GW Experts: NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament Kicks Off

March Madness tips off this afternoon, with men’s NCAA basketball teams going head-to-head today and the women’s tournament officially kicking off tomorrow. Interest and enthusiasm in the women’s game has exploded, in large part thanks to Caitlin Clark, an Iowa Hawkeyes guard and now the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer.

Faculty experts at the George Washington University are available to offer insight, analysis and commentary on March Madness, including topics related to personal branding, sports tourism and the future of streaming in sports. If you would like to speak with an expert, please contact GW Media Relations Specialist Cate Douglass at [email protected].

Lisa Delpy Neirotti is the director of the MS in Sport Management Program and an associate professor of Sport Management. She has been a professor of sport, event, and tourism management GW for more than 30 years. Delpy Neirotti helped develop the Sport Philanthropy Certificate, which serves to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of non-profit organizations using sport for social good. She also directs the GW Green Sports Scorecard to help increase the sustainability of sport facilities, organizations and events. Beyond her responsibilities at GW, Dr. Delpy Neirotti works with a number of sport event organizations, sponsors, and professional teams to conduct economic and market research studies including the Olympic Games, World Cup, and College Football Bowl Games, among others.

Meredith Geisler is a visiting assistant professor of sport management with over 30 years of experience in sports public relations. Prior to her appointment at GW, Meredith was senior vice president of communications for Tandem Sports + Entertainment, a full-service sports and entertainment agency with expertise in athlete management, talent representation, marketing, communications and publicity services. Tandem represents some of the biggest stars in professional sports and broadcasting, including elite NBA and WNBA athletes, broadcasters, coaches, industry executives and sports organizations. Prior to helping launch Tandem in 2013, Meredith founded sports PR company Meredith communications and previously held senior roles at Advantage International (now Octagon), Fila USA, Total Sports and eoSports.

In a recent interview with CNN Newsource, Geisler said of growing interest in women’s NCAA basketball, “The game has gotten so good. The players have gotten so good. The storylines have gotten so good.”

Melinda Roth is a visiting associate professor of law at the George Washington University Law School. Roth has two decades of experience at the World Bank. In addition to her private and financial sector development and risk management,  Roth teaches Sports Law at GW Law. She has experience comparing (legalized) sports betting and stock market investing and to contrast and compare the regulatory frameworks of investments.

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