Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring The Managerial Perspective On Developing A New Sport Team Brand, Melissa Davies, Matt Blaszka, Cole Armstrong

Journal of Applied Sport Management

In recent years, research examining new sport teams has emerged. A total of ten senior sales and market executives were interviewed from recent expansion teams from Major League Soccer (MLS) to analyze team brand development for this study due to its continued expansion efforts across North America and the fact that the MLS continues to compete for market share against other “Big Four” sport teams in their respective cities. Utilizing content analysis, findings from this study identified four themes when developing a new team brand. These themes were Market Research, Soccer Culture, Brand Associations, and Supporter-Led Initiatives. Practical implications are …

Industry Interactions And Their Influence On Dreams, Goals, Work Interests, And Vocational Attitude Of Sport Industry Job Seekers, Jiayao C. Qi, Samuel Y. Todd

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The sport industry is filled with passionate job seekers (e.g., Todd & Andrew, 2008) who often craft lofty future work desires and idyllic dreams (Odio et al., 2014). But little is known about how these are shaped over time. Previous studies noted how plans of sport job seekers often change after encountering realistic information about the actual work in sport (Koo et al., 2016; Todd & Magnusen, 2014). This urges a closer examination of the way in which sport job seekers interact with the industry in a continuous, iterative way, and how that impacts vocational attitude and imaginations. Findings …

Sport Chaplains And Social Workers: A Theoretical Understanding Of A Necessary Component Of An Interprofessional Collaborative Practice In Sport In The United States, Lauren Beasley Phd, Ms, Lmsw, Emily J. Johnson Mph, Ms, Steven N. Waller Phd, Dmin, Cspc

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Holistic care of athletes is a growing area of research and practice. Yet, there is still much to consider as attention to this matter continues to expand. Specifically, what are the different theoretical perspectives of each profession working together towards the holistic care of athletes? The theoretical understanding between professions is essential for effective interprofessional teams—what some scholars have termed interprofessional cultural competence. The purpose of this paper is thus to provide the theoretical underpinnings for collaboration between sport chaplains and social workers, both emerging professions within interprofessional care in sport. This paper presents the unique partnership of sport chaplains …

Finding Stability Between Sports Ministry And Sports Ministry Management. A Church-Based Review., Jimmy Smith

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

The field of sports has multiple segments including youth, recreational, college, and professional sport. Research in these areas have produced an abundance of inquiries discussing several managerial function and capacity topics such as finance, marketing, organizational effectiveness, and leadership. While these topics have been applied to many segments of the sport world, the niche segment of sports ministry has not seen these applications. Sports ministers have challenges in that they manage all aspects of the sports programs they provide to the community, but they also supply the resources and support toward the ministry within these programs.

The current research fills …

From Mission To Competition: The Experiences Of 10 Lds Missionary Student-Athletes Returning To Competition In The National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, Matthew J. Moore, Leslee A. Fisher, Lindsey A. Miossi, Zach T. Smith, Jacob C. Jensen,

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

The purpose of the current study was to explore the experiences of LDS missionary student-athletes returning to competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI). Using Consensual Qualitative Research methods (CQR; Hill, 2012) including a semi-structured interview guide, 10 DI student-athletes/returned LDS missionaries were interviewed regarding their experience (i.e., mean age of 25 years; baseball, cross-country/track and field, football, and swimming). A research team with five members constructed four domains and 16 categories representing DI student-athlete/returned LDS missionary chronological identity changes during this experience: (a) the development of an LDS missionary identity; (b) challenges associated with returning …

The Advancement Of Asma: Highlights From The 2022 Annual Conference, Marshall Magnusen

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The Applied Sport Management Association (ASMA) is a scholarly organization that aims to builds research partnerships between faculty and students as well as strong connections between scholars and students studying sport and practitioners working in the sport industry. Each year, ASMA hosts a national (international) conference.

Since 2005, ASMA has progressed to become the preeminent outlet for students and faculty to present research in a collegial and professional environment as well as build strong connects with sport industry practitioners. As evidence of the continued growth of ASMA, several noticeable events took place at the 2022 annual conference. A brief summary …

Adding Value To The Applied Sport Management Association, Mike Martinez

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Dr. Martinez is the inaugural recipient of the Distinguished Service Award for the Applied Sport Management Association (ASMA). He offers his thoughts on adding value to ASMA to advance the association and sport management.

In Remembrance Of Dr. Samantha Rachel Gorse Roberts, Clayton B. Bolton

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Dr. Samantha Roberts, a professor at Texas A&M University-Commerce, was a significant member of the association’s leadership team. Dr. Roberts had a strong passion for student development and mentorship and was heavily involved with the undergraduate and graduate case study competitions. Dr. Clay Bolton provides a touching tribute to our dear colleague and friend.

A Fistful Of Nil: Have We Entered A “Wild West” Recruiting Era?, Marshall Magnusen, Samuel Y. Todd

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Changes about the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy impacted the world of college sports in the summer of 2021. Emerging from the dust of this seismic event was an apparent new frontier for athletes, coaches, and universities to explore. In the eyes of many, college sports had now entered a “Wild West” frontier because of NIL, especially as it pertains to recruiting athletes. But what does that really mean, “Wild West”? And further, if such a comparison is at least somewhat accurate, are there lessons that can be learned from other sectors who likewise …

Nil “Reform” Fails To Address The Ncaa’S Biggest Issue, Richard Southall, Mark S. Nagel

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Do college sport stakeholders have the intellectual and moral courage to abandon the familiar and financially successful, but morally bankrupt and exploitative, collegiate model? The NIL "Reform," which effectively fails to address the NCAA's biggest issue, is explored in this article.

Who Are Our Fans: An Application Of Principal Component-Cluster Technique Analysis To Market Segmentation Of College Football Fans, Daniel A. Rascher, Kenneth Cortsen, Mark S. Nagel, Tiffany Richardson

Journal of Applied Sport Management

A 66-question online marketing survey of 2,800 football fans who had purchased tickets to a Division I, Power 5 (P5) university football game was conducted in order to understand the fan base and provide better services and targeted marketing. Principal Component Analysis was employed to combine responses from multiple questions about purchase behavior, on-site satisfaction, demographics, and other criteria. Subsequent market segmentation via cluster analysis indicated that 95% of the survey respondents could be categorized into one of five clusters. The identified fan perceptions and evaluations resulted in the P5 athletic department taking specific actions to improve targeted marketing activities …

Surveying The Landscape Of Theories And Frameworks Used In The Study Of Sport And Religion: An Interdisciplinary Approach, Zachary T. Smith, Steven N. Waller Ph.D.

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Religion and sport is a bourgeoning and maturing interdisciplinary area of study. As the volume of research conducted about topics related to the interface of religion and sport, attention to sound research methods, including the use of relevant theories and theoretical/conceptual frameworks becomes essential. Scholars such as Stausberg and Engler (2014) have posited that the methods used in religious studies (including theory and frameworks) are not as rigorous as those utilized in social science related fields. The imperative then becomes to use theories and frameworks from social science related disciplines such as leisure studies, sports studies and sport psychology to …

Christianity And Sport Psychology: One Aspect Of Cultural Competence, Trevor J. Egli, Leslee A. Fisher

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

There is currently a dearth of literature relating to how applied sport psychology practitioners might work with a Christian sportsperson (Czech et al., 2004, Egli et al., 2014). Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide practical suggestions for sport psychology practitioners based on relevant research related to Christianity and sport psychology as well as personal and professional experience. We first explain the various sport psychology roles before providing a brief review of literature. Studies related to Christian athletes, Christian coaches, Christian prayer within sport, and sport psychology consultants’ experiences of spirituality are presented. Lastly, the authors include four …

A Psychotheology Of Losing, Matthew D. Ruiz

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

This paper explores what it means to lose in a contemporary American society. Kanter (2004) suggested that losing serves as an alarm, notifying one that it is time to recalibrate. For Duina (2011) losing offers a time for reexamination. Sports equates to winning and losing. Thanks to well-indoctrinated maxims like Lombardi’s “winning is the only thing” and a cultural rejection of “losers” we are in an era where the pursuit of winning trumps other variables which are also worthy of pursuit and consideration. Thus, losing becomes an insult to our ego-driven lives. As such, one cannot discuss losing without also …

Religiousness And Perceived God Perfectionism Among Elite Athletes, Benjamin J. Houltberg, Kenneth T. Wang, Sarah A. Schnitker

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Little research has been conducted examining the link between athletes’ religious beliefs and practices and coping with the pressures related to elite competition. The purpose of the study was to investigate athletes’ global self-worth and perfectionistic concerns as key variables that link religiousness and perceived God perfectionism to dealing with performance failure and appraisals of upcoming competition. Self-report data was collected from a sample of 99 elite athletes (Mdn age = 22, 48% female, 89% believed in God) that were currently competing at a NCAA D1, professional or Olympic level. We used structural equation modeling to test direct and indirect …

Exploring The Role Of Spirituality And Spiritual Beliefs In The Pursuit Of Excellence And Attainment Of Peak Performance In Professional Athletes, Ashley Ballard, Charles H. Wilson Jr.

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Little research has been found which examines the assessment of spirituality in sport performers and its possible role in performance enhancement. The goal of the current study was to understand if and how spirituality impacts athleticism. The subjective experiences of Christian spirituality in an American World Sprinter (male), a British Olympic Sprint Canoe Racer (female), and a retired American Minor League Baseball player (male) were analyzed through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith & Osborn, 2003). Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data leading to three major themes: “The Belief and Confidence in God”, “Individual and Communal Prayer”, and “The Influential …

Muscular Christian Themes In Contemporary American Sport: A Case Study, Andrew R. Meyer

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Muscular Christianity is often credited as being influential in Western sport ideology but is rarely mentioned in contemporary analysis. This paper identifies instances of muscular Christian ideals, as defined by Thomas Hughes, observable in the contemporary American sport context, addressing the continued religious impact of sport. Muscular Christian themes were identified in various media, including, online videos, magazines, books, and commercials involving American cyclist Lance Armstrong. Two of Hughes’ themes were observable in the media portrayal of Armstrong: a body used for the protection of the weak and a body used for the advancement of all righteous causes. These findings …

The Impact Of Faith And Experience On The Development Of Coaching Philosophies, Douglas Hochstetler

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

The purpose of this paper is to address coaching philosophies in the context of experience and faith. In particular, how do coaches at Christian colleges develop their ideas and beliefs about coaching which guide their actions and behaviors? To what extent does faith impact these philosophical commitments? What is this process of decision-making and growth like? Does this development process occur intuitively, through rational discourse and planning, or perhaps through some sort of symbiotic process? This paper is both descriptive and normative, both reflective of the experiential process in developing one’s coaching philosophy as well as prescribing effective ways to …

God In My Sporting: A Justification For Christian Experience In Sport, Sean Sullivan

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Examining the intersection between sport and religious faith can be challenging for kinesiology professionals. Many in academics disregard religious statements and experience as meaningless, unscientific, and even dangerous. Others recognize religious experiences as valid forms of knowledge and opportunities to encounter the sacred. Each of these groups has different explanations of religious experience and the areas of life in which such experience can occur. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the legitimacy of and potential for religious experience in general, as well as Christian religious experience in sport and physical activity. After reviewing previous sport and other …

The Utilization Of Core Values As An Avenue For Promotion In Sport: Faith Based Activations As The Moral Face Of Sport Organization Brands, Michael Hutchinson

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

The administration of and participation in present-day sport is inundated with situations requiring individuals with varying moral paradigms to determine appropriate action. The marketing discipline has drawn considerable attention from ethical decision makers, as marketing practitioners are responsible for satisfying both active and inactive consumer ‘needs.’ Traditional forms of promotion within the sport setting have focused on targeting fans through financial value, cost minimization, or product giveaways (e.g., Friday night fireworks, $1 hot dog night, bobble-head night). However, professional sport organizations have recently extended marketing endeavors to include faith based activations as a form of promotional strategy, accessing fans by …

Leisure In The Life Of The 21st Century Black Church: Re-Thinking The Gift, Steven N. Waller Ph.D.

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

Scholarship devoted to examining the role that leisure plays in the life of the Black Church is lacking. Leisure is an important facet of congregational life in African American churches and permeates congregational dynamics on multiple levels. The purpose of this essay is to examine leisure in the life of the Black Church and posit how a healthy, theologically accurate understanding of the value of leisure can help with health and wellness promotion, community-economic development and church growth. The Black Church is defined as the eight historically Black denominations: African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Christian Methodist Episcopal, Church …