Introduction to the Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports

David P. Hedlund, Ph.D. "Welcome to the inaugural article published in the Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports (JEGE). It is my honor to have been selected as the founding editor-in-chief of...

The motivations of esports players

The motivations of esports players (from the book Understanding esports: An introduction to the global phenomenon) David P. Hedlund ABSTRACT Since the early 2000s, several inquiries have focused on...

Conceptualising and Measuring Fan Identity using Stakeholder Theory

Conceptualising and Measuring Fan Identity Using Stakeholder Theory Rui Biscaia, David P. Hedlund, Geoff Dickson and Michael Naylor ABSTRACT Research question: Building on identity...

The Education of Sport Coaches: What Should They Learn and When Should They Learn It?

The Education of Sport Coaches: What Should They Learn and When Should They Learn It? David P. Hedlund, Carol A. Fletcher, Simon M. Pack, and Sean Dahlin ABSTRACT Around the world, there is a...

Member identity in fitness centres and its consequences: An examination of members and managers’ perspectives

Pedragosa, V., Biscaia, R., Naylor, M.E., Hedlund, D.P. and Dickson, G. ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of member identity and its dimensions of power, urgency, external...

A Typology of Esport Players

A Typology of Esport Players David P. Hedlund ABSTRACT In recent years, esports have grown from a small number of local gaming activities undertaken by a few recreational participants to a...

Multi-Dimensional Study of National and Olympic Team Identity

Multi-Dimensional Study of National and Olympic Team Identity Priscila Alfaro-Barrantes David P. HedlundMichael E. Naylor Sheila Nguyen ABSTRACT How individuals identify with sport objects is...

Rebooting Content: Broadcasting Sport & Esports to Homes During COVID-19

Rebooting Content: Broadcasting Sport & Esports to Homes During COVID-19 Michael M. Goldman and David P. Hedlund ABSTRACT Beginning in early March 2020, sport in the U.S. entered an...

Creating Value Through Membership and Participation in Sport Fan Consumption Communities

Creating Value Through Membership and Participation in Sport Fan Consumption Communities David P. Hedlund, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Division of Sport Management St. John’s University...

Determinants impacting why college sports fans purchase merchandise

Determinants impacting why college sports fans purchase merchandise David P. Hedlund and Michael E. Naylor ABSTRACT Despite the importance of understanding the factors impacting the purchase of...

David P. Hedlund, Ph.D.

Sport Management, Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Coaching, Analytics and Esports Professor and Consultant


David P. Hedlund, Ph.D. is a Full Professor and the Chairperson of the Division of Sport Management at St. John’s University in New York City. Dr. Hedlund earned his Ph.D. and a certificate in Measurement and Statistics from Florida State University.  He has more than 20 years of domestic and international experience in sports, esports, coaching, business, education and analytics. His areas of sport expertise and research include management, marketing, consumer behavior, sponsorship, coaching, esports and analytics. Dr. Hedlund also is a faculty advisor for esports at St. John’s University, an advisor for the student Sport Management Association, the Co-Moderator for the Gaming and Emerging Technology co-curricular club, in addition to numerous other service roles.

Dr. Hedlund is the lead editor and author of the first-of-its-kind textbook “Esports Business Management,” he is the founding Chief Editor of the Journal of Electronic Gaming and Esports, and he is a member of the Esports Research Network.

Outside of the university, Dr. Hedlund has also acted as a consultant for dozens of domestic and international high school, college, and professional esports teams as well as business and entrepreneurial ventures.  He is a globally recognized speaker and has spoken at international esports events such as the World Cyber Games and the Global Esports Executive Summit. Dr. Hedlund also works with collegiate and professional sport organizations on numerous analytics projects, while also educating students about current issues and opportunities in sports analytics, esports, entrepreneurship and other opportunities.

Dr. Hedlund is also a managing partner of Hedlund-Chuang Consulting Group, LLC.