Walker J. Ross, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Sport Business Management

I believe in educating the whole individual: mind, heart, and hands. Students need the knowledge and critical thinking skills to succeed; the heart to know the role of ethics in the industry as well as what success really means; and, the ability to put it all into practice. Engaging students in practical, hands-on sport industry experiences is essential for success in future careers.

- Walker J. Ross

Connect with
Walker J. Ross

building is Becker Business - room is 330
Phone 863.616.6432

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Biography

Dr. Ross teaches in the Sport Business Management program at FSC. As a professional, he has previously worked in marketing, promotions, and event management in NCAA Division I athletics as well as professional men's and women’s soccer. He has also volunteered his time in sportswear product testing and as a water polo coach.

Dr. Ross’ research interests mainly focus on sport ecology with a particular focus on venue management and the Olympic Games. This research has brought him to the International Olympic Committee headquarters and the International Olympic Academy. Dr. Ross’ work has been published in several impactful journals including Event Management, Managing Sport and Leisure, and Sport in Society, and has been featured in popular press articles from the BBC and Front Office Sports. He is a member of the Sport Ecology Group and the North American Society for Sport Management.

Education

PhD in Sport and Entertainment Management, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, August 2019

Seminar in Olympic Studies, International Olympic Academy, Olympia, Greece, September 2016

MS in Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, August 2016

BA in Environmental Ethics and Policy, University of Portland, Portland, OR, May 2014

 

Publications and Exhibitions

Peer Reviewed Journals

Zhou, R., Ross, W. J., Pu, H., Kim, J., Kim, C., Kaplanidou, K., & Leopkey, B. (2021). Exploring partnerships in sport event delivery. Event Management, 1(aop), 1-46.

Ross, W. J., & Mercado, H. (2020). Barriers to managing environmental sustainability in sport and entertainment venues. Sustainability, 12(24), 10477.

Mastromartino, B., Ross, W. J., Wear, H., & Naraine, M. L. (2020). Thinking outside the “box”: A discussion of sports fans, teams, and the environment in the context of COVID-19. Sport in Society, 23(11), 1707-1723.

Todd, S., Jones, C., & Ross, W. J. (2019). Employee motivation at the PBA Tour. Case Studies in Sport Management, 8(S1), 52-55.

Koba, T., Gong, H., Ross, W. J., Grady, J. (2019). Sustainable Olympic development: A sport law and policy perspective. Journal of Global Sport Management, 1(aop), 1-21.

Ross, W. J., Leopkey, B., & Mercado, H. (2019). Governance of Olympic environmental stakeholders. Journal of Global Sport Management, 4(4), 313-330.

Ross, W. J., & Leopkey, B. (2017). The adoption and evolution of environmental practices in the Olympic Games. Managing Sport and Leisure, 22(1), 1-18.

Ross, W. J., Malchrowicz-Mośko, E., & Rozmiarek, M. (2016). The ancient and modern Nemean Games – The evolution of socio-cultural and political functions. Studies in Sport Humanities, 19, 42-48.

Book Chapters

Ross, W. J. (2017). Identifying the major environmental stakeholders in the Olympic Games. In K. Georgiadis (Ed.), Olympic Studies: 23rd International Seminar on Olympic Studies for Postgraduate Students (pp. 195-205). Athens, Greece: International Olympic Academy.