Alternative Models of Sports Development in America. B. David Ridpath

      Acknowledgments

      It would be difficult to thank everyone who assisted with and inspired this project, but there are some very important people I need to mention. Writing a book is not easy, and for me that certainly applies. No project of this magnitude can come to completion without the assistance of many people who often are nearly as invested as the writer in seeing it accomplished. First, I must thank my family, which has been an inspiration and a source of motivation for me over the years as I worked on various projects that often took me away from the house and the more important things in life, such as being a husband and father. My wife Jacqueline has been the glue holding our family together, and my kids Chiara and Bradley continue to amaze me with their accomplishments and by being the wonderful people they have grown into.

      The German-American Fulbright Commission was a major resource which gave me the ability to travel and live overseas with my family while working on this project for fifteen months in 2014–15. I specifically want to thank Reiner Rohr and Catharina Hansch of the Fulbright office in Berlin for all of their assistance. I also thank my German graduate students at the University of Bayreuth—Daniel Tunessen, Kim Wolf, Max Mueller, Steven Moore, Carolin Frei, David Buss, Judith Stiegelmayr, Manuel Jakob, Martin Leidtke, Natasha Reitz, Steffan Hein, and Simon Von Schwedler—who through their bachelor & master’s theses and other research helped me compile several resources needed for this book, as well as providing strong writing and editorial assistance. Their hard work and writing assistance is reflected throughout the manuscript and I could not have accomplished this without them. I cannot thank enough my University of Bayreuth colleagues and the University of Bayreuth International Office, led by Ami Saini, for all of the support given to me and my family during our time in Europe. I want to especially thank Drs. Herbert Woratschek, Tim Strobel, Arnim Heinemann, Bastian Popp, Christian Meyer, Christian Durcholtz, Johanna Muhlbeyer, Michael Stadlemann, Christian Gamelmann, Markus Buser, and Markus Seufurt, and their wonderful administrative associate, Carmen Back, for everything they did for me and my family. It is not easy to completely relocate as we did and we could not have done it without your help. Thank you for letting me be part of a tremendous university and faculty, but, most of all, it is an honor to be your friend.

      My friends in the Netherlands at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Frank Kolsteeg, Dr. Jaap Van Hulten, and Dr. Remco Koopemeiers, were critical in assisting me with regard to research on the operation of sports clubs in Europe, especially AFC Ajax Amsterdam. There are many others to thank who gave me encouragement and help along the way, both in America and Europe, including Amy Perko, Ben Bendrich, Chris Chaney, Christian Papay, Todd Kearns, Aaron Chapius, Sonny and Pam Vaccaro, Dr. Richard Vedder, Dan Beebe, Dr. Richard Southall, Dr. Katie Otto, Dr. Jason Lanter, Dr. Lawrence Chalip, Dr. Ellen Staurowsky, Dr. Jay Coakley, and Dr. John Gerdy. I must also thank my anonymous reviewers and the editorial team at Ohio University Press/Swallow Books, including editor Gillian Berchowitz, Nancy Basmajian and Susan Welch, along with members of the editorial review board. Other primary influencers for this book include Terry Holland, Dale Brown, Dr. Ming Li, Dr. Michael Cross, Oliver Luck, and Tom Farrey. I also thank my crack graduate assistants at Ohio University, Ali Speck and Alec Koondel, who spent hours helping me revise and enhance the manuscript.

      I want to recognize and deeply thank my colleagues in the Department of Sports Administration at Ohio University’s College of Business, who are some of the finest teachers, scholars, and people I know. It is an honor to work with the best sports management faculty in the world. Drs. Michael Pfahl, Norm O’Reilly, John Nadeau, Charles “Doc” Higgins, Andy Kreutzer, Heather Lawrence, and Greg Sullivan, plus Bob Boland, Louis Iglesias, Jim Kahler, Annie Brackley, Christina Wright, Luke Sayers, Aaron Wright, and Teresa Tedrow, are colleagues and friends who certainly keep me motivated and excited to come to work each day. All of the The Drake Group members deserve praise and thanks, but I want to specifically thank Mary Willingham, Sally Dear-Healey, Dr. Jay Smith, Dr. Gerald Gurney, Dr. Allen Sack, Dr. Donna Lopiano, Jayma Meyer, Dr. Brenda Reimer, Dr. Fritz Polite, Dr. Michael Malec, Brian Porto, and Dr. Andy Zimbalist for their support and counsel over the years. Special thanks to the AFC Ajax soccer club in Amsterdam, FSV Bayreuth, Hertha BSC Berlin, and the world headquarters of Puma and Adidas in Herzogenaurach, Germany, especially Matthias Fischer of the Adidas Group, for all of their assistance and help.

      Finally, none of this would have been possible without the support of Dr. Kahandas Nandola, Professor Emeritus of Ohio University. Dr. Nandola sadly passed away in September 2017, but his legacy continues on through a generous endowed professorship and professorial stipend that I have been privileged to hold since 2012. It has been an honor. I strive every day to uphold his ideals, passion, and achievements, so that I may be a worthy holder of the title that bears his name.