Tulane Center for Sport receives $5.5 million gift from Hertz Family Foundation

Sport, a common thread that can unite people from every culture across the globe, is an integral part of everyday life. The central mission for the Tulane Center for Sport is devoted to the study, research and support of all areas where sport engages society, not only as entertainment or competition on the field of play but in human health, complex legal issues, labor agreements, sports marketing and finance, media, data analytics, venue architecture and much more.  

Tulane University is uniquely situated to bring together academics and the subject of sport through the Tulane Center for Sport, which is designed to harnesses the unique power of sport to educate, improve and inspire. This innovative and interdisciplinary center has received a $5.5 million gift from the Douglas J. Hertz Family Foundation, Inc.  

The Hertz Family Foundation fund will support initiatives for current faculty members and leadership, attract prominent faculty members, visiting professors and adjunct instructors to the center while continuing to support and expand its existing nationally recognized programs, along with building on emerging industry sectors.   

The gift will also assist with an administrative position that will oversee the planning, coordination and implementation of sports law competitions, the Tulane Sports Executives Club, the Tulane Center for Sport Speaker Series, career services opportunities and other initiatives.

“This generous gift continues the Hertz family tradition of providing transformative support to the academic mission of Tulane,” said President Michael Fitts. “This gift will strengthen the Center for Sport’s role as a national leader in the study of athletic competition and its far-reaching impact on so many aspects of the human condition.”

“Our family is thrilled to support the vision of interdisciplinary studies on a subject that has become so important in the daily lives of many Americans,” said Doug Hertz (A&S `74, B `76), the immediate past chair of the Board of Tulane. 

Hertz and his family are the catalysts behind the gift. Hertz, along with his wife Lila Loewenthal Hertz (NC `76), daughter Amy Hertz Agami (NC `02), son Michael J. Hertz (B `05) and sister Patricia Jill Hertz Reid (B `79) each graduated from Tulane.

“The Center for Sport is an exciting opportunity to further enhance the reputation of Tulane University, building on our national leadership in sports medicine and sports law,” said Robin Forman, Tulane’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. “This extraordinary gift from the Hertz Family Foundation will greatly energize the work of the center and allow us to add substantial new programming that I am certain will be of great interest to our students and many others.” 

In addition to his role on the Board of Tulane, Doug Hertz has served his alma mater in several capacities, including the business school council, the Yulman Stadium Steering Committee and as past chair of the Tulane Board Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics. He received the A. B. Freeman School of Business’ Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2003. 

Lila Hertz was a member of the former Dean’s Advisory College for Newcomb College. Both Doug and Lila are past members of the Tulane Parents Council.  

Amy Hertz Agami is the president of the Douglas J. Hertz Family Foundation, Inc., which primarily supports nonprofits that serve children and community, health and medical research, higher education and Jewish causes in the cities of Atlanta and New Orleans. 

Michael J. Hertz is the executive vice president and chief operating officer of United Distributors, a beverage distribution company that operates in the Southeastern United States.   

The Hertz family established the Lila L. and Douglas J. Hertz Endowed Chair in Psychology in 2007, named the Doug and Lila Hertz Center in 2011, were lead donors to Yulman Stadium, donated to the A. B. Freeman School of Business and the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute and has made numerous other significant contributions in support of Tulane.

Gabe Feldman, the Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law (the first endowed sports law professorship in the country), the Paul and Abram B. Barron Professor of Law and the Director of the Tulane Sports Law Program, and Dr. Greg Stewart, the Chief of the Section of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and W. Kennon McWilliams Professor in Sports Medicine, are the co-founders and co-directors of the Tulane Center for Sport.

“Through the support of the Hertz family, we will be able to enhance our interdisciplinary study, research, teaching and community engagement of all levels of the sports industry,” said Feldman. “There is no better or more important time than now to leverage the expertise across Tulane’s campus- from law to business, medicine, social work and many others- to harness the power of sport to educate our students and to impact social change. We are grateful to the Hertz family for all of their support and their vision in helping us continue to be an academic leader in the sports industry.”

“The ongoing support of the Hertz family has played a vital role in the development of the Tulane Center for Sport,” said Stewart. “This gift allows us to start a new, exciting chapter by funding immediate needs and moving strategic projects to the next stage. This contribution truly sets the foundation for the future of the Tulane Center for Sport.”