Stroman on Sports (News On The Hill)

97.9 The Hill’s Dr. Deborah Stroman and Andrew Stuckey chat on Friday, July 17. They discussed the US hosting of the World Cup, the upcoming final match between Argentina and Spain. She also talked about the impact of the tournament being held in the United States, as well as the future of USA soccer and what it will take for the to be competitive again, and more.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post World Cup Finals, Future of US Soccer, Impact of the Tournament – Stroman On Sports (July 17, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Dr. Deborah Stroman and News Director Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, July 10. The NCAA recently finalized and adopted new eligibility rules meant to clean up questions about how long players can compete in college sports. Instead of being based on “completed seasons,” the new model creates a five-year window and allows for student-athletes to compete for up to five seasons within that time frame. Stroman shares her thoughts on the update, including whether it will help clarify who retains eligibility, what it means for athletes who suffer injuries, and other ripple effects it could have on different unsavory elements of modern college sports.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post How the NCAA’s New Eligibility Rules Might Help College Sports – Stroman on Sports (July 10, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Dr. Deborah Stroman and News Director Brighton McConnell chat on Wednesday, July 1 as they react to this week’s news of a new federal investigation into illegal bets on the NBA. Former NBA player and UNC player Ed Davis helped coordinate with then-Milwaukee Bucks player Malik Beasley as he manipulated his stats and cashed in with co-conspirators. Stroman shares her reaction to the scandal and prevalence of gambling advertisements across pro sports, as well as her perspective on how to Carolina fans can sort through their feelings of seeing a Tar Heel involved.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post Reacting to Former UNC Player Ed Davis’ Involvement in Latest NBA Gambling Scandal – Stroman on Sports (July 1, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell talk on Friday, June 26, about the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup for men’s soccer and how — so far — the tournament has been a major success. With fans from the participating countries streaming into North America to watch their teams compete, there have been many stories and examples of celebrating culture that are educational, inspiring and exciting. Plus, the U.S. men’s national team has played well enough to have American fans dreaming about the possibilities of going deep into the tournament on home soil.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post The Uplifting U.S. World Cup Experience, On and Off The Field – Stroman on Sports (June 26, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, June 12, in between Games 4 and 5 of the NBA Finals. The series between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs has had plenty of drama, featuring major comebacks, highlight plays, team resilience and electric atmospheres. Stroman shares her thoughts about the on-court performances and decisions before delivering perspective on the off-court topic: how New York is providing the biggest stage and good business for the NBA during this series.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post The NBA Finals Have Delivered On the Court for Fans, Off the Court for New York – Stroman on Sports (June 12, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman speaks with News Director Brighton McConnell on Friday, May 15, from Charlottesville as she is on the University of Virginia campus for commencement weekend. With UNC having celebrated its own last week, the pair talk about the academic side of the college athlete’s experience and why — despite some athletes now being paid directly for their athletic services — it still matters. Debby also shares her advice for new graduates (and those who interact with new graduates) to remember during this season of change.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post Commencement Weekend and How Academics Still Matter for College Athletes – Stroman on Sports (May 15, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, May 8 about the recent expansion of the NCAA Tournament for men’s and women’s college basketball. March Madness will now feature 76 teams instead of 68, with more games preceding the Round of 64. Stroman shares her thoughts on why this happened (money), why it happened now (the SEC and Big Ten), whether it is actually good business for the NCAA and conferences, and why it might ultimately hurt the fans and conference tournaments leading up to the postseason.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post NCAA Tournament Expansion is Good Business …Or Is It? – Stroman on Sports (May 8, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Dr. Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, May 1, and talk some golf in the wake of the news around LIV Golf. The startup golf league’s primary investor, Saudi Arabia and its Public Investment Fund, are set to stop backing LIV Golf by the end of its 2026 season. Having spent billions of dollars and coaxed over several top players, what does this mean moving forward? How does the PGA Tour come out looking from all this? And did this, as one of the biggest sportswashing examples of modern history, achieve what Saudi Arabia had hoped it would?

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post LIV Golf’s Days Might Be Numbered. What Does That Mean for the Sport? – Stroman on Sports (May 1, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, April 24 as the college basketball transfer portal season pushes on and the deadline for the NBA Draft entry approaches. With the new of Henri Veesaar testing the NBA Draft waters and UNC men’s basketball likely looking elsewhere for a starting center, Stroman shares her reaction and why she believes Veesaar’s example reflects the challenge today’s sport now faces with fans. She and McConnell also talk about examples over at Duke and Florida of players returning instead of jumping to the pros or another college program, while Stroman warns of the influence agents have over this new landscape of player movement.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post Stay Or Go? Player Movement Changes Tenor of College Basketball Offseason – Stroman on Sports (Apr. 24, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.

97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman chats with News Director Brighton McConnell for her weekly segment on Friday, Apr. 17 — with the duo focusing on the WNBA. The draft is in the books and training camp is around the corner in this shortened offseason resulting from collective bargaining negotiations. Stroman shares her thoughts on the deal struck between the league and the players association, including which of the improved benefits stand out the most to her. She also details why she’s happy the sides coming to a compromise before the season got impacted and whether the planned expansion of the league fits well alongside this new CBA.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen:

The post Digging Into the New WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement – Stroman on Sports (Apr. 17, 2026) appeared first on Chapelboro.com.