Educator · Researcher · Program Director

Armand
Buzzelli

I connect sport business education with the people, projects, and questions shaping the industry.

Armand Buzzelli, Ph.D.Sport Management · Robert Morris University

Currently at RMU

Director of the Sport Management Program and Assistant Professor in the Rockwell School of Business at Robert Morris University.

Selected work

Ideas put into practice.

My work spans program leadership, industry engagement, experiential learning, and research on how people connect with sport.

01 / PROGRAM LEADERSHIP

RMU Sport Management

Direct the Sport Management Program, with responsibilities spanning curriculum, outcomes assessment, student advising, advisory board development, and industry partnerships.

Explore the program ↗

02 / COMMUNITY

Sport Management Summit

Co-chaired the 2026 Summit and 50th anniversary celebration with Dr. Bill Sutton and Dr. David Synowka. Our collective fundraising effort raised more than $20,000 toward the Sutton–Hardy Scholarship, with donations continuing after the event.

2026 Summit & anniversary ↗

03 / APPLIED RESEARCH

Sport, events & fan experience

Coauthor of a sponsorship activation case study on the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, approved for publication in Journal of Brand Strategy subject to final amendments.

Explore the research ↗

04 / EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

Projects beyond the classroom

Guide student consulting projects with P3R and the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation, connecting coursework with event planning, sponsor outreach, fundraising, and operations. Student-led events have also supported the Best of the Batch Foundation.

Discuss a collaboration ↗

Research & ideas

Understanding sport culture.

My research examines sponsorship activation, fan and participant identity, digital engagement, recreational sport, and student learning.

Download CV (PDF) ↓
October 2026 edition

Approved for publication · Final amendments pending

From Radio City to the riverfront: A study of sponsorship activation at the 2026 National Football League Draft in Pittsburgh

Apostolopoulou, A., Buzzelli, A. A., Abdullah, I., & Clark, J. S. Journal of Brand Strategy.

Journal article · 2025

“Money in the bank” and other tales: Prized World Wrestling Entertainment possessions and their role in identity construction and self-expression

Apostolopoulou, A., Buzzelli, A. A., Papadimitriou, D., & Locke, R. J. (2025). Journal of Brand Strategy, 14(3), 242–258.

View publication ↗

Book chapter · 2025

Esports and Digital Technology

Buzzelli, A. A., Apostolopoulou, A., & Clark, J. (2025). In Technology, Sport and Recreation. Routledge.

Journal article · 2021

Are they athletes? A self-assessment of athletic identity measurement and perceived benefits of collegiate esports participants

Buzzelli, A. A., & Draper, J. A. (2021). Recreational Sports Journal, 45(2), 144–155.

Journal article · 2020

Examining the motivation and perceived benefits of pickleball participation in older adults

Buzzelli, A. A., & Draper, J. A. (2020). Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 28(2), 180–186.

Current work

Sport storytelling, digital culture, and live events

Ongoing projects examine the stories fans tell, the personas they follow, and how major events connect with their host communities.

Media & conversations

In the conversation.

Selected coverage and appearances on student experiences, collegiate esports, and campus recreation.

Featured conversation · October 2026

A Conversation with Mark Cuban

Highlights from the conversation moderated by Armand Buzzelli at RMU’s 2026 Sport Management Summit. Shared on Instagram as a collaboration with Mark Cuban.

View the Instagram collaboration ↗

WTAE’s Ryan Recker highlights 50 years of Sport Management at RMU.

WTAE · October 2026

Celebrating 50 years of Sport Management at RMU.

A WTAE feature with Ryan Recker on RMU’s Sport Management program and its 50th anniversary celebration.

Watch on LinkedIn ↗

A television interview at the 2025 RMU Sport Management Summit — At the 2025 RMU Sport Management Summit.

2025 Summit · October 24

Connecting students with the sport industry.

The 2025 Summit brought together more than 300 students, alumni, and industry professionals. Its program included an NFL Draft panel, career workshops, networking, and a keynote from Ryan Shazier.

Read RMU’s recap ↗Andrew Stockey’s post ↗

ITALIAN IMPACT WEEKLY · PODCAST

Episode 27: Armand Buzzelli and Rocky Romano

My guest appearance on Italian Impact Weekly with host Steve Mancini.

Listen to the episode ↗

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE · DECEMBER 2025

A spine of steel: RMU students help to raise awareness for Shazier foundation

Read article ↗

PITTSBURGH KNIGHTS · OCTOBER 2020

Women in Esports Roundtable

A panel appearance alongside esports and sport professionals, presented by the Pittsburgh Knights.

Read about the appearance ↗

CAMPUS REC MAGAZINE · MAY 2021

Armand Buzzelli of Robert Morris University

A career Q&A on leading campus recreation, developing facilities, and learning from students.

Read interview ↗

EDTECH MAGAZINE · OCTOBER 2020

Digital Athletes: Universities Win Big With Esports

Commentary on how collegiate esports programs adapted their spaces, technology, and student engagement during the pandemic.

Read article ↗

Connect with me on LinkedIn ↗

About

Built around people and possibility.

I’m Director of the Sport Management Program and an Assistant Professor at Robert Morris University. My work combines academic leadership, applied research, teaching, and partnerships that connect students with the sport industry.

Before joining the faculty, I directed campus recreation at RMU, leading operations, staffing, assessment, and strategic planning. That experience informs how I build programs, work across departments, and give students responsibility on live projects.

My teaching includes sport coaching, event and facility management, Business of WWE, and Business of Esports. I also teach graduate sport promotion, marketing, and public relations at John Carroll University, and previously taught sport finance at Seton Hill University.

RoleDirector, Sport Management Program; Assistant Professor

EducationPh.D. in Instructional Management & Leadership; M.S. in Data Analytics; M.B.A.; B.A. in History

FocusSport business, experiential learning, fan identity, events, and technology

LocationPittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Get in touch

Let’s connect.

For professional opportunities, speaking, research, or collaboration, get in touch.

buzzelli@rmu.edu

ArmandBuzzelli