Anton Schulz - Research

Research Interets

My research examines how sport organizations, athletes, and other stakeholders respond to change in the sport industry, with a particular focus on sport marketing, intercollegiate athletics, and organizational adaptation. One major part of my work explores name, image, and likeness (NIL), athlete commercialization, sponsorship, consumer behavior, and the evolving business model of college sport. In addition, my research engages with responsible sport marketing, including sustainability, accessibility, and fan engagement, as well as innovation in sport management education, particularly the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning.

Notable Publications

• Bertazzo Tobar, F., Karimi, M., Schulz, A., & Oliveira, J. R. (2026). Environmental sustainability in play at the UEFA EURO 2024: Fans’ travel motivations, post-event behaviours, and fan-led recommendations for UEFA EURO 2028. Soccer & Society, 1-21.
• Schulz, A., Perfilova, I., Arsova, I., Mayer, C., Zahra, F., & Graham, J. A. (2026). Artificial intelligence in the sport marketing classroom. Sport Management Education Journal, 1(aop), 1-10.
• Schulz, A., Berry, I., Arsova, I., & Graham, J. (2026). Social media analysis of sponsorship activation during the 2024 Paralympic games: A mixed methods approach. Managing Sport and Leisure, 1-21.
• Schulz, A. & Graham, J. (2025). Breaking ground: Understanding motivations and athlete selection criteria for non-involved companies in NIL sponsorship. Case Studies in Sport Management. 4(1), 41-45.
• Graham, J. A., Schulz, A., & Trendafilova, S. (2025). Environmental sustainability and the Olympics: Crafting the future. Journal of Olympic Studies, 6(1), 89-124.

Grants and Research Funding

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville Graduate Student Senate Travel Award, $500, funded, 2025
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville Graduate Student Senate Travel Award, $1,000, funded, 2024
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville Graduate Student Senate Travel Award, $200, funded, 202
• United States Tennis Association Sport Science Research Grant, co-investigator, $36,000, not funded, 2026
• ACC Innovation Grant, researcher, $3,506, not funded, 2025