Education

Ph.D., Sport Management, Florida State University
M.S., Sport Management, Florida State University
B.P.Th, Physiotherapy, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (India)

Background

Susmit Gulavani joined the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management in August 2025 as an assistant professor in the Department of Sport and Entertainment Management. His expertise lies in the transformative sport research paradigm, where he uses advanced data science tools to explore and enhance the intersection of sport, consumer behavior and technology. Gulavani’s scholarship integrates artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing to investigate the psychological and emotional dimensions of sport, as well as the societal impacts of emerging sport technologies.

Gulavani earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in sport management from Florida State University, where his dissertation applied machine learning to reexamine the Psychological Continuum Model. His academic journey began with a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences in India. Before joining the University of South Carolina, he served as an assistant professor at Northeastern State University and held multiple research and teaching roles at Florida State.

He has published in leading journals including the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics and Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. His work has addressed key topics such as the psychological well-being of student-athletes in the NIL era, national pride linked to sport branding, and symbolic consumption in esports. Gulavani’s contributions have been recognized with competitive research grants and awards from respected organizations including the Sport Marketing Association and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

In the classroom, Gulavani brings data-driven thinking into sport management education, having designed and taught courses in sport analytics, research methods and legal and ethical issues in sport. He is also an active reviewer for several sport management journals and conferences and has held leadership roles within student organizations and faculty committees. Through both his teaching and research, Gulavani aims to equip future sport professionals with the analytical tools and ethical insights needed to navigate a rapidly evolving industry.

Honors / Awards

• Robert M. Gagné Research Competition Finalist, FSU College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (2024)
• Paper of the Year Finalist, Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics (2023)
• Best Student Paper Award, Sport Marketing Association (2022)
• Three-Minute Thesis Competition Finalist, Florida State University (2022)

Research Interests

• Sport consumer behavior
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning in sport
• Esports and emotional sentiment analysis
• Technology and well-being in sport contexts
• Sport branding and national identity

Teaching

• SPTE 490 – Generative AI in Sport and Entertainment Management

Professional Affiliations

• North American Society for Sport Management
• Sport Marketing Association

Book Chapters

Du, J., Pifer, N. D., & Gulavani, S. S. (2023). Harnessing the power of machine learning in sport consumer behavior research. In H. K. Leng & J. J. Zhang (Eds.), Sports sponsorship and branding: Global perspectives and emerging trends. WASM Book Series. 

Publications

Mak, J. Y., Pifer, N. D., Gulavani, S. S., & Henry, T. E. (2024). The influences of country and gender on adolescent soccer players’ brand perceptions and purchase intentions. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing, 24(3/4), 179-198. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSMM.2024.138986

Gulavani, S. S., Du, J., & James, J. D. (2024). Transcendence beyond sport: Examining the dynamic power of sport human brand on national pride. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 25(1), 142-160. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-05- 2023-0098

Gulavani, S. S., Floyd, C., Henry, T. E., Du, J., Pifer, N. D., & Su, Y. (2023). Putting athletes first: An empirical examination of the hedonic well-being of college student-athletes in response to NIL. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 16, 266-289. https://csri-jiia.org/putting-athletes-first-an-empirical-examination-of-the-hedonic-wellbeing- of-college-student-athletes-in-response-to-nil/

Floyd, C., Gulavani, S. S., Du, J., Kim, A. C., & Pappas, J. (2021). A tale of two cities: COVID-19 and the emotional well-being of student-athletes using natural language processing. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.710289

Gulavani, S. S. (2021). Book Review: This is eSports (and how to spell it): An insider's guide to the world of pro gaming. International Journal of eSports Research, 1(1), 1-6. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJER.20210101.oa4