Seton Hall Experts Shaped National Headlines This Summer

School may be out, but throughout the summer of 2026, Seton Hall University faculty continued to serve as trusted resources for local, national and international media outlets. From the surge of prediction markets and tech regulation to high-stakes political analysis and international sports economics, University scholars provided insightful commentary across top media outlets around the globe, including The Washington Post, NBC Nightly News, CNBC, The Hill and Bloomberg News.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted several games in New Jersey, and the Seton Hall Sports Poll generated international coverage for its data on the athletic event of the summer. Cited by Le Parisien, ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, the Poll tracked public sentiment surrounding the tournament, highlighting strong interest among younger demographics while capturing broader domestic enthusiasm.

Beyond public sentiment toward the tournament, Seton Hall professors also shed light on the legal, financial and economic impacts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Seton Hall Law professor Robert Boland contributed his sports law and business expertise with an op-ed for Sports Business Journal and cautioned World Cup host cities to audit municipal expenditures strictly to prevent post-tournament budget deficits.

Stillman School of Business professor Danielle Zanzalari also provided economic perspectives on the tournament to national outlets. On CNBC, she analyzed the financial realities for 2026 World Cup host regions, cautioning that municipal infrastructure costs often outweigh projected windfalls.

Additionally, Zanzalari shared foundational personal finance advice on building credit responsibly for WalletHub alongside two other Stillman faculty. Hector Lozada discussed credit card reward strategies, while Mark Schild reframed budgeting as an empowering tool for intentional living.

Two Seton Hall Law professors frequently addressed technology policy and digital ethics. Gaia Bernstein addressed tech policy and youth digital safety on Marketplace.org and Yahoo! News, breaking down federal legislative gridlock and how addictive design mechanics and algorithms can affect young users. Meanwhile, in The Washington Post, law professor Doron Dorfman commented on the legal intersection of public health and civil rights regarding anti-vaccine dating apps, critiquing attempts to weaponize disability anti-discrimination laws for personal choices.

Professor Lori Nessel established Seton Hall Law as a central authority on human rights with commentary for Yahoo! News, analyzing federal immigration enforcement in New Jersey. Her contribution and insight on child welfare standards underscored the University’s reputation for real-world advocacy at the forefront of national legal crises.

Similarly, Professor Solangel Maldonado spoke to NJ.com regarding New Jersey's custody laws, noting that while giving children a voice in court aligns decisions with their best interests, judges must guard against parental manipulation.

Other Law faculty also provided insights for multiple outlets, each bringing their own unique expertise to the table. Dean Ron Weich provided institutional legal commentary to Bloomberg News, while bankruptcy law expert Stephen Lubben detailed the legal standards of fund transfers for Inc.com. Professor Ilya Beylin was a go-to expert on the explosive growth of prediction markets, highlighting how election betting blurs the lines between financial derivatives and gambling in interviews with The Regulatory Review, The Hill and Noah News.

Communications professor Jess Rauchberg, an expert in digital culture and creator economies, also discussed gambling and prediction markets from a pop culture perspective. On NBC Nightly News, Rauchberg discussed how tracking celebrity milestones on betting apps turns fan culture into a financial marketplace and explored influencer marketing risks in prediction markets for Yahoo! News.

Political science professor Matthew Hale also contributed to Yahoo! News, where he discussed political strategy around New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill. On a more regional level, he frequently contributed to NJ.com, analyzing New Jersey's noncitizen voting controversy and examining the pragmatic appeal of incoming Gen Z politicians. In Gothamist, Hale weighed in on municipal bans on data centers, noting that blanket moratoriums face steep legal hurdles unless grounded in comprehensive zoning laws. 

Select Media:

• Bloomberg News, “Blanche Confirmation Push Follows Strained DOJ-Hill Relations”
• CNBC, “Some U.S. states still don’t know if the World Cup will benefit them financially—just look at New Jersey”
• ESPN, “2026 World Cup poll: U.S. excited for tournament, tempered USMNT expectations”
• Gothamist, “Dozens of NJ towns are banning data centers. Can they survive legal challenge?”
• The Hill, “Prediction market boom roils midterm elections: ‘It’s the wild west’”
• Inc.com, “A Restaurant Owner Closed His Doors and Filed for Bankruptcy. A New Lawsuit Claims He Had $1.5 Million Hiding in a Surprising Place"
• Le Parisien, “World Cup 2026: "Why isn't it more fun?" … The United States not really in the mood”
• Marketplace.com, “Why state AGs are taking Meta to court”
• NBC News, “More than $4 million worth of wagers made ahead of Taylor Swift’s wedding”
• NJ.com, “Gen Z politicians are taking over. Meet this town’s newest and youngest mayor.”
• NJ.com, “N.J. just gave kids a powerful voice in custody battles. It’s already dividing courtrooms."
• NJ.com, “What the surprising numbers behind N.J.’s noncitizen voter scandal tell us”
• The Regulatory Review, “Regulating the Prediction Market Boom”
• Sports Business Journal, “World Cup host cities begin tabulating their individual successes following tournament”
• WalletHub, “Best Credit Cards for Beginners”
• WalletHub, “What Is a Budget?”
• The Washington Post, “Anti-vaxxers are coupling up on apps for ‘Unjected’ singles”
• Yahoo! News, “California legislators unite to curb social media's impact on youth with new bill”
• Yahoo! News, “The left is fuming over Mikie Sherrill. Why it’s already make or break for N.J.’s new gov.”
• Yahoo! News, “US betting firm sponsorships spark election integrity fears”

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