Digital Commons Network^™

Ali, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Looking back on this remarkable life, it seems to me that Muhammad Ali changed nearly everything. He and I are nearly the same age and so our lives ran in parallel paths that seldom crossed but often swept across similar territory. Ali in full public view, a hero and a villain, to different people at different times, he was often both, at one and the same time. Where you sat in time and space and in the American social and political landscape shaped how you viewed this remarkable bellwether of American life.

When For-Profit Companies Evaluate Potential Nonprofit Partners Focused On Youth Development, What Is The Role Of Symbolic Brand Association In That Evaluation?, Eric Fischer

Master's Projects and Capstones

Literature suggests that, “symbolic associations refer to the abstract cognitions that translate the values of the organization, personality traits associated with the brand and even emotions” (Michaelidou, Micevski, & Cadogan, 2015, p. 1658). Here, in order to measure the value of clear and powerful symbolic brand associations for nonprofits as they seek corporate support, commercial managers evaluated the symbolic brand associations of five nonprofit organizations devoted to youth development through sport. This type of commercial-nonprofit linkage warranted analysis due to the association benefits offered by both sport and youth. Professionals in this sector, standard literature from both commercial and nonprofit …

Bowling Green High School Branding Plan, Michael Wenig

Honors Projects

The Bowling Green High School athletic department intends for their brand to be perceived a certain way by consumers. Consumers perceive the athletics department brand in a variety of ways, but questionnaire results show consumers perceive the athletics brand in three key areas that the Bowling Green High School intends for their brand to be. The following marketing plan discusses how the high school can strengthen their brand in the three areas of congruence with target consumers.

The Effect Of Weighted Body Armor On Close Combat Reaction Time And Core Muscle Activation 2016, Christopher Banta

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to measure the choice reaction time and myoelectric activity of the right and left rectus abdominus, and right and left external obliques required to initiate movement in response to a visual stimulus that signaled performance of four different closecombat movements (left or right cross and left or right dodge). Reaction time and myoelectric activity were then compared with performing the movements in response to the visual stimulus while wearing a weighted vest that simulated wearing tactical body armor. Myoelectric activity was measured as the average root mean square (RMS) of the surface electromyography (sEMG) …

The Effect Of Athletic Stadiums On Communities, With A Focus On Housing, Dominique Wilkins

Sustainability and Social Justice

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research is to examine the role of athletic stadiums in the gentrification of minority neighborhoods. New athletic stadiums have increasingly been constructed in low- and moderate- income areas with high minority populations, and results in the displacement of that community’s longstanding residents. This paper uses Census and American Community Survey (ACS) data as part of a case study of the Washington Nationals Stadium in Washington DC; the data shows that within a few years of construction, the community that previously boasted an affordable housing stock and a high low-income minority population is replaced with high-income, …

The Relationship Between The Behaviors Of The Top 50 Most Endorsed Athletes In The World And The Monetary Value Of Their Endorsement Deals, Rogerio B. Ribeiro

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The top endorsed athletes in the world are most likely the ones who have the biggest impact on their sport. These athletes are usually among the best in their sport or they might have something special that creates a strong relationship between the athlete and his or her fans. It is possible to say that this relationship combined with their skills on and off of the fields, courts, or arenas is what makes these athletes special. Big companies all over the world feel attracted to these athletes and, as a result, they spend millions of dollars every year in order …

Understanding How The Southeastern Conference Football Teams Use Twitter Through A Content Analysis, Kristin Elise Pearson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The influence of Social media on intercollegiate athletic departments has been prominent in the past few years. With tight budgets, the departments are forced to find different means of marketing and promoting their brand – through embracing Social media platforms. Research on Social media and intercollegiate athletics is limited; therefore, it is necessary to research how the departments are utilizing Social media. With the agenda setting theory as a foundation, this study explores how the 14 SEC football teams are utilizing Twitter. A total of 3,176 tweets were collected from two constructed weeks. Overall, the findings show that the information …

Men Who Coach Women, Shannel Blackshear

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although Title IX helped to shape athletics in educational settings, the legislation also transformed the world of coaching. Due to the growing demand for competitive female athletics at the collegiate level, the need for qualified individuals to coach women’s sports continues to grow. As colleges and universities continue to create women’s athletic opportunities, coaching collegiate female teams has become equally competitive to coaching male athletes in terms of pay, benefits, compensation packages, and national attention (Welch & Sigelman, 2007). Despite the fact that 57% (Pilon, 2015), of female collegiate athletic teams are coached by male coaches, there is a gap …

Gendered Self-Presentation On Social Media: A Content Analysis Of Tweets From Unlv Men's And Women's Athletic Teams, Alexandra Nicole White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

ABSTRACT

This thesis examines how sports teams vary by means of self-presentation on a social media

platform in relation to gender and sport. Building on Erving Goffman’s (1959) constructs of selfpresentation

and operationalizing impression management strategies, this study content analyzed

seven UNLV teams’ Tweets. The analysis spanned from August 2015 to October 2015. Every

Tweet posted, during these three months, from the seven different sporting teams was coded to

compare and contrast the men's teams accounts with the women’s teams accounts, as well as one

account that combines the men’s and women’s team on one Twitter page. The study found …

Muscular Christianity: A Comparison And Analysis Of The Historic And Modern Muscular Christian Movements, Chase H. Stevens

Senior Honors Theses

“Muscular Christianity” is a scholarly term that is used to define the general view of Christians in Europe and the United States that arose in the 1800s toward sport involvement. Muscular Christian beliefs have progressed throughout the past century and are still influential in the modern world. This thesis seeks to outline the historic progression of muscular Christian beliefs and practices and then explores similarities and differences of modern muscular Christian beliefs with its historic positions. It concludes with a future perspective on the globalization of muscular Christianity and provides suggestions for proper Christian attitudes toward sport.

An Exploration Of Ticket Pricing In Intercollegiate Athletics, Craig A. Morehead

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Ticket sales represent a significant revenue stream for FBS athletic departments, yet little is known about how administrators determine prices for those tickets. This three-paper format dissertation is an attempt to begin filling this gap in the literature so that we may better understand ticket pricing from a managerial perspective. Paper one is conceptual in nature, and includes a review of extant ticket pricing literature and presents a research agenda for studying pricing in the unique environment of intercollegiate sport using the theoretical frameworks of stakeholder theory and institutional theory. The second and third papers are empirical examinations of ticket-pricing …

Penn State Scandal, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

One of the biggest shocks to hit sportsworld in the past few years came in the form of the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State University that led to the firing of Joe Paterno as head football coach. In addition, the University President Graham Spanier, Athletic Director Tim Curley, and VP of Business and Finance Gary Schultz were all removed from their positions on the Penn State campus and all three were indicted on various charges connected to the scandal.

Spring Training Optimism, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The atmosphere at Spring Training is one of the special qualities of baseball in America. The optimism generated by fans and players alike tends to reach beyond reality. Rookies and career minor leaguers anticipate a breakthrough season. Veterans look forward to the dawning of a career year. Spring is the season of rebirth, hope and high expectations. The failures and disappointments of the previous season, or decade, or in one case, the previous century, are cast aside.

Thomas Davis And The Rhetoric Of Sport: A Reception Study On An Athlete’S Positive Perspective, Andrew Vincent Walsh

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Emphasizing Sportsmanship In Youth Sport, Todd Harrison

Sport Management Faculty/Staff Publications

This essay will examine the shift in cultural norms and social expectations surrounding youth sport and how emphases on sportsmanship in youth sport programs can help salvage some of the wholesome values sought after by parents when signing up their children into sport leagues. There is no major overhaul in sight for youth sport organization and certainly little desire to eliminate sports from the young lives of boys and girls across the country, so how can we work to extend some of the virtues of sport craved by parents for their kids? By emphasizing sportsmanship.

Super Bowl Superness, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The Rev. Norman Vincent Peale once said that if Jesus were alive today he would be at the Super Bowl. No doubt the Reverend was on to something.

Going For The Gold: The Economics Of The Olympics, Victor Matheson, Robert Baade

Economics Department Working Papers

In this paper, we explore the costs and benefits of hosting the Olympic Games. On the cost side, there are three major categories: general infrastructure such as transportation and housing to accommodate athletes and fans; specific sports infrastructure required for competition venues; and operational costs, including general administration as well as the opening and closing ceremony and security. Three major categories of benefits also exist: the short-run benefits of tourist spending during the Games; the long-run benefits or the "Olympic legacy" which might include improvements in infrastructure and increased trade, foreign investment, or tourism after the Games; and intangible benefits …

Does Transition Experience Improve Newcomer Performance? Evidence From The National Basketball Association, Joseph R. Radzevick

Management Faculty Publications

A substantial body of research has highlighted the effects of experience on individual performance in groups. However, the challenges individuals confront after moving between groups require the adoption of more finely grained categorizations of experience to understand how they will help or hinder performance in novel group environments. This article develops a distinct form of experience here termed transition experience to deal specifically with insights individuals accumulate as they shift membership between different groups and contrasts its impact with that of the frequently examined component of related task experience. Player movement data from the National Basketball Association is used to …

The Rams Move On, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

The City of Angels, Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States, the second largest television market, the city of cars and air pollution, the city waiting for the next big earthquake, etc. etc. etc. It is a city that has not had a team in the National Football League for over twenty years. It is remarkable that the so-called New National Pastime had no presence in LA for two decades and still claimed this high position in American sport.

Rumination And Performance In Dynamic, Team Sport, Michael M. Roy, Daniel Memmert, Anastasia Frees, Joseph R. Radzevick, Jean Pretz, Benjamin Noël

Management Faculty Publications

People high in rumination are good at tasks that require persistence whereas people low in rumination is good at tasks that require flexibility. Here we examine real world implications of these differences in dynamic, team sport. In two studies, we found that professional male football (soccer) players from Germany and female field hockey players on the US national team were lower in rumination than were non-athletes. Further, low levels of rumination were associated with a longer career at a higher level in football players. Results indicate that athletes in dynamic, team sport might benefit from the flexibility associated with being …

Bodybuilding Is An Art And Your Body Is The Canvas: An Examination Of Bodybuilders And The Built Body, Caitlin Greaf

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examines the bodybuilding community by conducting interviews and watching the bodybuilding documentaries Pumping Iron, Pumping Iron II, and Generation Iron. Bodybuilders’ performance of the body is not solely acted just on stage for competitions. Rather, bodybuilders are continuously redefining limitations of what we determine a ‘normal’ body looks like. By using the concept of the gaze, I analyze bodybuilders’ bodies as an oddity on and off stage (Mulvey, 1989). The oddity of their body transforms the space it takes up into a stage for entertainment. I then examine gender performances of female and male bodybuilders within the traditionally …

Ua19/16/1 Wku 2016-17 Media Guide, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

2016-17 men's basketball media guide produced by WKU Athletic Media Relations, includes athletic records and statistics, photographs, schedule and information regarding opponents.

Ua19/16/1 2016-17 Wku Track & Field Cross Country Record Book, Wku Athletic Media Relations

WKU Administration Documents

WKU track and field media guide for 2016-17 season.

Factors Affecting Spectators' Decision In In Attending Minor League Baseball Home Games, Mohanned Sameer Shobian Jr.

ETD Archive

There are many reasons as to why fans attend home game events. This study examined what motivates individuals to attend Lake County Captains Baseball events. Managers have some influence over many of the factors that affect attendance at the minor league baseball (MiLB) games such as budgeting, concessions, cleanliness or attractiveness of the stadium, and promotional activities. However, there are some factors that managers cannot control (e.g., weather and city population). Two hundred Lake County Captains fans participated in this study. Participants completed a two-sided survey questionnaire that has six different dimensions (29 items): Residual Preferences (6 items), Economics (5 …

2016 Otterbein Football Game Day Program, Otterbein University

Football Programs

Otterbein University continues its proud tradition of athletic and academic excellence and has enjoyed over 100 years of intercollegiate competition. During that time, the University’s mission has been to balance academics and athletic competition. Our commitment has been to the whole person, both in and out of the classroom. Our coaches are teachers first, mentors who make deep and lasting impressions on their students. While the drive to win is important, our real commitment lies in developing leadership traits and the competitive spirit, which will aid our scholar-athletes throughout their lives. On behalf of Otterbein’s faculty, students and administration, we …

The Value Of Local Authority Investment In Active Recreation In Terms Of Citizen Life Satisfaction And Levels Of Physical Activity, Lee Patrick Conor Rushe

Theses

Local authorities in Ireland have historically had an input in to the delivery of sport and physical activity nationwide, and are often seen as a key player in this area (Irish Sports Council, 2013). Various legal acts governing Irish local authorities outline the role of local authorities in the provision of sport and physical activity (Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, 2012; Government of Ireland, 2014). Local authorities provide sport and physical activity opportunities through the provision of facilities predominantly and to a lesser extent through the provision of programmes and employment of personnel. Varying approaches to this …

Aau Basketball - Participants' Perceptions Of Their Aau Experience, Hakeem R. Willis

Masters Theses

In the United States, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) has become the focal point for college recruiters in searching for top talent amongst middle and high school basketball athletes. Financially, AAU basketball can be expensive, making it difficult for families to allow their children to compete. However, players feel that AAU participation is worth the investment because of the benefits, which includes collegiate exposure. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of former AAU basketball players' experience. The research question used to guide this study was: what are former AAU basketball players' perceptions of academic requirements, time/money, …

Women's Professional Sports: A Case Study On Practices That Could Increase Their Profitability, Danielle H. Mcardle

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Women’s professional sports leagues have often been considered a risky business endeavor. Critics cite low attendance, lack of sponsorships, lack of media rights deals, and numerous other reasons for why women’s professional sports leagues are not profitable. In analyzing the current landscape of women’s professional sport leagues, this paper uses a case study approach to develop a strategy that will highlight lessons learned from past women’s professional sports leagues, current professional sports leagues, sponsorship agreements, fans, social, digital, and mobile marketing strategies, and management practices to show how the business of women’s sports could be made into a more profitable …

Exploring The Information Source Preferences Among Canadian Adult Golf League Members, Melissa J. Davies, Dianna Gray

College of the Pacific Faculty Articles

With an aging demographic, and the abundance of physical inactivity in Canada, sport professionals need to understand how best to recruit and retain adults in sport and recreational activities, namely, golf leagues. Canadian golf league participants (N = 419; Mage = 62 years old) completed an online survey detailing their propensity to utilize a variety of information sources prior to making the decision to join a golf league. Results from a principal component analysis of a revised Information Sources Inventory, suggested that golfers in this sample were most likely to utilize Personal and Social sources of information associated with their …

Collegiate Coaches’ Knowledge Of The Female Athlete Triad In Relation To Their Characteristics, Jillian E. Frideres, Sue G. Mottinger, Jose M. Palao

Health & Human Performance Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine what coaches of female athletes know about the female athlete triad. The sample involved 472 NCAA Division I coaches of female athletes. The variables studied were coaches’ knowledge and confidence about the triad and coaches’ characteristics (coach’s gender, age, type of coach, degree held, years of experience in coaching females, continuing education participation specific to the triad and/or triad components, and sport coached). Coaches’ knowledge of the female athlete triad is higher for coaches who have received triad education. No differences regarding knowledge of the female athlete triad were found by gender, …