Darin White, professor of marketing and executive director of Samford University’s Center for Sports Analytics, has had a new editorial piece published by The Gospel Coalition. The article, “Pushing Back Darkness in the Beautiful Game” explains the dark side of professional soccer.

 

The article states, “Whether you know it as ‘soccer’ or ‘football,’ the ‘beautiful game’ is so called because of its ability to bring diverse people groups together. But among all the beauty of the world’s game, there exists an ugly, dark side. Every year thousands of children, primarily from African countries, are recruited by unlicensed scouts and agents and promised the opportunity to travel to Europe to play for major soccer clubs like Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona, and Juventus. Families often leverage everything they own to help their sons pursue soccer stardom. However, most of these teenagers don’t make it onto a top professional team, leaving them to fend for themselves in a foreign country with little to no money.”

 

In the article, White interviews Ben Boycott, founder of Sovereign Football Club, managing director of Trivela Group and director of the Walsall Football Club, about the innovative strategies he and others are using to bring about meaningful change for thousands of young African soccer players and their families.

 

During the spring 2023 semester, White and several students studying in Samford’s sports marketing and analytics program will be working on a project for the Walsall Football Club to help them improve the revenue generating functions within the organization.

 

White said, “It’s incredible work that Ben and his colleagues are doing to bring change to the world of professional soccer. I am so thrilled that our students will have the chance to work with him on a special project for the Walsall F.C. To be a small part of his work will be a lifechanging experience for our students.”