Ballfields & Blackboards
51 episodes - English - Latest episode: 27 days ago - ★★★★★ - 9 ratingsWhere fan and academic perspectives meet with a lighthearted touch. We are professors in economics and marketing in the Gordon College of Business at Western Kentucky University with extensive study of sports, and we are also lifelong sports fans.
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Episodes
May 2024 -- We're Back with Michael Penix & The NFL Draft
May 04, 2024 16:21 - 54 minutes - 39.1 MBAfter a year off we're back at it and looking at the media consensus condemned the Falcons for selecting Michael Penix in the first round. Crazy or clever? Why trade up in the draft? Why take so many quarterbacks early when history says that most of them won't pan out? Plus, will the Caitlin Clark effect on women's basketball viewership last?
June 2023 -- Last Episode
June 09, 2023 16:11 - 59 minutes - 44.4 MBIn this final installment of Ballfields & Blackboards we talk about bad behavior by parents & fans, the LIV merger with the PGA Tour, and the SEC's wrongheaded choice of an 8-game conference schedule.
April 2023 -- NCAA Basketball, MLB & More
April 15, 2023 00:33 - 51 minutes - 36.9 MBWe discuss the growth of "mid-majors" in the Final Four in 2023 and since 2005 and whether that trend is likely to continue. Also, we look at the early results of the new MLB rules, LIV golf, and more.
March 2023 -- NCAA Basketball Tournament
March 16, 2023 22:24 - 43 minutes - 33.1 MBWe dive into a variety of topics related to the men's NCAA basketball tournament. Why is parity increasing? Why are some of the big-name programs struggling? Why is the Big 12 the new ACC? What has happened to John Calipari's magic touch? Why does the selection committee hate Texas A&M? Who are the best bets for to make the Final Four?
February 2023 -- MLB Rules Changes & NBA Viewer Losses
February 28, 2023 21:51 - 47 minutes - 36 MBThis month we consider a variety of topics including the new MLB rules, sinking NBA viewership, and a few other topics.
January 2023 -- MLB Free Agency & Future of Bowl Games
January 23, 2023 17:44 - 46 minutes - 35 MBThis month we examine the sense or nonsense of the long and large free-agent contracts in MLB along with how college football bowl games may fare with an expansion of the CFB playoffs and a bit on the Brett Maher extra points drama.
December 2022 -- College Playoff Expansion & World Cup
December 07, 2022 18:09 - 41 minutes - 31.2 MBThis month we dig into the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams along with discussing the pros and cons of the World Cup tournament and NFL games in Europe.
October 2022 -- MLB Playoffs & Jimbo Fisher
October 28, 2022 17:16 - 41 minutes - 31.2 MBIn this episode, we consider the structure of the MLB playoffs and how teams like the Braves last year and Phillies this year are excelling after fairly average seasons. We also discuss the dilemma of the $95 million guaranteed contract to Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher along with other coach compensation and selection topics.
August 2022 -- Unique Sports Venues, LIV-PGA Merger, and More
August 16, 2022 16:38 - 47 minutes - 36 MBThis month we consider places where various sports might play a one-off game like the Iowa "Field of Dreams" game. We also delve into possible incentives and the shape of a LIV and PGA Tour merger down the line, big-name free agents in MLB, John Calipari, and Manchester United's struggles.
July 2022 -- Is Big Ten Expansion Good, Is LIV Golf Bad?
July 21, 2022 19:29 - 44 minutes - 31.1 MBThis month we dive into possible implications of the Big Ten's adding USC and UCLA along with looking at LIV Golf from more angles than just the Saudi financial sponsorship.
June 2022 -- Positive Trends for MLB
June 29, 2022 17:57 - 49 minutes - 37.9 MBWe try to find some of the positive things going on in Major League Baseball as well as exploring a few other topics such as politics in sports and Dusty Baker's managing decisions.
May 2022 -- Streaming Creating Sports Chaos
May 31, 2022 18:14 - 50 minutes - 37.7 MBWe focus on the trend for MLB and other sports to move more content to exclusive streaming platforms. It may well drive existing viewers away and also fail to attract the younger demographic that they seek.
March 2022 -- Little Guy Success in NCAA Tourney
March 26, 2022 22:54 - 44 minutes - 33.5 MBWhat's going on over the past few years with the big names of college basketball like Kentucky, Duke, Carolina, and Kansas struggling to make the Final Four and more little guys making noise? We talk about the influences and why schools like Vanderbilt aren't joining in. Also, we get into a spirited discussion of whether teams like the Braves letting Freddie Freeman get away makes sense.
February 2022 -- Player Salaries & Revenue Sharing Schemes
February 19, 2022 18:20 - 50 minutes - 35.6 MBWe engage in a lively discussion of ways that MLB and other leagues might better set up their revenue sharing to allow younger players to make more when most productive, reduce incentives for losing games and still maintain a reasonable competitive balance.
January 2022 -- College Football + Rugby
January 21, 2022 23:06 - 46 minutes - 33.2 MBThis month we dig transfer issues in college football along with the ACC's opposition to current playoff expansion after first covering some rugby questions
December 2021 -- Coaches Behaving Badly + CFB Playoff
December 07, 2021 20:19 - 51 minutes - 40.1 MBIt isn't just Urban Meyer. Bad behavior of some form by coaches seems the norm more than the exception. This month we discuss why that is the case along with the college football playoffs and MLB's collective bargaining issues.
November 2021 -- Regional Sports Networks
November 19, 2021 18:51 - 48 minutes - 36.5 MBThis month we discuss the tenuous status of regional sports networks in the era of growing streaming services and declining cable subscriptions. We consider the fallout for revenue in MLB, NBA, and NHL along with implications for collective bargaining problems. We also follow up on the college football conference reshuffle and a variety of current topics.
October 2021 -- NCAA Football Realignments
October 29, 2021 18:16 - 47 minutes - 36.3 MBWe look at the domino effect of the shifts in NCAA football conferences from the SEC and Big 12 down through the American, CUSA, and Sun Belt conferences.
Sept 21 -- Best & Worst Stadiums & Atmosphere
September 25, 2021 18:17 - 50 minutes - 39.4 MBThis month we discuss the best and worst sports stadiums and atmospheres. Beware if you are a Red Sox fan! Also, we dig deeper into the impact of NCAA realignments.
August 2021 -- MLB Trends & Favorite MLB Announcers
August 20, 2021 19:43 - 49 minutes - 37.4 MBThis month we discuss which teams are rising and falling in MLB along with our favorite and not-so-favorite MLB announcers. We also ponder the attendance questions for the NFL.
July 2021 -- SEC Expanding, Olympics, Aaron Rodgers
July 29, 2021 22:58 - 58 minutes - 43.3 MBWe discuss the implications of the SEC admitting OU and Texas, perspectives on the Olympics, and the Aaron Rodgers diva show.
June 2021 -- NCAA's Bad Day In Court + Silliest Stuff in Sports
June 25, 2021 18:23 - 43 minutes - 33.4 MBWe talk about the NCAA's hammering by the Supreme Court, silly rules or structures within sports, MLB's crackdown on doctoring baseballs, and NBA & NHL playoffs.
May 2021 -- MLB, NHL, NBA, Olympics
May 19, 2021 17:24 - 43 minutes - 42 MBWe go less scripted and talk about MLB injuries, lack of NHL viewers, the NBA playoff structure, the Olympics, and other stuff.
April 2021 -- MLB & NHL Rules, Soccer Super League
April 21, 2021 20:43 - 41 minutes - 40.4 MBWe discuss rule changes in MLB that might increase balls in play and other improvements, hockey's icing rule, and the idea of a Super League of top European soccer teams to replace the Champions League
March 2021 -- Final Four, MLB Predictions, NCAA in Supreme Court
March 31, 2021 16:59 - 42 minutes - 41 MBThis month we discuss the current Final Four along with memorable NCAA tournament games, make predictions for the upcoming MLB season, and ponder the future of college sports if the Supreme Court blows up the compensation restrictions of the NCAA.
February 2021 -- Indiana, Sports We Like, Billionaire Owners, Tiger's Endorsements
February 26, 2021 19:38 - 46 minutes - 45 MBThis month we explore why Indiana basketball isn't elite anymore, our current sports interests, impacts of billionaire owners, and how a golfer can become the top endorsement draw
January 2021 -- College Football Playoff Monopoly
January 14, 2021 18:25 - 46 minutes - 45 MBWe examine the paradox in college football of 4 teams dominating the playoffs while underneath that there is a lot of competition. We also look at the problem of "tanking" in sports leagues, the struggles of John Calipari and Kentucky Wildcat basketball, and take guesses as to whether Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens make it into the Hall of Fame.
December 2020 -- College Football Playoffs, Coach Buyouts, and Best & Worst of 2020
December 18, 2020 19:15 - 44 minutes - 41.4 MBWe discuss the college football playoff structure and teams, the sense and nonsense of big buyouts for college coaches, and identify our favorite and least favorite sports-related events for 2020 along with the NFL no-bubble decision and a new name for the Cleveland Indians.
November 2020 -- Minor Leagues & TV Viewership Decline
November 24, 2020 19:24 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBWe talk about the pending restructuring and takeover of minor league affiliations, locations, and operations by MLB along with reasons for the decline in viewership across sports since the restarts during the pandemic.
October 2020 -- Steroids, Risk-Sharing, & World Series
October 26, 2020 16:51 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBIn this episode, we discuss whether bans against the use of performance-enhancing drugs make sense along with minor-league risk sharing plans, and our views on the home run surge in MLB playoffs.
September 2020 -- Politics in Sports, Best Moments, MLB Playoffs
September 25, 2020 17:01 - 42 minutes - 39.3 MBThis month we discuss the dilemma facing sports leagues in dealing with politicized topics like racial discrimination. We also pick out some of the best moments in sports over the last few months and debate the expansion of MLB's playoffs and 2 out of 3 structure of the first round.
August 2020 -- College Football Chaos, Evaluating Restarts, Long Term Impacts
August 17, 2020 17:09 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBWe discuss the current turmoil surrounding the decision of the SEC, Big 12, and ACC to continue on track to play college football in the fall in spite of the Big 10 and Pac 12 calling off their fall season. In addition, discuss restarts in MLB and other sports -- which ones got it right and which rule changes we like and don't like. Finally, we consider how much of a long term impact the year's disruption may cause.
July 2020 -- MLB Predictions, Redskins Branding, NCAA Football
July 23, 2020 17:06 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MBThis month we make predictions for playoff berths and the World Series for the shortened Major League Baseball season along with discussing directions for the re-naming of the Washington Redskins, and whether and how the college football season will and should take place.
June 2020 -- Return of MLB, MLS, NBA, and NASCAR
June 17, 2020 17:10 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBWe discuss the state of MLB's season and the sticking points between owners and players in negotiations. We also look at MLS' very cool World-Cup style tournament, the NBA's resumption, and short and long term issues in NASCAR
May 2020 -- High Schoolers to NBA G-League, MLB's Most Overrated and Underrated
May 19, 2020 16:40 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBWe discuss the potential impact on NCAA basketball of a big increase in salary structure for star 18-year olds in the NBA's G-League. We also throw out names of MLB's current and all-time most overrated and underrated players, including some names likely to surprise like Rivera and Jeter.
April 2020 -- Restarting Sports & Cuts in NCAA Sports
April 21, 2020 18:33 - 48 minutes - 44.9 MBWe discuss the options and complexities of possible restarts of MLB, NBA, PGA, and other sports along with proposals by commissioners of major college conferences to suspend low-revenue sports because of the revenue impact of COVD.
March 2020 -- Baseball With Everything On Hold
March 22, 2020 19:42 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MBWith baseball and all other sports on hold, we discuss a variety of baseball topics including possible restarts to the season, which teams would benefit from a shortened season, not-too-longshots to win league pennants, favorite games of all-time, and most painful games
February 2020 -- Mookie Betts Trade, Volatility in College Basketball, & Pro Sports Profit Estimates
February 10, 2020 17:13 - 48 minutes - 44.9 MBWe debate the sense or nonsense of the Mookie Betts trade from the Red Sox to the Dodgers, reasons behind the growing number of upsets and struggles of big teams in college basketball, and the accuracy of media estimates of pro sports profits
January 2020 -- Astros Scandal, Paying NCAA Players, MLB Free Agency
January 14, 2020 20:10 - 50 minutes - 46.6 MBWe discuss the cheating scandal involving the Houston Astros and likely other teams along with the obstacles to paying college players and the MLB free agent signings.
December 2019 -- Sports Sponsors, Viewer Trends, and Analytics Blindspots
December 11, 2019 17:30 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MBWe discuss the reasons for sports sponsorships, trends in television viewership and what they mean for leagues, and the blindspots in the application of sports analytics
Episode 11 -- NBA & China, College Finances, & Rugby
November 01, 2019 18:53 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBWe discuss the NBA-China blowup and widen out to the broader topic of tradeoffs between making money and upholding various ethical principles whether for the NBA, MLB in the Astros-Osuna situation, or various NFL cases. We also take a brief look at the Rugby World Cup and why big money college athletics programs can't seem to make money.
Episode 10 -- MLB Playoffs & Income for NCAA Players
October 04, 2019 18:55 - 51 minutes - 47 MBWe examine the setup of the MLB Wild Card playoffs with suggestions for improvement, make projections for the playoffs, and discuss the implications and broader context of the California legislation permitting NCAA athletes to generate income.
Sept 2019: College Football Attendance, Andrew Luck, Ezekiel Elliott
September 06, 2019 18:41 - 51 minutes - 47.5 MBA discussion of the decline in college football attendance, causes, and remedies. The new NFL season, viewership trends, Andrew Luck's retirement, and Cowboys big contract to Ezekiel Elliott. Why the Astros hit homers but don't strike out much.
Episode 8 -- Likable and Unlikable Sports Figures, Limits of Analytics, MLB Shifts
August 06, 2019 19:03 - 53 minutes - 49.5 MBWho are our most liked and disliked sports figures? What are the limits of the use of analytics for managerial decisions in sports? Are extreme shifts for defensive purposes bad for baseball and should they be limited?
Episode 7 --NBA Free Agency, MLB Home Run Problem, and Equal Pay for Women's Soccer
July 12, 2019 18:21 - 56 minutes - 40.2 MBWe examine the forces behind the moves in the recent big moves in the NBA free agency and trade market. Then we discuss whether MLB has a crisis on its hands with the explosion of home runs and what they might do about it. Last, we look at the issue of whether the difference in pay for the US National Women's and Men's soccer teams is about discrimination or economic fundamentals
Episode 6 -- Issues Facing MLB
June 13, 2019 20:38 - 1 hour - 50.1 MBWe discuss the ongoing pace of play and length of game problems for MLB, automation of calling balls and strikes, Rougned Odor, Dallas Keuchel, Craig Kimbrel, and player pay
Episode 5 -- NHL Playoffs, NBA Playoffs, MLB Expansion
May 08, 2019 18:16 - 1 hour - 48.5 MBWe consider the NHL's strengths and weaknesses, the revival of scoring in the NBA over the past 20 years, and the cities on MLB's short list for possible expansion sites.
Episode 4 -- Tiger Woods' Popularity, NBA Playoff Format, MLB Strikeouts
April 10, 2019 23:47 - 46 minutes - 33 MBWe examine how the dominance of some superstars like Tiger Woods and some teams boost the popularity of a sport rather than diminishing it. We at the best of 7 playoff format for the NBA, and possible fixes for the high rate of strikeouts in MLB. We finish with a little bit on Bruce Pearl.
Episode 3 -- Harper & Machado Contracts, NCAA Basketball Tournament, Fan Experiences
March 06, 2019 15:41 - 52 minutes - 25.8 MBWe address whether the new contracts for Manny Machado and Bryce Harper make sense, the positives and negatives of NCAA men's basketball, and differences in "fan experiences" particularly for teams we have followed such as the Mets or Kentucky basketball.
Episode 2 -- NFL Viewership, MLB Pace of Play, and Atlanta as Soccer Central
February 08, 2019 21:14 - 43 minutes - 30.9 MBWe consider the decline in the 2019 Super Bowl viewership in context with the uptick in viewers for the NFL regular season and playoffs. We examine pace of play proposals for MLB along with how Atlanta has become a soccer center in the U.S.