college presidents and athletic directors into uncharted waters. Before the COVID-19 Pandemic college athletics had a problem of long-term debt, offering too many sports, employing too many athletic staff, and paying an extraordinary amount in coach’s salary. Because of the Pandemic, college presidents, and athletic directors were forced to make drastic changes that consisted of salary cuts, elimination of sports, and athletic personnel in order to stay afloat. It will take years for athletic budgets to get back to the pre-pandemic era.

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U.S. Sports Academy2021-08-13T12:56:33-05:00August 13th, 2021|Commentary, Sports Management|Comments Off

The Mission Value of Collegiate Esports

Authors: Jill Murray, PhD¹, Erica Barone Pricce, PhD², and Stephanie Decker MBA³

¹President and Chief Innovation Officer, Lackawanna College, Scranton, PA, USA
²Provost, Lackawanna College, Scranton, PA, USA
³Office of Social and Economic Impact, Lackawanna College, Scranton, PA, USA

Corresponding Author:
Stephanie Decker, MBA, CHE
501 Vine Street
Scranton, Pa 18509
deckers@lackawanna.edu
570-504-7945

Jill Murray is the President and Chief Innovation Officer at the Lackawanna College in Scranton, PA. Her research interests focus on innovation, strategic planning and leadership.

Erica Barone Pricci, PhD is the Provost at Lackawanna College in Scranton, PA. Erica’s areas of research interest include supporting at risk college students, program development and building educational pathways.

Stephanie Decker, MBA is the Associate Vice President of Social and Economic impact at Lackawanna College, Scranton, PA. Her research interests are in the areas of small business success factors, creating job pipelines for disadvantaged students, and using innovation to reduce the student loan burden in the United States.

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U.S. Sports Academy2021-03-25T15:21:45-05:00March 26th, 2021|Commentary|Comments Off