News — AU Experts Available to Discuss the Money Behind March Madness
What: On March 17 -- Selection Sunday -- the National Collegiate Athletic Association will reveal the names of the 68 universities that will be invited to its men’s and women’s basketball championship tournament. American University experts are available to discuss the impact of recent events that have shaken the world of college sports: NIL (name, image likeness) payments to athletes; legalized sports gambling; attempts by some college teams to unionize, branded "journalism," etc.
When: March 13, 2024 – ongoing
Where: On campus, in-studio, Zoom
Background: American University experts who are available for interviews:
is the managing director of the Kogod Tax Policy Center and professorial lecturer in the Kogod School of Business. She has released ground-breaking research in the areas of AI and the gig economy as it relates to tax administration. Prior to working at American University, she was the chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee for Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Prof. Bruckner can comment on taxes as it relates to sports betting.
is a professorial lecturer in the School of Communication. Mollica is a seasoned strategic communication professional with more than 20 years of experience working as a journalist, news producer, and PR professional. He has worked for NBC and Comcast SportsNet. Prof. Mollica is available to comment and discuss topics related to sports teams and leagues and how they use social and digital media to build and foster fan feedback, as well as the evolution of team-branded journalism.
is the program director of the Online Master of Science (M.S.) in Sports Analytics & Management at American University. Prof. Winkler has more than two decades of global sports industry experience working in the NCAA, NHL, WNBA, MLS, the Olympics, and World Cups. Winkler is a co-author of a forthcoming The Big Book of Sports Business (Cognella, 2025). He is a co-founder and executive director of , an annual national career industry and networking event that was launched in 2005. Winkler can comment on topics that include recruitment of college athletes, economics of seeding, and the ways in which TV networks are impacting these changes.
Media: To speak with AU experts, please contact AU Media: [email protected] or 202-885-5950.
About American University
American University leverages the power and purpose of scholarship, learning, and community to impact our changing world. AU’s faculty, students, staff, and alumni are changemakers who shape the future from sustainability to social justice to the sciences. Building on our 128-year history of education and research in the public interest, we say to addressing the world’s pressing issues. Our comprehensive campaign creates transformative educational opportunities, advances research with impact, and builds stronger
RSS