Papers by Steven Apostolov, Ph.D.
Professional soccer in the United States enjoyed several moments of popularity throughout the 20t... more Professional soccer in the United States enjoyed several moments of popularity throughout the 20th century. Professional soccer leagues were founded, some as early as the 1890s. In spite of that, the sport has never caught fire at the professional level. Soccer leagues have not only been in the shadow of baseball, football, basketball and, most recently, ice hockey, but with the exception of Major League Soccer (MLS), a newcomer on the mainstream sporting scene, all of them have folded within a couple of decades. This paper provides insight as to why professional soccer has failed to attain the status of a major American sport. This paper also analyzes the development of professional soccer in the US through the scope of immigration and from the perspective of Massachusetts
Several scholars, journalists and players have described Hristo Stoitchkov as an obnoxious and ra... more Several scholars, journalists and players have described Hristo Stoitchkov as an obnoxious and racist individual. Based on interviews with him and people who have coached him and evolved as players under his mentorship, this essay will challenge those assumptions. Stoitchkov’s achievements at FC Barcelona and in the World Cup are well known to many soccer historians, biographers and aficionados. Therefore, his accomplishments as a player will not be the focus of this piece. Instead, this biographical essay will focus on Stoitchkov’s contribution to the development of young players and his coaching career in the US, Spain, South Africa and Bulgaria.
Zinedine Zidane was one of the best players of the late 1990s and the early 2000s. His achievemen... more Zinedine Zidane was one of the best players of the late 1990s and the early 2000s. His achievements as a soccer player are well-known and are documented in a few well-written biographies. Therefore, this essay will focus on lesser-known aspects of his life, such as charity, humanitarian work, and, to some degree, diplomacy. During his short and historic visit to Algeria in 2006, he was successful in improving Franco-Algerian relations considerably, something that many politicians had failed to do in previous decades.
Teaching Documents by Steven Apostolov, Ph.D.
This is a capstone class in which students will utilize knowledge gained from previous sport mana... more This is a capstone class in which students will utilize knowledge gained from previous sport management courses to analyze problems pertaining to sport facility construction, event/facility management, law, risk management, finance, and marketing of professional sports. They will be engaged in weekly learning activities which will enhance their skills in writing, critical thinking, oral communication, and information literacy. Each student should write a term paper. Term paper topics should have to do with different aspects related to the business of sports (e.g., “The Role of Soccer Specific Stadiums for the Future Development of MLS” or “How do Sport Videogames Impact Major Professional Leagues in the United States?” or “What is the Role of Media on the Development of Professional Sport?”, etc). Students are indeed free to choose another topic. They should however discuss it with the instructor and get it approved by him before they start to work on their presentations and thereafter term papers. Please note that social science topics are excluded from this class.
This course provides a foundation in the application of financial methods and procedures for spor... more This course provides a foundation in the application of financial methods and procedures for sport enterprises. Topics include the development and management of budgets, financial strategies for debt service, ticket and concession sales, corporate sponsorship, licensing sport merchandise, fundraising, and franchising. This course discusses the financial concepts and theories and their application in the professional, intercollegiate, and commercial sport industries. The student will also study the various activities involved in sport financial administration.
This course examines the relationship between sport and society. Students will develop an underst... more This course examines the relationship between sport and society. Students will develop an understanding of how sport, professional and amateur, can influence life. This course addresses social issues from within the sports world, how they are perceived, and how fans respond to them. The various perceptions and social limits of sport across diverse cultures will also be studied. Social and cultural history of sports and its influence on our social institutions, such as politics, the economy, and government will be examined. Issues related to race, gender, deviance and social problems, and youth socialization in relationship to sports will all be discussed.
The course follows the evolution of the World Cup from 1930 through the present day. It analyses ... more The course follows the evolution of the World Cup from 1930 through the present day. It analyses how nationalism and fascism in the 1930s used the tournament to buttress their doctrines and shows how the World Cup helped an entire nation to shed guilt and humiliation inflicted by the Second World War. It examines how the change of leadership in FIFA affected the commercialization of soccer. The course also deals with the most recent World Cups, the emergence of new soccer powers like the United States, Australia, Japan and Korea, and the organization of the first tournament on African soil. Last but not least, the course will discuss issues such as Brazil’s frantic preparations for the 2014 World Cup and accusations of corruption within the ranks of FIFA. Issues such as sexuality, human trafficking in soccer and organized crime will be also discussed.
Book Reviews by Steven Apostolov, Ph.D.
Thesis Chapters by Steven Apostolov, Ph.D.
A travers le XXe siècle, le soccer professionnel connut à maintes reprises des périodes de popula... more A travers le XXe siècle, le soccer professionnel connut à maintes reprises des périodes de popularité aux Etats-Unis. En effet, au cours des années 1890 une ligue professionnelle de soccer existait déjà. Malgré la popularité du soccer et la présence de nombreuses ligues professionnelles, le soccer n’a jamais pu survivre au cours du XXe siècle en tant que sport professionnel plus de quelques décennies. Même à l’heure actuelle, Major League Soccer (MLS) - la jeune ligue du soccer professionnel - est dans l’ombre du baseball, du football, du basketball and du hockey sur glace. Cette dissertation doctorale d’une part explique pourquoi le soccer continue d’avoir si peu de succès comparé aux autres sports majeurs américains et d’autre part analyse l’évolution du soccer professionnel aux Etats-Unis à travers les flux migratoires dans l’Etat du Massachusetts.
Uploads
Papers by Steven Apostolov, Ph.D.
Teaching Documents by Steven Apostolov, Ph.D.
Book Reviews by Steven Apostolov, Ph.D.
Thesis Chapters by Steven Apostolov, Ph.D.