I met Larry in ‘66….we were neighbors…..we rowed to one another’s homes….seemed idyllic…..one of the first times we hung out together, Larry played the piano and sang  ‘T’aint Necessarily So’ from Porgy & Bess…..was so charmed…..we were both newcomers to the school we attended and so bonded easily……his friendship and loyalty never wavered…..he was generous and heroic in times of stress…..I am forever grateful…….I imagine him now rowing in gentle waters and diving in for a swim as he loved to do…….Much love and sympathy to Christine for her loss…..which we collectively share……..So glad for the experience of his friendship…..he is sorely missed

Model UN group Encinal High School — with Larry C and U.N. Group

It is still hard to believe that I no longer will hear "that's brilliant." come out of  Laurence's mouth when he expresses his love of an idea. I remember meeting Laurence when I was a doctoral student during my interview at the University of Texas. I had heard of him, but since he was a sport management 'celebrity" I had never had the opportunity to sit down and talk to him until my interview.  I fondly remember the breakfast we had and the advise that he shared to help mw as a new scholar. He advised me to not chop up articles like "salami" just to get a lot of articles. He also  advised me to be mindful of other people pulling me into things that would take away valuable professional and personal time; and he told me that he foresaw that I would have lots of professional opportunites.  I didn't take the job at UT (a decision that I have reflected on), but I helped recruit him and Chris to come to the University of Illinois. As my department head, I may not have always agreed with Laurence, but we always had a good friendship and  deep respect for each other. So much so that when I left U of I, I recruited him and Chris to come to George Mason.  At this point, I figured we were stuck with each other and truly meant to be colleagues. He will definitely be missed. 

I was very sorry to hear about the passing of Laurence. He was someone who I admired from afar - his research and writing on sport events was closely linked to my own. I only met him a few times, as I live in the UK, but each time I was in his company, Laurence was extremely supportive and generous. We continue to use a lot of his work with our students, and so his influence will be felt globally for many years to come. 

Prof. Andrew Smith, University of Westminster, UK

I first met Dr. Chalip when I was just beginning my master’s program, and I still remember our first meeting at NASSM in Austin. He was the very definition of a gentleman, kind, thoughtful, and genuinely interested in others. Later, I saw him again in Seoul, and that was when I had the chance to talk with him more deeply and consider pursuing further studies in sport management. His advice was not only wise but also caring, reflecting the immense knowledge and compassion he carried with him.

Two years later, I never imagined I would cross paths with him again at Illinois. The knowledge I gained in his classes, the hours I spent working through his assignments, and the level of academic engagement he encouraged were truly astonishing. Some of my fondest memories are of sitting in his office, wrestling with statistics problems, while he patiently guided me toward understanding. At the time, I thought those moments would last forever that he would always be there as my professor and mentor.

I cannot express the depth of my sadness knowing he is no longer with us. I had believed I would see him at the next conference, that I still had time to share with him what I was doing, how I was growing, and how proud I felt all because of his influence. I deeply regret not sending that one more email, making that phone call, or even writing a simple postcard while I had the chance. That regret sits heavily in my heart.

But more than anything, I am filled with gratitude. I thank him for helping me become the person I am today. I thank him for his unwavering support. And I thank him simply for being who he was a brilliant scholar, a generous mentor, and a remarkable human being. He will never be forgotten. He will always remain in my heart and in my memories.

I echo many of the sentiments that have been expressed about Laurence. He was truly a pillar of sport management and his influence on the field is unmatched. I have not met a scholar that I enjoyed exchanging ideas with more than him. 

What I would like to focus on, though, is Laurence as a person. One word that I think also describes him is "kind". He always had kind words for people and their research, and would only be critical in rare and guarded moments. He went out of his way to make people comfortable and excited about themselves and their own research. I think this is a very rare trait that is a theme that runs through the tributes to Laurence that have been shared.

Selfishly, I will remember all of the joking I engaged with Laurence at conferences and at other gatherings; like sharing a room with him at NASSM EC meetings in Kansas City (Chris - do you remember me telling you I thought he slept like Nosferatu?) or singing "Proud Mary" to a sparse bar crowd at NASSM in Miami. It was also so much fun to critique conference presentations but do so in a veiled, humorous vein.

I am so glad to know that he has touched the lives of so many others in so many similar ways, and feel fortunate to have had him as a part of my life.

Laurence loved to enjoy dinner with friends. A great cook himself, he would always compliment the host and hostess with how much he enjoyed the meal and company. He had a great sense of humor and whenever he heard something in conversation he wanted to reserve his opinion on, he would press his lips together. We still knew what he was thinking! Truly a funny, caring, and fun friend!

Having a great time at a recruitment event and we crashed the photo booth!

Having a productive lunch meeting. We miss you!

What a beautiful day to visit a park!

Laurance and faculty attending SRTM career social

Randall and Dr. Chalip after the conference for a relaxing tour of the city

Our sincere condolances on the passing of Laurence. Our family and especially Ben and our dive-mate Hannah enjoyed the interactions with both of your during our time at AVIV. He was incredibly kind and considerate in all our interactions. It was a pleasure to have met both of you during our stay.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you deal with this immense loss. 

Santa Rita Winery

I never got a chance to be a student or direct colleague of Dr. Chalip, but he still held a pivotal role in my progression as a faculty member in Sport Administration.

I remember initially seeing him from a distance and regarding him as someone who held God-like status in the field. I watched him interact with people thoughtfully, always making himself available for hallway conversations, and serving an important foundational and influential role in driving quality research, administration, and conduct within our field.

After about a decade, I got the courage to approach him about a research project idea I had been mulling over, and he was kind, gracious, and encouraging. We worked on a proposal together and the process was educational and full of exciting conceptual breakthroughs.

I can’t imagine a NASSM without Dr. Chalip’s professional presence in the room. I’m so sad to hear about his passing. I am so grateful I was able to learn from and work with him throughout the years.

With gratitude,

-Erianne Weight

Although my personal interactions with Laurence were limited, he inspired me in many different ways. His articles, especially the two he published in 2006, shaped how I understand sport management and the ways sport can contribute to society. 

Though I may be mistaken, I had the impression that Laurence might have been a reviewer for some of my manuscripts. Those reviews were in-depth and critical, yet constructive and encouraging. My research has improved significantly thanks to the multiple rounds of reviews and revisions.

The last time I saw Laurence was at the 2023 NASSM conference in Montreal. I noticed him in the hotel lobby on the final day of my stay, and I decided to greet him though I was not sure if he would recognize me or how he would respond. 

Laurence was very welcoming when I spoke to him and gave me some compliments about my research. I truly appreciated his kindness and encouragement. I was also so grateful to have the chance to tell him in person how much his scholarship had inspired me over the years.

Laurence was such an influential scholar and person, and I am deeply saddened by his passing.

Laurence saved my entire academic career before it even began. Back in 2005, I was a young Masters student who was invited to present at an international Event Management Conference in Sydney. I had never attended an academic conference before, let alone presented at one – and I was both excited and nervous . On the day, I introduced the idea of using sport events for reconciliation purposes in post-war settings – a rather new way of thinking about events back in the days. When I finished my talk, question time started and I was hammered for the first 5 minutes about my lack of methodological underpinnings and conceptual clarity. I was shell-shocked visibly shaken... but then, a hand in the back row went up and a man suggested that what I was proposing was indeed something new, different and incredibly exciting – and he encouraged me to go ahead with it. Unbeknownst to me, that man was the biggest name in sport and event research, Professor Laurence Chalip.

I feel privileged and fortunate to have known him and my heartfelt condolences go to his family and friends.

NASSM Conference 2002 — with Sue Inglis, Karen Danylchuk and Mike Judd

The sport management academy has lost not only an icon in our field, but a cherished colleague, friend, and mentor.  I always admired Laurence’s intellect, mixed with a good sense of humour.  I was fortunate to have interacted with him over the years during a multitude of conferences and meetings around the globe.