Digital Commons Network^™

Manque De Réussite : Le Préjudice Dans Le Football Français, Will Bedell

World Languages and Cultures Senior Capstones

Despite being called The Beautiful Game, soccer in France has a few issues that take away from its beauty. This presentation aims to identify the causes and reasons behind the issues of racism, homophobia, and sexism which plague the French soccer scene. By looking at the causes of these from within French culture, history, and their society we can hope to understand why they exist as well as to establish the sources from which these issues arise.

The Rise And Fall Of A Video Game Dynasty And Its Road Back To Glory, Kade Rogerson

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

For years the EA Sports NCAA Football series had been a long-standing success story in the world of sports video games. Combining the unique feel of collegiate athletics with the realistic nature of the game that its technology provides led the series to be a major source of revenue for Electronic Arts, Inc. in the extremely competitive and profitable industries of video games and sports merchandising.

However, the series came to an abrupt halt in 2013. Spearheaded by the O’Bannon v. NCAA lawsuit, EA was forced to discontinue the series after legal action was taken regarding the game’s unauthorized use …

The Implications Of Nil Collectives On College Baseball, Matthew Magre

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

Under current regulations, the allocation of athletic-based aid in public universities is slanted away from non-full scholarship sports like baseball. Since the approval of student-athletes to benefit from their name, image, and likeness, college sports have ascended into far larger businesses than ever before. This expansion has raised concerns over the future of college sports and its historic stance on amateurism. While the focus of NIL has centered around blockbuster deals for individual athletes, the changes in regulation have created avenues to support student-athletes better financially. Universities have formed NIL collectives to facilitate money from donors to student-athletes in exchange …

From Baguettes To Gold Medals: The Paris 2024 Olympics And Paralympics Exhibit Postcard, Tim Bottorff, Kerri Bottorff

Rosen Library Exhibits

On display: May-August 2024
Featured items: Books from the Rosen Library Collection. Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics mascots and t-shirt. T-shirt and credential from U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Marathon.
Curators: Tim Bottorff and Kerri Bottorff

See more items from this exhibit

From Baguettes To Gold Medals: The Paris 2024 Olympics And Paralympics Exhibit Signs, Tim Bottorff, Kerri Bottorff

Rosen Library Exhibits

On display: May-August 2024
Featured items: Books from the Rosen Library Collection. Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics mascots and t-shirt. T-shirt and credential from U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Marathon.

Curators: Tim Bottorff and Kerri Bottorff

See more items from this exhibit

Communication And Marketing In Historically Black Colleges And Universities (Hbcu) Sports, Philip Reynaldo King

Theses (2016-Present)

This study's objectives are to evaluate the impact that communication and marketing efforts have on the attendance and revenue of HBCU sporting events; identify and explain potential challenges and obstacles to effective marketing and communication initiatives; analyze the effectiveness of current communication and marketing efforts; and examine and identify strategies for improving communication and marketing efforts in HBCU sporting events. The current state of communication and marketing in HBCU athletics will be analyzed through an analysis of the existing body of literature. Best practices will be identified, and the research will investigate strategies to optimize communication and marketing efforts in …

A Geospatial Analysis Of Patterns In Neighborhood Characteristics And United States Professional Sports Stadium Relocations From 1922-2022, Kara Logan

Master's Theses

In the United States of America, 135 stadiums for new or relocating teams have been constructed between 1970 and 2020 (Bradbury et al., 2022, p. 3). Within those years, researchers, journalists, and community members have examined the impact of those new stadiums on local communities, including economic, environmental, and residential impacts. However, the current scope of literature consists of a considerable number of case studies that examine a single stadium or mega-event, such as the Olympics.

This study will determine what patterns, if any, exist between the demographic and housing characteristics between the stadiums that major league United States professional …

Corporate Social Responsibility In Sport: The Illustrative Case Of The German Men’S Bundesliga, Denise Morawek

Masters Theses

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a pivotal aspect for companies and governments, exceeding mere risk management to create opportunities and enhance overall performance. While the concept of CSR in sports

is relatively recent, its significance is growing, especially in Germany’s sport industry. The Bundesliga, one of the world’s top football leagues, showcases a unique CSR landscape shaped by societal, economic, and political drivers. Societal motives reinforce regional identity, economic strategies target customer retention, and political actions, including governmental programs and football governing bodies’ initiatives, shape CSR endeavors. Germany’s distinctive 50+1 rule, albeit with exceptions, highlights the fan-centric model. The …

The Causes And Implications Of Burnout Among Graduate Assistants, Katherine Mary Kuka

Masters Theses

Introduction & Background

Acting as both a student and staff member of a university, the unique role of graduate assistants can often become a catalyst of burnout and stress. Recent studies found 60% of graduate assistants met the criteria for burnout (Park et al., 2021) and 43% of graduate students claim to be experiencing more stress than they can handle (Allen et al., 2021). In this case, burnout is defined as, “A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress” (Parker & Tavella, 2022). Graduate assistants are a subpopulation of graduate students that is growing …

A Triadic View Of Name, Image, And Likeness From The Point Of Athletes, Universities, And Consumers Of College Athletics, William Monroe

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Name, Image, and Likeness is a new era of college athletics that allows student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness through personal appearances, social media platforms, commercials, selling merchandise, signing autographs, serving as ambassadors, and leading camps or clinics, among others. In simpler terms, NIL allows student-athletes to be paid to play. Before it was introduced, the NCAA took a strong stance against this but soon flipped its stance once states started passing laws relating to the subject. In the past, athletic departments, coaches, and student-athletes were punished by the NCAA because of bribes as well as athletic departments …

Evaluating The Effects Of A Noninvasive, Commercial-Grade Neurofeedback Technology And Mindfulness On Sleep Quality In Elite Athletes, Sydney Anne Hammit

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Proper sleep is a vital element in the lives of elite athletes due to its effects on recovery, performance, and mental and emotional health. However, despite the importance of sleep quality, elite athletes are experiencing notable difficulties with both sleep quantity and quality. While sleep is necessary for all individuals, it is specifically essential for elite athletes. Sleep quality issues can be accompanied by both physical and psychological struggles, which is concerning for the population of elite athletes who are struggling with sleep quality at higher rates than the general population. Despite the increasing awareness of sleep quality struggles …

Systemic Effect Of Organizational Capitals On Parent Commitment In Youth Soccer, Paul Kimbrough

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluates how soccer parents perceive the offerings of the soccer team on which their child plays. The study uses the systems perspective of Flora & Flora’s Community Capitals Framework to analyze family commitment to the team. The study subjects were parents of soccer players ages 12 and older who play for teams and participate in competitive travel soccer teams. Parents are classified based on their geographic location and team level. Questionnaires were administered at a series of travel soccer tournaments in March 2024. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression analysis. Parents were found to value the total …

Powerhouse Problem: The Examination Of The Nfl Draft And Possible Biases, Nicholas Troha

Business and Economics Honors Papers

This research explores the NFL draft's dynamics, investigating potential biases in player selection. Despite stars like Tyreek Hill and Antonio Brown emerging from small D1 institutions in the later draft rounds, a bias towards Power 5 conference players persists, particularly with wide receivers. Drawing from NFL draft data (2016-2020), this research finds that not only does there seem to be a premium placed on Power 5 receivers, but Southeastern Conference (SEC) linebackers as well. Quarterbacks were also evaluated in this research but revealed little information about what factors influence their draft position. The discrepancy of what influences a player’s draft …

Leadership Experiences Of Athletics Directors In Faith-Based Small College Departments: A Phenomenological Study, Michael Teague

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the leadership experiences of intercollegiate athletics directors at faith-based, small colleges and universities throughout the United States. The theory guiding this study was Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory, as it explores how leaders can most effectively lead and engage their employees given unique circumstances and how those types of leaders are found within the faith-based, small college and university intercollegiate athletics departments. The central research question in this study is: How do athletics directors describe their leadership experiences in a faith-based, small college intercollegiate athletics setting? The phenomenological research using …

Nfl Rule Changes Favor Offenses; But Don't Defenses Win Championships?, Kipp Satterlee Ransome

Business and Economics Honors Papers

The NFL's emphasis on favoring the offense through implementing new game rules is likely a significant factor in increasing a team's average points per game. Additionally, an increasing average points per game metric is likely a contributing factor to increasing real team revenue, as prior research indicates that higher-scoring games lead to higher fan satisfaction. Using game, team revenue, and rule implementation data from the 2002-2022 seasons, this author tests two new hypotheses that test whether specific rule changes targeting defenses or special teams increase a team’s average points per game and whether an increased points per game metric positively …

The Impact Of The Anthem Protest Movement And Covid On Nfl Viewership, George W. Stone, Michael A. Jones, Kirsten Passyn

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This research is based on 3 different surveys conducted over several NFL football seasons. The first study investigated the impact of the Anthem Protest Movement on the attitude of NFL fans. The “Anthem Protest” reemerged during the 2020 season during the “lockdown” season associated with the COVID epidemic. Co-mingled with COVID and societal unrest, many analysts were predicting irreparable harm to the NFL’s once indomitable position as America’s favorite sport resulting from this confluence of events. Given the importance of the topic in terms of future NFL fan support, this report looks back over the last several NFL seasons to …

Sport Management Experiential Learning: Faculty Perceptions Of Opportunities, Benefits, And Support, Janet M. Howes Phd, Cheryl R. Rode Phd

The COSMA Journal

Experiential learning is an important aspect in any learning program, but in sport management programs, it might be considered essential to the learning process and post-graduation career success. There are several types of experiential learning which include in-classroom activities, internships, practicums, cooperatives, and service learning. In many instances, more than one type of experiential learning is being used to enrich the student’s experience and prepare them for post-graduate careers. The purpose of this study is to understand the experiential learning opportunities available in collegiate sport management programs in the United States. This study utilizes interviews and open-ended questionnaire responses to …

College Football Success And Its Impact On The Surrounding Community, Local Economy, And Institution Enrollment, Jacob Reynolds

Honors Theses

In the ever-changing field of college football, creating success has always been a top priority for institutions, and if not achieved, it can be detrimental to an athletic department. Success is important to those directly involved in college football, however, not often is it considered how others may be affected by the success or failure of a college football program. The purpose of this research is to determine what impact successful college football programs have on society and those not directly involved in athletics. In determining the purpose, it was important to find what components of society are impacted by …

From Fan Avidity To Nil Ramifications: An Assessment Of The Attitudes Held By American University Students On An Array Of Sports Issues, Sam Fullerton, Tammy Mccullough

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2024

A sample of 667 students drawn from seven universities in various regions of the United States provided feedback regarding 11 specific sports-related issues. These issues include the new NIL rules, fan avidity, and athlete compensation along with several other issues that are commonly addressed in the popular media. Means and percentages were used to derive aggregate measures for the respondents, and the same measures were used to assess the responses based upon one’s gender. For all 11 variables under scrutiny, a statistically significant difference was documented for the two gender-based groups. Thus, it is apparent that the market of intercollegiate …

The Development Of A Social Media Strategy For The Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights, Natalie Ritter

Senior Honors Theses

In this thesis, an examination is conducted on the design, development, process, and execution of a social media strategy for the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights, a junior hockey team composed of 16-20 year old players based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The strategy takes into consideration not only the extraordinary role that social media can play in the success of a team’s overall development and marketing plan, but also the team’s specific mission and objectives as well as the intricacies that come with media within the sports industry. An in-depth literature review discusses the importance of a social media strategy and how an …

Women In Formula 1 - A Social Media Campaign Designed To Promote F1 Academy, Madisen K. Michel

Global Strategic Communications Student Work

This social media campaign is designed to promote F1 Academy; an all female racing series backed by Formula 1. The goal is to use media to encourage young girls and women to know they can achieve anything they put their minds to.

Objective.Gg: Uniting Scholastic Esports, Martin Beirne

Honors Program Theses and Research Projects

Objective.gg is a startup online recruitment platform within the scholastic esports scene that seeks to unite esports prospects with collegiate esports programs in an effective manner. Currently, there is a large divide that high school and transfer esports prospects must navigate through, and it is Objective.GG’s mission to build a bridge over that gap. Objective.gg seeks to accomplish its mission by operating an online platform that allows prospects and collegiate coaches to create their own profiles and connect with one another, building a community around the platform in the process. This platform will be accessible to both prospects and coaches …

Barriers To Baseball: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Factors That Impact Contract Value In Major League Baseball, Ryan A. Crowl

Senior Theses

The landscape of Major League Baseball’s free agency is an evolving one with numerous factors impacting negotiated contracts as player salaries escalate and teams adopt new strategies of luring players to their organizations. This study delves into the intricate dynamics of this free agent market, exploring the factors that influence contract values and negotiating power. Through empirical analysis and mathematical regressions, we explore the enduring significance of multiple factors on contract value, encompassing demographic indicators as well as on-field performance. Subsequently, we propose our own explanations of any observed inequities or significance and provide rational approaches for players and their …

‘You Have To Respect The Water’: Participant Experiences Of Appreciating And Managing The Risks Associated With Open Water Swimming – A Rapid Ethnographic Study, Mark A. Christie, David Elliott

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Open water swimming (OWS) has rapidly grown in popularity, driven by the purported health benefits of cold-water immersion. A paucity of research remains specifically considering the notable risks inherent in OWS participation, and a lack of qualitative research on freshwater swimming experiences, and safety-related issues therein. This rapid ethnographic study, based at a dedicated OWS lake in the UK, conducted semi-structured interviews with OWS participants (n=17; female=11, male=6). Two core themes emerged: environmental issues impacting OWS experiences and behaviours; and knowledge and education of OWS which highlighted safe/unsafe practices, levels of education for managing risks, personal preparedness, swimming solo/with others, …

Barriers: Location, Functionality, And Method Of Access In Childhood Pool/Spa Submersion Incidents, United States, 2000-2017, Alison Miller, Kristina R. Anderson, William D. Ramos

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is a leading cause of fatality among children in the United States, and residential pools/spas currently account for as much as 80% of these submersion incidents. This study reviewed narrative case reports obtained from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to understand barrier location, type, and functionality as methods of pool/spa access for childhood submersion incidents. Retroactive analysis of 1,523 fatal and non-fatal submersion incidents among children aged 13 years old and younger was conducted using the CPSC in depth investigation dataset from 2000-2017. Narrative descriptions were coded according to the attributes of barrier location, functionality, and …

Lay Rescuer Equipment Preferences And Efficacy During A Simulated Drowning Event, Alison M. Miller, William D. Ramos, Kristina R. Anderson, Jill Cuvala

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

During a drowning incident where a lifeguard is not present, a bystander – referred to as a lay rescuer - may put themselves in danger by attempting a rescue. When lay rescuers can avoid entering the water by using rescue equipment to help a drowning victim, it serves to not only help the person actively drowning, but also provides a layer of protection to a lay rescuer. This study sought to examine the following questions: (a) which pieces of rescue equipment were preferred by lay rescuers at pre-determined short and long distances, (b) do lay rescuers select appropriate rescue equipment …

Is Average Home Stadium Attendance Determined By A Team Payroll?, Jessica Saunders, Nate Egan, Samuel Schreyer

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

We investigate how owner spending (team payroll) affects team attendance in 2022 in Major League Baseball. There are many factors that determine win percentage, so we controlled for win percentage, number of all-stars per team, city population, and which league the team is affiliated with (American League or National League). Attendance is an important revenue generator for teams, and MLB would like to enhance its ability to generate revenue. Average fan attendance is the dependent variable, while team payroll is the primary explanatory variable. The model provides evidence that indicates there is a relationship between team payroll and attendance numbers …

Predicting Tendencies To Consider Illegally Assisting A Sport Team: The Influence Of Team Identification And Sport Fan Dysfunction, Daniel L. Wann Phd, Brooke Kordys

Findings in Sport, Hospitality, Entertainment, and Event Management

Previous research (Wann et al., 2001) had investigated the willingness of sport fans to consider illegal or unethical actions to assist their team (i.e., cheating behaviors such as taking a test for a player). They found that individuals with higher levels of team identification were particularly likely to consider engaging in these acts. The current investigation extended this work by incorporating fan dysfunction into the design. Consistent with expectations, the results indicated that both persons with high levels of identification and persons with high levels of dysfunction were most likely to consider engaging in the cheating behaviors.

Collegiate Female Athlete Experiences With Name, Image, And Likeness, Hailey A. Harris, Natasha T. Brison

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

The purpose of this study is to examine experiences female collegiate athletes encountered with Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation. Ten collegiate female athletes across multiple divisions and geographic regions were interviewed for this study. Participants discussed various facets of their experiences with NIL, such as team dynamics and personal branding. The results of this study suggest differences in 1) their institutional educational processes for NIL, 2) their attitudes towards NIL, 3) shifts (or lack thereof) in their team’s group cohesion and leadership, and 4) their experience with forming and managing their personal brand. This study adds to the current …

“Zero Preparation For Life After Sports”: Former College Athletes’ Use Of Tiktok To Express Transitioning Out Of Sport, Molly Harry, Sydney Hammit

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Every college athlete will transition out of competition and this transition is often tumultuous for athletes who have dedicated years to the sports they love. Despite these challenges, athletes are rarely given a platform to discuss their transition with peers experiencing a similar situation who can offer support. However, through social media, former college athletes are creating platforms to center their transition successes and struggles. Through the lens of Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (1981), this study used thematic analysis to examine transition experiences of former college athletes responding to a viral TikTok video. Comments (n = 869) demonstrated former athletes …