Ho Yeol Yu, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Sport and Recreation Management

Dr. Ho Yeol Yu is an assistant professor of sport and recreation management in the Department of Health and Human Performance at East Texas A&M University. Before joining the university in 2024, he spent four years working at a Division I school as an assistant professor of sport management. His research interests generally fall into sports consumer behaviors, particularly in the areas of game attendance, team merchandise purchasing and sports analytics. Yu earned a master's in sport management from Florida State University and a doctorate from the University of Houston. His research focus includes sports consumer behaviors, emphasizing sports team branding, service quality and fan team switching behavior through quantitative research methods.

A Conversation with Dr. Yu

What draws you to your discipline?

I grew up rooting for a soccer team and surrounded by many sports. My hometown’s professional soccer team was one of the most prominent and established teams when I was young, which I believe influenced my continued passion for sports. After studying sports management, I fell deeply in love with the field.

What do you like most about your career?

I personally believe that the study of sports management is about understanding how sports fans think, perceive and behave. Examining various factors that identify fans' behavior is essential to gaining a deeper insight into them. This journey to study and understand sports fans is one of the most enjoyable aspects of my job.

What has been you favorite course to teach?

There are several sport management courses I enjoy teaching students, including sports marketing, facility and event management, and research methods. Among these courses, my favorite to teach sport management students is sport analytics. Sport analytics involves understanding data literacy, data collection, data cleaning and, ultimately, data analysis. Students are interested in learning sport analytics to understand what factors determine player/team performance and influence team management and fan behavior. This course covers a wide range of topics, from basic data analytics to applied data analytics in sports. So, students feel that they gain hands-on experience via the course. I feel satisfied when students reconsider their career paths after taking my sport analytics course.

Education

• Ph.D., Kinesiology, Sport and Fitness Administration, University of Houston, 2020
• M.S., Sport Management, Florida State University, 2015
• B.S., Sport Science, Daejin University, 2011

Experience

• Assistant Professor of Sport and Recreation Management, East Texas A&M University, 2024-present
• Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Arkansas State University
• Teaching Fellow, University of Houston
• Graduate Teaching Instructor, Florida State University

Teaching Areas

• Sport Marketing
• Sport Analytics
• Finance in Sports

Featured Courses

• HHPS 110: Introduction to Sport Analytics
• HHPS 525: Marketing and Public Relations in Sports
• HHPS 520: Governance and Ethics in Sports

Research Areas

• Sport Consumer Behavior
• Brand Management
• Sport Analytics
• Data Analytics

Professional Associations

• North American Society for Sport Management
• Sport Marketing Association
• Applied Sport Management Association 

Recent Publications

• Nam, C., Yu, H., Manchiraju, S. & Anderson, A., (2025) Consumers' Smart Fitness Apparel Purchase Intention: Do Social Acceptability Attributes, Environmental Concerns, and Health Beliefs Matter?. International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings, 81(1).
• Zhao, X., Pribyslavska, V., Yu, H. Y., & Scudamore, E. (2025). Association of functional movement screen and Y-Balance test score with injury in elite fast-pitch softball athletes. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation.
• Yu, H. Y., Choi, G., Kim, S., & Lee, S. (2024). Examining the relationships between emerging sport attributes, psychological commitment, and positive word-of-mouth intention among floorball spectators. The Korean Journal of Physical Education, 63(5), 389-405.
• Nam, C., Yu, H. Y., & Manchiraju, S. (2024). Smart fitness apparel influencing consumers' purchase intention: An application of the technology acceptance model. Asian Sport Management Review, 18, 65-84.
• Kim, Y., Yu, H. Y., Nam, C., & Dabbs, M. S. (2023). The effect of an athletic department's pro-environmental initiatives on the tri-component attitude model: An experimental examination. Sustainability and Sports Science Journal, 1(2), 53-72.
• Yu, H. Y., Lee, D., Ahn, J., Lee, M., & Foreman, J. (2023). City branding's impact on cities hosting sporting events: Top-down and bottom-up effects in a pre-post study. Tourism Management Perspectives, 46(2), 101098.
• Yu, H. Y., Foreman, J., Lee, D., & Lee, M. (2023). Sport fan's team switching behavior: The link between team associations and actual team switchers. International Journal of Business in Sports, Tourism & Hospitality Management, 4(1), 23-44.
• Yu, H. Y., Lee, M., Robinson, G. M., Lee, D., & Kwon, W. (2023). An investigation of the relationship between resident place image and attitudes during hosting sporting event: A reflective-formative approach. Event Management, 27(3), 339-351.
• Yu, H. Y., Robinson, G. M., Ternes, N., & Jung, M. (2022). Consumers of fitness centers: An analysis of impact of leadership styles on dropout behavior. Journal of SPORT, 9(1), 57-68.
• Kwon, J., Yu, H. Y., & Ahn, J. (2022). Multidimensional value of customers' mobile service experiences in the food context. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 6(2), 912-927.
• Kim, K., Yu, H. Y., & Jung, M. (2022). The impact of coach communication on sparring athlete satisfaction and continued sport participation within collegiate Taekwondo. Korean Society of Martial Arts, 16(2), 109-131.
• Yu, H. Y., Ternes, N., Benevides, C., A., & Kim, S. (2022). Relationship between a reflective-formative model of team brand associations and behavioral intentions: The mediating effect of fan identification. Journal of Applied Sport Management. 14(1), 18-27.
• Song, J., Jung, M, Park, G, & Yu, H. Y.^ (2022). Water sport tourists hesitation in destination decision making in the COVID-19 pandemic era: The moderating effect of destination image. Sustainability, 14(8), 1-13.
• Kim, S., Yu, H. Y.^, & Lee, H. (2022). Motivational determinants of digital ticketing: The mediating effect of service satisfaction and the moderating effect of psychological discomfort. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 23(2), 326-345.
• Yu, H. Y., Robinson, G. M., & Lee, D. (2021). To partner or not? A study of co-branding partnership and consumers' perceptions of symbolism and functionality towards co-branded sports products. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 22(4), 677-698.
• Yu, H. Y., Lee, D., Cottingham, M., & Maeng, L. (2019). Consumer perceptions to luxury co-branding partnership in sport wearable market. International Journal of Human Movement Science, 13(3), 17-29.
• Lee, M. W., Lee, D., Hawkins, B. J., Cottingham, M. & Yu, H. Y. (2019). Sport brand extension evaluation: The role of brand extension authenticity. International Journal of Sport Management, 20(1), 125-149.
• Yu, H. Y., & James, J. D. (2018). Ratings of service quality and satisfaction by sport spectators with different personality. International Journal of Sport Management, 19(4), 383-411.
• Yu, H. Y., Lee, D., Hawkins, B. J., Cottingham, M., & Lee, M. W. (2018). Perceived fan associations with teams: Across NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS. International Journal of Sport Management, 19(3), 289-314
• Lee, D., Zhang, Y., Cottingham, M., Park, J., & Yu, H. Y. (2017). Values and goals of Chinese sport consumers contrary to American counterparts. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 18(1), 11-28.
• Yu, H. Y., Lee, D., & Judge, L. W. (2016). Perceived service qualities and spectator satisfaction: A case study on gender differences. International Journal of Human Movement Science, 10(2), 25-39.