Brock University has\u00a0retained\u00a0its standing as Canada\u2019s top-ranked institution for sport management research contributions for the fourth consecutive year.<\/p>\n
The annual assessment by the University of North Texas\u2019 Sports Innovation Space<\/span>\u00a0also placed Brock among the world\u2019s Top 10 for the second consecutive year. Brock earned a seventh-place ranking among 73 universities worldwide, reinforcing its position as a leader in sport management scholarship.<\/p>\n Researchers from Brock\u2019s Department of Sport Management (SPMA) published\u00a063\u00a0papers that appeared in three\u00a0leading sport management\u00a0journals\u00a0from\u00a02015 to 2025.<\/p>\n The University\u2019s leading contributors each placed within the Top 100 authors, including Associate Professor of Sport Management Michael Naraine, Professor and Graduate Program Director Shannon Kerwin and Assistant Professors Ashley Thompson\u00a0and Erik Lachance.<\/p>\n Naraine said the rankings reflect both the quality of the University\u2019s research and the ambition of its faculty.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a testament to the high-quality work that we\u2019re doing,\u201d he said. \u201cNo other Canadian SPMA program has four faculty in the Top 100.\u201d<\/p>\n SPMA faculty regularly publish in three of the world\u2019s flagship sport management journals: Journal of Sport Management, published by the North American Society of Sport Management; European Sport Management Quarterly, published by the European Association for Sport Management; and Sport Management Review, published by the Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n For Naraine, Brock\u2019s success in the rankings reflects the feedback he hears from students, many of whom chose the University because of its reputation, alumni network and deep connections to the sport industry.<\/p>\n \u201cStudents come into the program because they see where our graduates are working and the impact they\u2019ve had across the industry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Professional networks, mentorship and real-world experience are critical to career success in the field, Naraine said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a people-focused, relationship-centred\u00a0industry,\u201d he said. \u201cWho you know, where you went to school\u00a0and who taught you\u00a0all\u00a0matter. Students want faculty who are connected to the industry and who can help them understand how theory applies in practice.\u201d<\/p>\n Naraine said students\u00a0frequently\u00a0return from experiential education placements and internships with a deeper appreciation for the connections between classroom learning and industry practice.<\/p>\n \u201cStudents hear from employers and industry leaders how relevant the work is that they\u2019re learning in class,\u201d he said. \u201cThey want to see not only theoretical advancement but also how that theoretical advancement is applied in a contextually relevant manner.\u201d<\/p>\n