Publications

01 Dec 2003
News

Center Court

annually attended sporting event in the world — can only help Schwartz in his primary aim: getting more Americans to pick up a racket and become players. “I want 30 million by 2010,” Schwartz told the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (July 13,... View Details

Keywords: Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries

01 Dec 2009
News

Scrum-Thing Special

A long-standing ritual was upheld on a crisp October afternoon when the HBS Rugby Football Club took to the pitch against the “Old Boys” alumni team. Jim Johnstone and Morris McInnes (both MBA ’65) first organized the sport on campus;... View Details

Keywords: rugby; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries

01 Mar 2015
News

3-Minute Briefing: Angela Ruggiero (MBA 2014)

strong enough to make the cut. My dad said, “Look, you can choose to give up. Or the next time, you can be the best player so there’s no way they can cut you.” After that I had focus, determination, and something to prove. Less than 5 percent of View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; Olympics; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries

January 2014 (Revised April 2025)
Supplement

The PGA Tour (F)

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Cole Magrath

In 1994, the PGA Tour (the "Tour"), the dominant incumbent professional golf circuit, had created tremendous value for its players. In the 1974 season, players competed for $8 million in prize money; by the 1994 season, the total prize purse had increased to $56... View Details

Keywords: PGA Tour; Tim Finchem; Deane Beman; Golf; Professional Golf; Business Model; Value Creation; Adaptation; Sports; Business Strategy; Sports Industry; United States

January 2014 (Revised April 2025)
Supplement

The PGA Tour (E)

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Cole Magrath

In 1994, the PGA Tour (the "Tour"), the dominant incumbent professional golf circuit, had created tremendous value for its players. In the 1974 season, players competed for $8 million in prize money; by the 1994 season, the total prize purse had increased to $56... View Details

Keywords: PGA Tour; Tim Finchem; Deane Beman; Golf; Professional Golf; Business Model; Value Creation; Adaptation; Sports; Business Strategy; Sports Industry; United States

August 2005 (Revised March 2006)
Case

Moneyball (A): What Are You Paying For?

By: Frances X. Frei, Dennis Campbell and Eliot Sherman

Explores the contextual elements of Major League Baseball and presents data to allow for an analytic examination of alleged market inefficiencies within the sport. View Details

Keywords: Market Design; Performance; Sports; Compensation and Benefits; Sports Industry; United States

February 1999 (Revised August 2004)
Case

Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)

By: Stephen A. Greyser

Chronicles the background of the founding of the WNBA, its basic business concept, some of the key research information used by the NBA in launching it, and other related information. Students must analyze the "basic business model" involved and compare it to that of... View Details

Keywords: Business Model; Research; Outcome or Result; Sports; Gender; Sports Industry

Keywords: Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries

Find at Harvard

04 May 2018
News

How to Win the Kentucky Derby

way our business has evolved and our industry has progressed, there are very few people who are not in a position to invest in a horse. You can get into a piece of a horse for a couple thousand dollars. Hanna: Oh, that was one of my... View Details

Keywords: horse racing

01 Dec 2013
News

Faster, Bigger, Stronger: Supersizing the NFL

demographics of America shift," he explains. With a relatively short season compared to other sports leagues, the NFL has scored by developing the off-season draft and scouting combine into days-long, high-powered media events. This could... View Details

June 2019
Teaching Note

The National Hockey League

By: Robert F. Higgins and John Masko

Teaching Note for HBS No. 819-036. View Details

Keywords: Sports; Media; Multinational Firms and Management; Expansion; Strategy; Sports Industry; United States; Canada

October 2013
Article

Ferguson's Formula

By: Anita Elberse and Sir Alex Ferguson

When Alex Ferguson took over as manager of the English football team Manchester United, the club was in dire straits: It hadn't won a league title in nearly 20 years and faced a very real threat of being relegated to a lower division. In 26 seasons under Ferguson,... View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Business or Company Management; Management Style; Success; Sports; Sports Industry; England

Find at Harvard

August 2005 (Revised September 2006)
Case

The NFL

By: John R. Wells and Travis Haglock

From 10-cent tickets to $17 billion television contracts, examines how a game became a multibillion dollar industry. Looks at the birth and growth of the NFL, how the NFL responded to competitive challenges, how the NFL maximized revenues, revenue sharing, the salary... View Details

Keywords: Business Growth and Maturation; Groups and Teams; Sports; Corporate Finance; Sports Industry; United States

March 2004 (Revised April 2004)
Background Note

Seeing What's on Red Auerbach's Mind

By: Joseph B. Lassiter III and John T. Gourville

Analysis of an interview with Red Auerbach, HBR No. 87201. Alan M. Webber, who conducted the interview, probed for the lessons that Auerbach has learned from a long and productive career coaching and managing the Boston Celtics, a professional basketball team in the... View Details

Keywords: Markets; Research; Sports; Product Development; Communication Intention and Meaning; Sports Industry

August 2019 (Revised September 2019)
Case

Dirk Nowitzki: Changing the Game

By: Boris Groysberg, Sascha L. Schmidt and Evan M.S. Hecht

NBA Superstar Dirk Nowitzki was unsure whether the 2018–2019 season would be his last as an NBA player. He had not faced such uncertainty since 1998, when he had navigated a difficult decision regarding the timing of his move to the NBA. He also did not know what he... View Details

Keywords: Career Decisions; Career Journey; ＂Sports Organizations,; Mentoring; Retirement; Sports; Performance; Training; Personal Development and Career; Sports Industry; United States

January 2014 (Revised April 2025)
Supplement

The PGA Tour (D)

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Cole Magrath

In 1994, the PGA Tour (the "Tour"), the dominant incumbent professional golf circuit, had created tremendous value for its players. In the 1974 season, players competed for $8 million in prize money; by the 1994 season, the total prize purse had increased to $56... View Details

Keywords: PGA Tour; Tim Finchem; Deane Beman; Golf; Professional Golf; Business Model; Value Creation; Adaptation; Sports; Business Strategy; Sports Industry; United States

November 2003 (Revised January 2005)
Case

San Francisco Giants

By: William A. Sahlman and Elizabeth Kind

Larry Baer, executive vice-president and COO, was eager to improve profitability for the San Francisco Giants baseball team. Over the last few years, the Giants have had a number of successes. They successfully built the first privately financed ball park in over 30... View Details

Keywords: Buildings and Facilities; Business or Company Management; Success; Sports; Sports Industry; San Francisco

Keywords: Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries; Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries

01 Jun 2008
News

Linking Donors, Students

guests. “I am inspired and empowered by your philanthropy, and I am determined to offer a strong return on your investment,” she said, citing her future goal of launching a nonprofit arts and sports center in the Brooklyn neighborhood... View Details

January 2014 (Revised April 2025)
Teaching Note

The PGA Tour

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Cole Magrath

Teaching Note for HBS Case Nos. 714-442, 714-443, 714-444, 714-445, 714-446, 714-447. View Details

Keywords: PGA Tour; Tim Finchem; Deane Beman; Golf; Professional Golf; Business Model; Value Creation; Adaptation; Sports; Business Strategy; Sports Industry; United States

January 2014 (Revised April 2025)
Supplement

The PGA Tour (C)

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Cole Magrath

In 1994, the PGA Tour (the "Tour"), the dominant incumbent professional golf circuit, had created tremendous value for its players. In the 1974 season, players competed for $8 million in prize money; by the 1994 season, the total prize purse had increased to $56... View Details

Keywords: PGA Tour; Tim Finchem; Deane Beman; Golf; Professional Golf; Business Model; Value Creation; Adaptation; Sports; Business Strategy; Sports Industry; United States