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A pink wig might not be standard lecture attire—but for one economics class, it made perfect sense.
At St. Cloud State University, a public university in the Midwest, United States, economics professor Lynn MacDonald leaned into a viral moment from the WNBA—inspired by Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman of the Minnesota Lynx. The duo, known as the “Stud Budz,” turned neon pink hair into a moment last season both on the court and on their Twitch streams.
For MacDonald, using that buzz was the perfect way to open a lecture on the business of women’s basketball. The session, “Courts, Contracts and Controversy,” broke down player pay, labor dynamics and franchise growth. The goal was simple: make economics feel relevant.
“Students don’t often come into economics thinking that they’re going to like it. They don’t know what it is, they think it’s boring and they think it’s going to be hard,” said MacDonald.
She uses sport as a real-world case study to pique interest—a shift happening across higher education.
Meeting students where they already are
MacDonald and her collaborators aren’t simplifying economics, but they’re rooting it in something students already understand.
The WNBA works as an example because it’s evolving in real time. Rising viewership, player advocacy, social media influence and ongoing debates around pay and equity all shape the league’s growth. That makes it a strong entry point for concepts like supply and demand, labor markets and valuation.
The league’s new collective bargaining agreement, which takes effect this season, adds another layer. Players secured a 20% share of league revenue—alongside higher salaries and expanded benefits—offering a clear, real-time example of how markets shift and who benefits.
It also reflects what students are already seeing during their daily scroll.
“Is everything that we’re seeing on social media actually fact based? How can we better use the tools of economics to engage with that content that we’re seeing all the time?”
The classroom isn’t separate from the real world. It’s a place to make sense of it.
A wider shift in how subjects are taught
Using sport to teach economics in real-time isn’t limited to one lecture or one university. Across colleges and universities globally, sport is becoming a gateway to more complex subjects.
Courses like “Economics of Sport” use leagues, teams and athletes to explore market value, revenue distribution and labor negotiations. What used to be a niche elective is now often a go-to entry point into economics.
New developments in sport are also giving educators fresh material:
- Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals in U.S. college sport—where student-athletes can earn money through sponsorship and endorsements—offer a clear way to explore contracts, branding and market value
- The rise of women’s sport globally offers a real-time look at investment gaps and market correction
- Athlete-driven media and social platforms give students a way to question how narratives shape perception and value, bolstering the fundamentals of marketing and public relations
Professors aren’t just teaching theory—they’re teaching through moments students are already following.
From abstraction to application
“In other words, I have come down from my ivory tower.”
– Mana Komai-Molle, Economics Professor St. Cloud State University
Traditional approaches don’t always land with students. Textbook examples can feel distant. Sport comes with built-in narratives, personalities and stakes that make those same ideas feel immediate.
That shift changes how students engage.
“Economics, you could put it in anything, but when you put it into something that students like, it’s just so much better,” says student teacher Jaden Newson.
Why sport works
Sport sits at the intersection of culture, business and identity. It’s global, constantly evolving and personal for many students.
That makes it a powerful teaching tool—not because it simplifies complex ideas, but because it gives people a way in.
A WNBA salary debate becomes a lesson in labor economics.
A viral athlete moment becomes a case study in media influence.
A sponsorship deal becomes a way to understand market value.
The subject hasn’t changed. The lens has.
A classroom that looks more like the real world
This shift reflects a broader rethink in education: how to make learning both rigorous and relevant. Sport is proving to be one of the clearest ways to do that.
Not because every student ultimately wants to work in sport—but because sport offers a familiar, constantly evolving way to understand the systems shaping the world around them.
“With econ, you can study anything you want.”
More educators are starting with something students already care about—and building from there.
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