Global Sport Matters

After a recent proposal by the U.S. Department of Education on transgender athlete participation in schools, hosts Kenneth L. Shropshire and William C. Rhoden welcome Katie Barnes of ESPN to the show to discuss the recent history of legislation and rulings around transgender participation in youth sports, how it relates to Title IX, and what the future might hold as the U.S. determines it policies for who can compete, and how.

As the NFL Draft approaches, hosts Kenneth L. Shropshire and William C. Rhoden discuss the event, the large pool of Black quarterbacks likely to be selected in the first round, and what it means to watch the evolution in real time. Plus, with C.J. Stroud of Ohio State reportedly performing poorly on IQ-type tests, it's time to ask why these reports leak and who it benefits.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts signed an NFL record-breaking contract his week, but how does it affect Lamar Jackson and his contract dispute with the Baltimore Ravens? Hosts Kenneth L. Shropshire and William C. Rhoden break it down, plus why another Jackie Robinson Day came and went in MLB, and what to make of the Women's Tennis Association once again hosting events in China after a prolonged resistance over the disappearance of athlete Peng Shuai.

After a record-breaking NCAA Women's Final Four, hosts Kenneth L. Shropshire and William C. Rhoden discuss the attention around Caitlin Clark and Iowa, the sudden success of Kim Mulkey at LSU, and the future for Dawn Staley and South Carolina. What role did race play in how Clark and Angel Reese were covered? How has NIL helped women's college basketball? And more!

With the NCAA tournaments and NFL free agency in full swing, hosts William C. Rhoden and Kenneth L. Shropshire discuss the role that name, image and likeness has played in creating the anonymous men's Final Four and powerhouse women's Final Four. Then, they use the idea of freedom in today's NCAA to transition to Lamar Jackson, who made his trade request public from the Baltimore Ravens this week but seemingly remains in a stalemate with the entire NFL.

As the men's and women's NCAA tournaments begin this week, Global Sport Matters podcast hosts Kenneth L. Shropshire and William C. Rhoden take a look at whether this is the beginning of a dynasty for Dawn Staley and South Carolina as well as the ongoing fallout from a murder around the Alabama men's basketball program. First, a check in on the dueling priorities around Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and where his free agency could go from here.

In the aftermath of the Chiefs beating the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix, Global Sport Matters podcast hosts Kenneth L. Shropshire and William C. Rhoden are joined by James Lofton and Rachel Lofton to discuss the evolution of the Super Bowl, from an AFL vs. NFL competition with tickets that were easy to get to a weeklong marketing and networking bonanza and celebration of the NFL that costs thousands to attend.

The NFL descends on Phoenix this week for Super Bowl LVII, and in this edition of the Global Sport Matters podcast, Kenneth L. Shropshire, William C. Rhoden, James Lofton and Rachel Lofton whip around the NFL, discussing the state of football in 2023, from Damar Hamlin and player safety to the historical first of Black quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes, competing in the game for the first time, to the growth of flag football as an alternative to tackle, and more.

Kenneth L. Shropshire and William C. Rhoden discuss the present and future of NFL quarterback Tom Brady, who in his mid 40s is struggling to say goodbye to his football career and transition into retirement. Why is it so hard for athletes and professionals of all sorts to stop working, and what can we learn from a case as unique as Brady's?

Then, they sift through the fallout between Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed and the athletic department at Bethune-Cookman, an HBCU outside of Orlando.

Kenneth L. Shropshire and William C. Rhoden digest the latest in the NFL executive carousel, which has seen three Black men hired to prominent roles on NFL teams in the past calendar year. What does a president really do on an NFL team, and how can someone make change from that position?

Then, a discussion about Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, his injury, his contract situation, and what his future means for the league and its players.