Biography

Dr. Younghan Lee is a globally recognized scholar, educator and consultant in sport business, analytics and digital innovation. He currently serves as Professor in the DeVos Sport Business Management Program at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where he contributes to one of the world’s most impactful graduate programs in sport management.

Prior to joining UCF, he was a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Mississippi State University, where he also founded and directed the Research Institute for Sport Convergence (RISC). Earlier in his career, Lee served as Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, teaching in the Isenberg School of Management’s Department of Sport Management.

Lee’s research is known for its transdisciplinary and data-driven approach, integrating sport marketing, consumer psychology, and advanced analytics. He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles in leading academic outlets, including Journal of Sport Management, Sport Management Review, Communication & Sport, Psychology & Marketing, Services Marketing Quarterly, International Journal of Sports Marketing & Sponsorship, and Sport Marketing Quarterly.

He is a dedicated editorial contributor. He serves as Associate Editor for the International Journal of Business in Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management and regularly reviews for top-tier journals such as Journal of Sport Management, Sport Management Review, European Sport Management Quarterly, Journal of Global Sport Management, and Behavioral Sciences. He has chaired sessions and reviewed papers for major conferences, including NASSM, SMA, ASMA and EASM.

Beyond academia, Lee has led more than 30 high-impact industry and consulting projects for global organizations. His work spans a range of strategic initiatives, including market analysis, ticket pricing strategy, business feasibility, AI-powered sport consumer engagement platforms, digital sport product development, and sport data platform innovation.

Lee holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sport Management from Seoul National University, and a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.