Themes and projects
SMIT research examines how technology changes sport experiences and athlete development. Below are suggested sections that match your lab poster themes.
Research themes
Athlete branding & legacy branding
NIL education, personal/legacy branding, social presence, and long-term value creation for athletes.
Fan engagement & sport consumption
Immersive sport experiences and technology-enabled consumption that strengthen fan behavior and engagement.
Athlete well-being & healthy development
Technology-supported interventions that promote well-being, healthy development, and support systems.
Tech adoption & readiness
Opportunities, challenges, and organizational readiness for adopting innovative technologies in sport settings.
Featured projects
- Athlete Branding Academy
- Legacy Branding and Virtual Presence Project
- Innovative Technology in Recreational Sports
NCAA Innovations in Research and Practice Grant • UMN Technology Commercialization Early Innovation Fund
A game-based intervention and open-access platform supporting student-athletes’ personal branding and mental well-being, including NIL resources and dashboards.
This project explores how virtual reality (VR) helps fans maintain emotional connections with
athletes who have passed away. Focusing on Kobe Bryant as a case study, we examine how technology can keep an athlete’s legacy alive and echo their memories with communities. Our goal is to better understand how these virtual experiences shape legacy branding and provide guidance for organizations to honor athletes in meaningful and authentic ways.
Funded by School of Kinesiology Faculty Pilot Grant Program, this project explores benefits, challenges, and impact of innovative technology on the consumption of recreational sports. Participants will experience a Mixed Reality program Xtadium which presents courtside view of live NBA matches and a metaverse arena.