Faculty

Aaron Mansfield

Academic Title

Assistant Professor, Sport Management

Contact Information

Research Interests

Sports Fandom
Physical Health
Sports Marketing
Sports Consumer Behavior

Research Summary

My research centers on the relationship between sports fandom and physical health. In other words, I research how your loyal Patriots fandom will impact your lifespan and healthspan.

Education

Ph.D., Management, UMass Amherst
M.S., Sport Management, UMass Amherst
B.A., English & Journalism, University of Buffalo

Areas of Expertise

Sport Fandom
Consumer Behavior
Fitness
Nutrition

Recent Publications

Mansfield, A. C., Melton, N. M., & Katz, M. (2022). An Analysis of Identity Conflict for Health-Conscious Sport Fans. Journal of Sport Management.
Mansfield, A. C., Katz, M., & Delia, E. B. (2021). The Identity Work of Health-Conscious Sport Fans. Journal of Sport Management.
Delia, E.B., Sveinson, K., Mansfield, A. C., & Calow, E. (2022). Understanding the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Fan Identity. Sport Management Review.
Mansfield, A. C. (2020). ‘Count the Ways That It Impacts Your Life’: New Parenthood and Sport Fandom. Journal of Sport Management.
Mansfield, A. C., Delia, E. B., & Katz, M. (2019). The blurry spectrums of team identity threat. Sport Management Review.
Katz, M., Mansfield, A. C., & Tyler, B. D. (2019). The Strength of Fan Ties: Emotional Support in Sport Fan Egocentric Networks. Journal of Sport Management

Honors and Awards

Strategic Academic Research Trajectory Package (START) Recipient — Merrimack College (2022)
Outstanding Doctoral Student Researcher – Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst, 2020
Student Research Competition Finalist – North American Society for Sport Management, 2019
Isenberg School of Management Fellowship Award – Isenberg School of Management, UMass Amherst, 2017
National College Media Leader of the Year – College Media Association, 2014

Teaching

I teach courses in sport management and marketing, focusing on real-world applications that will help my students construct meaningful careers.

Professional Experience

I have worked in sports media as an editor (ESPN), reporter (The Buffalo News), freelance writer (New York Times, USA Today), and TV producer (WGRZ-TV). I stay involved in this world as a contributing writer for Complex. I also served as an account manager at SMT (SportsMEDIA Technologies), where I worked on the broadcast production of sporting events including the Stanley Cup Finals and NCAA Tournament. Finally, I began my career in coaching basketball, serving as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Amherst College and as a high school head coach in my hometown of Buffalo, N.Y.

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