This week we had the honor to interview again Dr. Ron Dick, associate professor of sports marketing at Duquesne University in the school of business. Ron also worked for 20 years in sports, including 15 years in the NBA with the Sixers and the Nets, and then five years in the NCAA.
You can watch the video interview below or you can listen to the audio interview above:
📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on:
College Football
MLB’s end of the season and playoffs
WNBA season: WNBA commission retirement.
NFL season
2026 US Open tennis
NBA season
NHL season
LIV Golf - bankruptcy
You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Ron located at the top of this blog post.
Here are some of the best quotes of our conversation with Ron:
1. College Football
“Only 12% of the 138 schools playing at the highest level of college football attract 70,000 or more fans per home game. For the universities that do not regularly sell out 70,000- or 100,000-seat stadiums, covering the mezzanine or second level with sponsorship signage could be the way of the future.”
“By covering those upper sections, you force everybody into the lower bowl. I think that dresses up the stadium for television, makes the atmosphere appear more intimate and brings the fans closer together.”
“There are only eight universities that attract 100,000 or more fans virtually every game. That includes Michigan, Penn State, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Texas, Tennessee, LSU and Alabama.”
“It is difficult to pick the single best college football atmosphere, but I would put Michigan, Penn State, Ohio State, Texas, LSU, Alabama and Tennessee near the top. If I had to choose, I would probably call Michigan and Ohio State a tie.”
2. MLB End of the Season and Playoffs
“MLB is getting ready to head into the playoffs. Atlanta is four games ahead of Philadelphia, Milwaukee should win the Central, the Cubs are playing well, and the Dodgers should win the West. Arizona and San Diego are fighting for that final National League wild-card spot.”
“In the American League, it looks as though three teams could come out of the East. Tampa Bay is four games ahead of the Yankees, and Boston is right there. We also have close races in the Central and another battle in the West between Houston, Texas and Seattle.”
“It should be a great final three weeks of the season. I hope we all enjoy the playoffs because we may not have a 2027 season.”
“It is hard to kill the heart of a champion, but I think the Phillies are finally going to break through and make it to the World Series. I believe they will play the Tampa Bay Rays in a rematch of the 2008 World Series.”
3. WNBA Season and Commissioner’s Retirement
“Cathy Engelbert has been the commissioner of the WNBA since 2019 and has decided to retire effective July 1, 2027. Looking at her seven years with the league, her tenure has been very polarizing. Some developments have been great and unprecedented, while other issues have become political, petty and divisive.”
“On the positive side, players’ salaries have increased by 300% to 400%, teams now travel by charter instead of flying commercially, and franchise values have exploded—particularly the value of the New York Liberty.”
“The league is expanding to 18 teams by 2030, with Philadelphia receiving a team that year. That is all positive for the WNBA, and Cathy Engelbert deserves credit for overseeing that growth.”
“Players with superstar power, such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, have really catapulted the league to a higher level. When the tide comes in, all the ships go up, so the league should focus on how that attention can benefit everybody.”
“There are still some issues the players and their union need to figure out. But overall, from a financial perspective, Cathy Engelbert’s tenure was a success, and we wish her all the best.”
4. NFL Season
“The NFL season begins with a Super Bowl rematch between the Patriots and Seattle. That is very exciting and a great way to kick-start the season.”
“There is also a game in Melbourne, Australia, featuring the 49ers and the Rams. At least the NFL selected two West Coast teams that are already geographically leaning toward Australia.”
“Melbourne is a beautiful city, and it is also where the Australian Open is played. After the international game, the full slate of NFL games begins on Sunday, and the season will officially be off and running.”
5. 2026 US Open Tennis
Dr. Dick did not provide a detailed assessment or prediction about the US Open. After the host discussed the leading players and the state of the tournament, Dr. Dick said:
“That will all be wrapped up in a couple of days. We will see what happens this weekend.”
Most of the tennis commentary in this section—including the discussion of Carlos Alcaraz, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Naomi Osaka and Coco Gauff—came from the host.
6. NBA Season
“After LeBron signed with Philadelphia as a free agent on July 24, ticket sales increased 470-fold. That is an extraordinary increase and demonstrates the level of excitement surrounding his arrival.”
“The October 16 preseason game between the Celtics and the Sixers is currently the highest-selling NBA preseason game on StubHub’s secondary market, even though star players historically do not always play in preseason games.”
“The Sixers will open the regular season against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Philadelphia on October 22. That was probably not scheduled by accident, and demand for those tickets is through the roof.”
“NBA League Pass subscriptions are up 10%. I will probably buy the package because I would like to watch all the craziness surrounding LeBron in Philadelphia and then follow what happens when the Sixers go on the road.”
“League Pass gives fans a convenient way to watch games at their leisure. The highlights and condensed-game formats are also valuable because they allow you to see the most important moments without having to watch the entire game.”
7. NHL Season
“NHL rookie training camps begin on September 11. The veterans arrive on September 16 and 17, and then the teams jump directly into their preseason schedules.”
“The first Penguins game will be in Philadelphia on September 30. What a great way to start the season, with two archrivals playing each other after also meeting in last year’s playoffs.”
“The Flyers beat the Penguins in the playoffs last year, so opening the new season against each other should create a very intense and exciting atmosphere.”
“As far as predicting who will win the Stanley Cup in June, I have no idea yet. I am not ready to go out on a limb and select a champion at this point.”
8. LIV Golf Bankruptcy
“LIV Golf has gone bankrupt. You do the best you can to keep a league afloat, but if the sponsorship revenue is not there, it becomes extremely difficult to sustain the business.”
“LIV Golf always overpaid the players, and that is why so many of them—not all, but many—jumped at the money and decided to join the league.”
“Those players get to keep the money they received. Now, hopefully, they can return to playing on the PGA Tour, and the sport can begin to heal some of the wounds that were created by the division.”
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This week we had the honor to interview again Dr. Ron Dick, associate professor of sports marketing at Duquesne University in the school of business. Ron also worked for 20 years in sports, including 15 years in the NBA with the Sixers and the Nets, and then five years in the NCAA.