University of Michigan School of Kinesiology

FIFA World Cup access is becoming a luxury. Recently retired professor Stefan Szymanski breaks down the equity questions behind skyrocketing ticket prices in The Conversation US. https://myumi.ch/e7Adw

World Cup ticket prices have soared far beyond inflation. In 1994, the average ticket cost $58. In 2026, average prices have hovered around $1,300, with some final tickets selling for $10,000 or more.

The debate isn't just about the sport. It's about who gets access to major cultural events, and who gets priced out. Stefan Szymanski, Professor of Sport Management at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology, writes for The Conversation US.

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Not your average field trip for students in the Sport Management Immersion (SMI) Program.

This month, students traveled between Ann Arbor, Boston, and Detroit for a behind-the-scenes tour of the organizations, venues, and events that deliver many sport experiences to fans.

Visits to University of Michigan Athletics, the Boston Athletic Association for the Boston Marathon, the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, TD Garden, Detroit City FC at Keyworth Stadium, and Rosetti Design offered a closer look at the strategy, management, operations, and partnerships that go into some of the most recognizable sporting events—learning that behind every game, moment, and venue is a team making it happen.

The SMI Program is a unique opportunity for incoming first-year students, offering an early start and immersive experience in sport management within the traditional four-year degree timeline.

A Type 1 diabetes diagnosis could've sidelined Zach Jurcisin (SM '26). Instead, it became the foundation of everything he built at the University of Michigan.

With deep Michigan roots on both sides of his family, being a Wolverine was always part of the plan. What he didn't expect was that his diagnosis would become the catalyst for one of his biggest achievements here.

As president of the Michigan Sport Consulting Group, he learned how to build boards, manage relationships, and rally people around a singular goal. He brought that experience to the Jurcisin Family Foundation Fund for T1D at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, a foundation he created in partnership with Michigan Medicine and the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, to offer newly diagnosed patients and their families perspective that complements clinical care from someone living with it.

"It’s important to have those people in your life that are able to say, It's going to be pretty tough some days, and this is why. But here’s how you can manage it."

He's the kind of leader the Sport Management Program develops, one who builds a team around something bigger than themselves and leaves a legacy. https://myumi.ch/bDQNy

As FIFA World Cup ticket prices reach record highs, Jan Boehmer, assistant professor of sport management, spoke with Gothamist about the factors driving costs, including dynamic pricing and resale fees and the current state of the American sports marketplace—offering perspective on how this record-setting time is reshaping the fan experience. https://myumi.ch/nVZD2

What does it take to be known for dominating distance running?

In a new essay for Aeon, faculty member Geoff Burns and anthropologist Michael Crawley examine the philosophies behind Ethiopia’s extraordinary dominance in marathon running and what Western sports science may still have to learn from it.

Drawing from years of ethnographic fieldwork and elite sport science experience, the essay explores how Ethiopian runners approach training not as an individual pursuit driven by data and optimization, but as a collective effort rooted in trust, shared responsibility, and an intuitive understanding of energy.

While contrasted with modern endurance training, the highly quantified "Norwegian Method," which relies on heart-rate monitoring, blood lactate testing, and individualized precision, Ethiopian athletes often prioritize group dynamics, environmental feel, and the social exchange of effort. Rather than viewing performance as a purely engineered process, the essay argues that endurance expertise can also emerge through embodied knowledge, attunement to environment and, and lived experience.

The piece asks broader questions about how societies value different kinds of expertise, what may be lost through constant self-quantification, and why human connection remains central to performance.

Photo by Michael Crawley.

Muscle growth and strength training aren’t just about lifting heavier, but how we move in everyday life. In Healthline, Lindsey Lepley, associate professor of athletic training, and Laura Richardson, clinical associate professor of applied exercise science and movement science, explore the science behind eccentric exercise, an often-overlooked form of training that may help build strength with less strain on the body. https://myumi.ch/d8N3R

We are proud to congratulate six faculty members whose promotions were recently approved by the University of Michigan Board of Regents. 🎉

Please join us in celebrating (from left to right) Jacob M. Haus, professor with tenure, Dae Hee Kwak, professor with tenure, Andrew T. Ludlow, associate professor with tenure, Brian P. McCullough, professor with tenure, Laura A. Richardson, clinical professor, and Michael Vesia, associate professor with tenure.

Their dedication to teaching, research, and service continues to elevate our school and the field of kinesiology.

Today, we remember and honor those who gave their lives in service to our country. Wishing our Kinesiology community a meaningful Memorial Day.

On this , we honor and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Hailing from Singapore, Letitia Sim (AES '26) grew up in Alabama, trained in Ann Arbor, and competed in Paris. One of her biggest lessons at Michigan was learning that the best version of herself emerged when she started showing up for others, just like others showed up for her—as a team captain, an Olympian, and in the lab. https://myumi.ch/ykr48

Recruited for swimming, she found the balance between sport and academics she was looking for, and discovered the two were never really separate. Along the way: a gap year to qualify for the 2024 Olympics representing Singapore, neuromuscular physiology research, and a Big Ten Conference championship all under her cap.

"There were definitely really challenging times, both academically and within the sport, but without the support here of the people, the professors, the coaches, I would not be where I am today."

With more to achieve in athletics and beyond, she's heading back to Singapore to train, then on to a master's in sports science.