
Rice PR expert weighs in on Astros cheating scandal
HOUSTON – (Jan. 14, 2019) – Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch were fired by team owner Jim Crane Monday after Major League Baseball suspended them for a year each following an investigation that discovered Houston cheated using technology en route to winning the 2017 World Series. "Sports is a unique context where (fan) loyalty persists in spite of transgressions by the team or its players," said Anastasiya (Annie) Zavyalova, associate professor of strategic management at Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business. "Considering the Astros' recent victory right after Hurricane Harvey, I expect Astros fans to continue to support the team in light of this scandal."