“Sports are a perfect laboratory for economics: it provides tremendous amounts of data and real-world outcomes that allow us to test the models we teach. But what makes sports especially compelling to me is that it goes beyond the numbers—it brings communities together, creates joy and emotion, gives people an escape, and provides a shared experience in a way very few industries can. In Kentucky, you only must look at BBN to see that.” -Professor Darshak Patel
Inside Gatton’s Sports Economics Class
The ECO 393: Sports Economics class offers undergraduate students a fascinating look behind the scenes of the multi-billion-dollar sports industry. Led by Professor Darshak Patel, the course applies core economic theories and models to some of the biggest questions shaping modern athletics. Students debate whether taxpayers and cities should subsidize stadiums or host mega-events, whether superstar athletes are underpaid or overpaid, how discrimination affects sports labor markets and how NIL is changing college athletics.
Students also learn how to turn sports data into a compelling story. Through Tableau data-visualization projects, they move beyond simply analyzing data and practice identifying patterns, communicating insights, and presenting evidence in a way that helps an audience understand what the data means.
Beyond the traditional classroom setting, the course emphasizes immersive learning. Students connect theory and data to practice through interactive experiences, including a behind-the-scenes visit to iconic Rupp Arena, where they learned about marketing, ticketing, event operations and execution and even visited the visiting team locker room.
A Star-Studded Lineup of Guest Speakers
What truly sets Gatton's sports economics course apart is its regular rotation of high-profile guest speakers. Professor Patel frequently brings in prominent executives, media personalities and athletic leaders to give students direct access to industry pioneers. Recent highlights from the classroom's guest lineup include:
Mitch Barnhart, Larry Cash, & Katie Eiserman: Students received a surprise when former UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart joined Larry Cash and Katie Eiserman in class. The trio gave students a firsthand look at the financial, strategic, and operational realities of modern college athletics.
Mark Morris: Senior Vice President & General Manager, North America at Teamworks, Morris shared his background and career journey, the story behind the founding of Teamworks, and the important problems the company set out to solve in sports. His enthusiasm and energy left students with an inspiring look at entrepreneurship, innovation, and the business of sports.
Matt Crews: The founder and CEO behind the Music City Grand Prix shared his entrepreneurial journey and his newest venture connected to efforts to bring the World Rally Championship (WRC) back to the United States. Many students began the session knowing little about WRC and left with a much stronger understanding of the sport and the business behind major motorsports events.
Ricky Lumpkin: A former Kentucky football player and NFL defensive end, Lumpkin shared a perspective few students get to hear firsthand: what it takes to move from college athletics to professional football and then build a career after playing. His path also brought him back to the University of Kentucky, giving students a valuable look at the athlete experience both during and after a professional career.
Katie Krall: Krall brought a unique data-driven baseball perspective shaped by experience across Major League Baseball, the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Hawk-Eye Innovations, and sports education. Her career has connected analytics, scouting, player development, baseball operations, biomechanics, and front-office decision-making, showing students how data is increasingly embedded throughout the modern sports industry.
Patrick Daugherty: A Gatton economics alum and Vice President of Partnerships at GRIDLIFE, Daugherty shared his career path in brand strategy, sponsorships, and motorsports partnerships. His experience includes work connected to NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One, and Valvoline, giving students an inside look at how brands use partnerships, storytelling, and fan engagement in motorsports.
By blending economic analysis, data storytelling, classroom debate, direct access to industry professionals and behind-the-scenes experiences, the sports economics class at Gatton College gives students a richer understanding of how the business of sports truly operates.
