Sports Management Commons^™

How Preseason Hope Impacts Fans’ Attendance Intentions And Psychological Well-Being, Hyun-Woo Lee, Seong-Jin Park, Kun Chang, Jun-Phil Uhm

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The authors developed a two-factor preseason hope scale and examined the moderation effects of preseason hope and state hope on the chain of effects from team identification and attendance intention to subjective well-being. A moderated–moderated mediation model was tested (n=224). Consequently, attendance intention mediated the relationship between team identification and well-being. The effect of team identification on attendance intention was stronger for those with lower preseason hope and state hope. The effect of attendance intention on well-being was stronger for those with higher preseason hope. Interaction effects by levels of hope were found among the conditional indirect effects.

Aspirant Sport Professionals' Perceptions Of Leader Political Stances In The Workplace: An Exploratory Investigation, Marshall Magnusen, Matt Robinson

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The purpose of this exploratory study was to better understand how political behaviors by a sport organization’s leader impact aspirant sport professionals. This qualitative study utilized criterion-based and snowball sampling methods to gather data from 202 aspirant sport professionals (46.5% male, 53.5% female). Participants were given a hypothetical employment scenario and responded to four questions regarding how a leader’s political behavior might impact their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors toward the sport employer. Utilizing thematic analysis, the following themes were discovered: Discomfort and Indifference (Question 1), Expectancy Violation and Power Divide (Question 2), Visceral Thinking and Calculated Thinking (Question 3), as …

Salary Disparity And Team Performance: An Empirical Analysis Of The English Premier League, Alexander Traugutt, Jarid Morton

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The English Premier League (EPL) is the top-tier English soccer system, becoming one of the most popular sports leagues in the world. One topic within the EPL that has garnered significant attention is player compensation and roster construction. Given the varied outputs of players and the spending power of each club, the question becomes whether a specific type of pay structure maximizes on-field performance. Thus, this study aimed to understand the effect of intra-team salary disparity on performance. Results indicated that while rosters tend to be organized in a more compressed manner, salary disparity was not a significant predictor of …

The Accessibility And Affordability Of Televised Sport And Effects On Viewership, Pershelle Rohrer

Honors Projects

This research examined how accessibility and affordability impact viewership for consumers of live sports content. More specifically, this study analyzed the viewing preferences of sport management majors at a Midwestern mid-major university. Accessibility and affordability of sports programming has previously been studied, particularly relating to cable and satellite television. However, this study also examined this developing relationship in the emerging age of sports on live streaming services. The following research question guided this study: How do accessibility and affordability of televised sports impact viewership for viewers? Three sub-questions were asked to create a better understanding of the primary research question. …

Visitor Use Management: How The Timed Entry Permit Reservation System At Parks And Protected Areas Influence The Perception Of Sustainable Recreation And Impact Visitor Motivations, Cassandra L. Onufrak

Masters Theses

Parks and protected areas across the United States have undergone substantial change in recent years, specifically pertaining to visitation trends and patterns. National parks have endured rapid growth in park visitation and popular attractions within park boundaries now experience a high visitor concentration and traffic. As visitation within national parks increases, there is a high probability that visitor-related impacts, such as vegetation trampling, wildlife disturbance, soil erosion, and intra-visitor conflict, are also likely to increase. Visitors are more likely to feel crowded and rushed, and ultimately label their park experience as low or poor quality. Through the use of Visitor …

Pragmatic Factors Of Nationally Ranked Ncaa Division Ii Men's Golf Teams: A Grounded Theory Inquiry, Ekren Miller

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Abstract

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) added Division II men’s golf in 1963. Since then, teams in the South/Southeast (S/SE) NCAA Region have been dominant, with the last nine of 11 national champions from schools in Florida. What are the pragmatic factors that make a top 50 nationally ranked team or an elite team in the top 25? This study had 14 head coaches of nationally ranked teams (or previous national rank) and included three former national champions in the participant sample. These coaches were interviewed individually or set into focus groups within the S/SE and Central/Midwest NCAA Regions. …

Overcoming Ethos: How To Give Sport Broadcasters Credibility Who Did Not Play Their Sport At A High Level, Tyler Hill

Senior Honors Theses

A common assumption among viewers of broadcast sports is that broadcasters who have not participated in the sport they are discussing do not have the same credibility as broadcasters who have played Division 1 or professional sports. These broadcasters may not have the same level of ethos, which is known as one of Aristotle’s three pillars of credibility. This thesis examines different approaches to build up credibility among broadcasters who do not have experience as Division 1 or professional athletes. The methodology includes a review of scholarly and popular literature to discover what is known about credibility in sports …

Effects Of Humorous Language In Social Media And Fandom Levels On Sport Consumers’ Merchandise Value Perceptions, Conner Martin

Honors College Theses

Licensed sports merchandise is a sports business sector that is projected to surpass $39.8 billion by 2027. This study examines the influence of humor in social media posts on consumers’ perceived valuations of licensed sport merchandise—specifically, apparel—with consideration to their team fandom. Guiding by Cue Utilization Theory (CUT), the research model assessed the extrinsic cues of team fandom and humor in shaping consumer perceptions, while controlling for product type (high-cost, low-cost), humorous caption (version 1, version 2), generation (Zoomers, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Boomers), and gender (male, female, non-binary). Fans of South Georgia Tormenta FC, a professional soccer club, served …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald: Ways Of The Future, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Magazine edition of the College Heights Herald for the period April 8 - May 5, 2024.

• Anderson, Alexandria. Letter from the Editor – Science, Technology & Business
• Anderson, Alexandria. Women in STEM Make Advances
• Novoselia, Mariia. Turnover on Fountain Square: Local Businesses Share Concerns & Success Stories
• SOKY Rentals Offers New Apartments
• Walk2Campus: Where Home Meets Community
• Bush, Camden. Can a Baseball Team Reduce Their Goals to a Math Problem?
• Hawkins, Kaylee. Student Business Owners Share Experiences – Gatara Townsend, Andrew Garrett, Brittiny Sadler
• Ivory, Larkin. Bikewalk BG, WKU CHHS Offer Chances for Healthy Lifestyle – Health & Human Services

Beyond Amateurism: Examining The Potential Labor Expenses Of Ncaa Student-Athlete Employment, Alayna K. Falak

Honors Thesis

In light of recent administrative developments urging the classification of student-athletes as employees, litigation challenging the current status of student-athletes, and the Supreme Court’s willingness to tackle National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) issues, many questions surrounding the future of college sports under an employment model have emerged. The authors analyzed key litigation, recent developments from administrative agencies, and academic literature. Then publicly available data was used from the NCAA, the United States Department of Labor (DOL), and other sources to construct two estimates of what it would cost the NCAA member institutions to treat their Division I athletes as employees. …

Mental Health Among Collegiate Athletes, Stella Elise Fairbanks

Honors Thesis

Mental health has become increasingly more linked with athletics, especially collegiate athletics. There has been an increase in public acknowledgment of the presence of mental health in sports, specifically, more athletes are speaking about their mental health struggles as well as more research is being conducted in order to gain a greater understanding of the relationship between mental health and athletics. This literature review discusses athletes’ personal experiences of their mental health struggles, the presence of stigma associated with mental health and athletics, and the results of the recent NCAA, National Collegiate Athletic Association, research. This thesis aims to uncover …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

"Men Hunt, Women Gather." Perceptions Of Gender And Leadership In Outdoor Recreation In A Higher Education Setting, Elizabeth Marie Johansen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation delved into the complex interaction between gender dynamics and leadership perceptions within outdoor recreation, particularly in the context of higher education. Utilizing Transformational Learning Theory, Critical Feminist Theory, and Conditional Outdoor Leadership Theory, this study aimed to uncover the nuanced ways in which gender influenced perceptions of leadership roles and behaviors in outdoor recreation activities based on participant’s experiences. This study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design, which included a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews to gain a more holistic understanding of participants' perceptions and experiences.

Findings suggest that despite progress towards gender equality in outdoor recreation …

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 …

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 …

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 …