I am looking forward to an enjoyable year with
all of you. Our goal will be to look at
the history of professional sports in America not only in the cultural aspect
but through the lens of an economist as well.
Through the course we will discuss the history of the not only the four
major sports in America (Baseball, basketball, football and hockey) but also
sports that have made great strides in popularity in the past few decades such
as lacrosse and NASCAR. Professional sports have played a major role in shaping
American communities and have had many impacts on the family unit. While there
will be discussion on past history of sports, much of the in class discussion
will deal with many of the current developments in sports. Some of the current
topics that we will cover will be the NFL lockout, the Mets and the Madoff
scandal, the collective bargaining agreements among the major sports, the NCAA memorabilia scandal,
and team budgets and free agency. If you come in with an open mind, show up to
class prepared, and complete your assignments, our classroom will run very
effectively and be a great success.
