Lee H Igel

Lee H. Igel is a professor at the NYU Tisch Institute for Global Sport. His work focuses on how sports impacts business and society.

For over a decade, Igel has headed an NYU initiative with the United States Conference of Mayors that studies sports in cities across the country. This partnership has produced more than 200 research and consulting projects that aim at improving social and economic growth through sports-led development. The findings are shared with leaders in municipalities, sports leagues, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

Igel is also an associate in the Medical Ethics division at NYU Langone Health, where he contributes to a team studying and providing policy guidance on health outcomes related to sport, physical activity, and mental wellness.

Since joining the NYU faculty in 2004, Igel has designed and taught 38 different courses in graduate and undergraduate programs. His teaching includes courses in organizational behavior, consumer behavior, applied research, consulting capstone, and management strategies. He has led global field intensives at NYU sites in London and Berlin, utilizing the cities as a laboratory for learning.

Beyond the classroom, Igel collaborates on special projects at NYU campuses in New York and Abu Dhabi. These projects use sport as a starting point for engaging decision-makers, thought leaders, and the public in forums that cover topics of national and international interest. Igel has also served as an NYU Global Research Institute fellow in Tel Aviv, where he explores ways that the city's startup ecosystem can promote social impact, economic development, and regional cooperation.

Before joining NYU, Igel oversaw integrated health programs for senior executives, elite athletes, and celebrity entertainers at La Palestra in New York City. His career began in sports medicine and player development in major league professional and top-level amateur sports, drawing on a bachelor's degree in physiology and a master's degree in counseling. He holds a doctorate in industrial/organizational psychology.

Igel is often interviewed by global media outlets to provide context on news about business and social issues in sports. His insights appear in writing as a contributor to Forbes and in articles for major news, industry, and scientific publications. He also writes longer profiles about the decisions that major sports leagues, teams, and executives make to support their fans, employees, partners, and communities.