David Tyler

David Tyler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sport Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management, where he also serves as Honors Program Director. Previously, he held positions at Western Carolina University (2011–2020). His academic background includes a PhD in Management (Sport Management) from UMass Amherst (2013), an MBA (2006), an MS in Sport Management (2006), and a BA in Government and Spanish from the University of Notre Dame (2001).

**Education**:

• PhD Management (Sport Management), University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2013
• MS Sport Management, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2006
• MBA, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2006
• BA Government and Spanish, University of Notre Dame, 2001

**Research Focus**: Tyler’s work centers on sport rivalry dynamics, fan identification, and consumption communities. He explores how geographic proximity, historical conflicts, and shared values shape fan loyalty and animosity. His research also examines sponsorship strategies in Formula One racing and the psychological underpinnings of fan behavior, including schadenfreude and paradoxical betting patterns.

**Awards**:

• Best Professional Research Paper, Sport Marketing Association (2019)
• Faculty Research Award, Western Carolina University (2018)
• Paper of the Year in Sport Marketing, AMA (2017)
• Creative Teaching Award, Western Carolina College of Business (2017)

**Advising & Grants**: Tyler has advised numerous student researchers and secured grants supporting rivalry studies. His work with over 30,000 fan survey respondents forms the basis of the Rivalry Research project, a free public dataset analyzing global sport rivalries.

**Affiliations**: He collaborates with institutions like the University of Massachusetts Amherst IRB (Protocol #2410) and Northern Kentucky University (Protocol #916). His research team offers consultancy for businesses and leagues seeking insights into fan psychology and marketing strategies.