Brian S. Gordon

Brian Gordon
  • Professor
  • Program Director, Sport Management Doctoral Program
  • Executive Director, Retro Marketing in Sport Research Center (RMSRC)
  • School of Education and Human Sciences, Department of Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences

Contact Info

Robinson Center 146C-1

Biography —

Brian S. Gordon, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences Department in Sport Management and has been a faculty member at the University of Kansas since 2015. Dr. Gordon is the Program Director of the Sport Management doctoral program and the Executive Director of the Retro Marketing in Sport Research Center (RMSRC). Dr. Gordon was the recipient of the 2026 North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Research Fellow Award as well as the 2025 Sport Marketing Association (SMA) Research Fellow Award. Dr. Gordon has published in journals such as the Journal of Sport Management, Sport Management Review, Sport Marketing Quarterly, and Journal of Brand Management. His research interests include retro marketing in sport, brand management of sport organizations, nostalgia, and strategic sport marketing management.

Education —

Ph.D. in Sport Management, Florida State University, 2010
M.S. in Sport Management, Southern Illinois University, 2006
B.A. in History/Pre-Law, Eastern Illinois University, 2003

Research —

Dr. Gordon's line of research lies within sport marketing focusing on consumer behavior/psychology, retro marketing, and brand management. Specifically, Dr. Gordon's contributions have furthered our understanding of fan engagement, retro marketing, sport consumer-based brand equity, and fan well-being. Dr. Gordon's research has applied and extended theories such as social identity theory, engagement theory, nostalgia, and brand equity.

Research interests:

  • Brand management
  • Retro Marketing
  • Fan engagement
  • Nostalgia

Teaching —

HSES 492 Athlete and Personal Branding.

HSES 486/842 Sport Marketing.

HSES 885 Sport Sponsorship. 

HSES 990 Sport Marketing/Consumer Behavior/Special Topics/Sport Management Academia (doctoral seminars)

HSES 380/830 Sociocultural Dimensions of Sport.

Selected Publications —

  1. Taniyev, O., & Gordon, B.S. (2026). Analyzing the athlete fan community phenomenon with older females. Activities, Adaptation, & Aging, 50(2), 323-348.

     

  2. Yoshida, M., Gordon, B.S., Paek, B., & Bredikhina, N. (2026). The bottom-up effects of fan engagement behavior and stadium attendance on flourishing: A three-wave data analysis in the context of professional sport. European Sport Management Quarterly, 26,(2), 296-317.

 

  1. Yoshida, M., Gordon, B.S., Paek, B., & James, J.D. (2025). Upward spirals of positive emotions: A three-wave data analysis of enjoyable leisure experiences and flourishing. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 34(3), 219-235.

 

 

  1. Gordon, B.S., Oja, B.D., Scola, Z., Paek, B., & Dillard, R. (2025). Examining the impact of CSR perceptions on consumer-based brand equity in the professional sport context. International Journal of Business Administration, 16(2), 74-89.

 

  1. Bogina, A., Aicher, T., & Gordon, B.S. (2025). A failed relationship or a great opportunity: Professional runner’s experience with sponsorship. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 34(2), 142-155.

 

  1. Gordon, B.S., Yoshida, M., Inoue, Y., & Biscaia, R. (2025). Sport fans and flourishing: Examining the mediating role of sport fan well-being in predicting flourishing. Journal of Sport Management, 39(3), 180-195.

 

  1. Statz, K., & Gordon, B.S. (2025). Antecedents of brand authenticity in cause-relate sport marketing campaigns. Journal of Applied Sport Management, 17(1), 20-31.

 

  1. Stark, D., Scola, Z., Bogina A., Enamutor, S., & Gordon, B.S. (2025). A qualitative examination of the social manifestations of participating in fantasy sports. Journal of Sport Behavior, 48(4), 47-64.

 

  1. Kumai, T. Yoshida, M., Inoue, Y., Gordon, B.S., & Biscaia, R. (2024). A multidimensional scale for assessing sport fan well-being: An examination in the context of professional baseball. Managing Sport and Leisure, 30(6), 1267-1283.

 

  1. Yoshida, M., Biscaia, R., Ulrich, S., Gordon, B.S., Huettermann, M, & Nakazawa, M. (2024). Fan engagement behavior: Validation of a theory-based scale. Journal of Sport Management, 38(2), 133-150. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2023-0075

 

  1. Scola, Z., Dwyer, B., & Gordon, B.S. (2023). Time will tell: Examining the role of nostalgia in retro sport merchandise purchase decisions. Sport, Business, and Management: An International Journal, 13(5), 548-562.

 

  1. Statz, K., Schmult, J., Bogina, A., & Gordon, B.S. (2023). Salute to service or to skepticism? An empirical analysis of military members’ perceptions of the NFL’s military campaign. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship.

 

  1. Scola, Z., Gordon, B.S., & Dwyer, B. (2022). Examining retro merchandise consumers in sport: Who prefers throwback merchandise and why? Journal of Applied Sport Management, 14(3), 20-29.

 

  1. Taniyev, O., Meyer, K.C., & Gordon, B.S. (2022). You can monetize it: Exploring athlete marketing practices with industry professionals. Journal of Applied Sport Management, 14(2), 23-33.

 

  1. Bogina, A., Feng, A., Connor, B., & Gordon, B.S. (2022). Navigating sport sponsorships: A new direction post-COVID 19. International Journal of Sport Management, 22(4), 233-255.

 

  1. Christian, R., Sarofim, S., Gordon, B.S., & Bobkowski, P. (2022). You’re getting warmer: Examining a “warmth effect” for sport brands in CRM. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 39(5), 550-562.

 

  1. Statz, K., Delia, L., & Gordon, B.S. (2022). Identification in sport and religion: Exploring the overlap between two group identities. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 31(2), 89-100. 

 

  1. Taniyev, O. & Gordon, B.S. (2022). Lead by example: An exploration of the athlete brand as a role model. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 31(1). 

 

  1. Oja, B., Gordon, B.S., & Hazzaa, R. (2022). Navigating psychological membership in sport organizations: Exploring sport employees’ identities. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. DOI: 10.1080/10413200.2021.2021563

 

  1. Taniyev, O., & Gordon, B.S. (2021). Making old cool: An examination of retro branding in sport. Global Sport Business Journal, 9, 39-58.

 

  1. Taniyev, O., & Gordon, B.S. (2021). Consumer-athlete brand relationship: A qualitative exploration of sport fans’ experiences. International Journal of Business Administration, 12(3), 86-97.

 

  1. Bogina, A., & Gordon, B.S. (2021). Investigating student-donor memberships within collegiate athletics. Journal of Amateur Sport, 7(2), 91-118. 

     

  2. Gordon, B.S., Yoshida, M., Nakazawa, M., & Bass, J.R. (2021). The role of pride feelings in the team and fan community identification processes: An empirical examination . Corporate Reputation Review, 24(2), 76-94. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41299-019-00092-y.

 

  1. Yoshida, M., Gordon, B.S., & James, J.D. (2021). Social capital and consumer happiness: toward an alternative explanation of consumer-brand identification. Journal of Brand Management, 28, 481-494.

 

  1. Stensland, P., Scola, Z., & Gordon, B.S. (2021). Exploring out-of-market fans in an NFL fan club. Global Sport Business Journal, 8(1), 105-123.

     

  2. Yoshida, M., Gordon, B.S., Nakazawa, M., & Yoshioka, N. (2021). An integrated model for stadium atmosphere and stadium attachment: An empirical test in two baseball stadium contexts. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 30(2), 95-110.

 

  1. Scola, Z., Wilkerson, Z., & Gordon, B.S. (2021). Perspectives on native American imagery from students at a premier tribal university. Journal of Amateur Sport, 7(2), 67-90.

 

Grants & Other Funded Activity —

  • University of Kansas School of Education and Human Sciences Summer Writing Support. “The influence of heritage perceptions and nostalgic feelings among NBA fans toward different types of logo redesigns.” Lawrence, KS. Grant funded. ($5,880.28). 2026 – Principal Investigator. 
  • University of Kansas International Affairs South, Southeast, and East Asia Fund. “Partnership development project with Hosei University.” Lawrence, KS. Grant funded. ($8,000). 2025 – Principal Investigator.
  • University of Kansas School of Education and Human Sciences Summer Writing Support. “The influence of heritage perceptions and nostalgic feelings among NBA fans toward different types of logo redesigns.” Lawrence, KS. Grant funded. ($11,760.57). 2025 – Principal Investigator. 
  • University of Kansas School of Education Summer Writing Support: “Examining the Impact of Retro Type, Apparel Brand, and Era on Nostalgic Feelings, Perceived Value, Brand Image, and Purchase Intentions Among Sport Consumers.” Lawrence, KS. Grant funded. ($11,760.57). 2023 – Principal Investigator
  • University of Kansas School of Education Summer Writing Support: “Building a Homefield advantage: Exploring the design process for retro collegiate apparel”. Lawrence, KS. Grant funded. ($3,294). 2021 – Principal Investigator