Professor spotlight: Bryan Finch

Friday, March 4, 2022

Media Contact: Bailey Stacy | Communications Coordinator, Marketing & Communications | 405-744-2700 | bailey.stacy@okstate.edu

After living in Stillwater since I was four years old, I have realized that it is more than just a town between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. It is made up of the Stillwater Pioneers (Class of 2017!) and Oklahoma State Cowboys (Class of 2020!). Similar to other southern towns in Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, etc., sports are a huge part of our weeknights: Friday night football at Pioneer Stadium, OSU football games on Saturdays at Boone Pickens Stadium, basketball games at Gallagher-Iba Arena, soccer games at Neal Patterson Stadium, or baseball games at the new O’Brate Stadium.

Stillwater is filled with a university, community and families who have a passion for sports. This week’s professor spotlight is someone I would always turn to with any sports related question. He is the reason I took 12 hours of various sports courses and received a minor in sports management. He currently teaches seven different sports management courses between our OSU-Tulsa and Stillwater campuses and has been the Director of our Sports Management Institute since 2007.

Dr. Bryan Finch is a clinical assistant professor of management. He received a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, an MBA from Arizona State University and then continued on to get a Ph.D. in sports management from Texas A&M University.

Aside from sports being an interest to Finch, here is what he also enjoys:

What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
My only hobby is clearing brush and branches and making a fire to relax.

What is your favorite genre of music? Favorite artist(s)?
Classical, Bach; Jazz, Miles Davis/Coltrane/Brubeck; Pop, Buddy Holly, Beatles.

What is your favorite restaurant in Stillwater? Why?
The cafeteria at Stillwater Medical Center. Good salads, classic options.

What is your favorite documentary?
Baseball, by Ken Burns.

If you could live in any country in the world, which one would it be and why?
USA. If not USA, then Canada, because I could live on the border and visit the USA as much as possible.

What is your favorite decade and why?
1980s. Simplicity.

If you weren’t in your current profession, what would you do? Explain why.
Sports talk radio host.

What makes you the most motivated?
Helping people succeed.

Story By: Alexis Hightower | alexis.hightower@okstate.edu