Dr Michael Naylor

Born in Canada, Michael has lived and worked in London since March 2024.  Prior to joining the Institute for Sport Business at Loughborough University London, Michael was an Associate Professor with the Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand at Auckland University of Technology. During that time Michael was also the Head of Postgraduate, program leader for the Masters of Sport, Exercise & Health and a keen supervisor of masters and PhD research students.

Michael has held numerous Board roles including with the Sport Management Association of Australia & New Zealand, the New Zealand Amateur Sport Association as well as for croquet, football, squash and ice hockey organisations at national and regional level. His PhD in Sport Marketing is from Florida State University where he is also an FSU Rugby Club Hall of Fame member based on his tenure as Head Coach.

Michael’s research interests span the sport management and marketing disciplines, including participant, spectator and event contexts. The research of Michael and his colleagues has been published in Sport Management Review, European Sport Management Quarterly, Managing Sport & Leisure and elsewhere on topics such as sport fan identity, women as endorsers, sponsorship and major event referenda.

Michael is currently working on research projects with colleagues and students on ambassadorship in sport, sport fans, integrity in sport and leadership in sport. He currently serves as an editorial board member for the International Journal of Sport Marketing & Sponsorship as well as the International Journal of Sport Management.