Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Professional Sport Organizations Use Of Facebook, Marc Mancini

Sport Management Undergraduate

Facebook has rapidly grown since its inception in 2004. Due to this the purpose of this study is to find out what sport organizations are doing to interact with fans on their Facebook pages. Content analysis was performed to place 930 Facebook posts by sport organizations into one of four categories: interactivity, diversion, content, and promotional (Table-1). This research is important because social media is a growing industry. The study of NFL teams concluded 49% Content, 33% Interactivity, 11% Diversion, and 8% Promotional. The study of NHL teams concluded 35% Content, 17% Interactivity, 34% Diversion, and 14% Promotional.

Fan Safety At Sports Facilities, Benjamin G. Ward

Sport Management Undergraduate

Accidents involving fans occur at sports facilities around the globe. The purpose of this research was to discover the reactions of local facility managers and their customers to fan accidents at sports venues, recommendations to address safety concerns at their sports facilities, opinions of customers expressed to their facility managers regarding possible installation of additional safety measures as related to the fan experience at sports events, and opinions of facility managers to the possible elimination of the assumption of risk or “baseball” rule. Baseball is the sport with the most reported fan accidents at their stadiums but other sports have …

Service Quality Determinants Of College Students Attending A Live Sporting Event, Stephen N. Gonzalez

Sport Management Undergraduate

Service quality can be defined as striving to make every interaction with a consumer a quality encounter, and has steadily become an important facet of the experience of attending a live sporting event. While many studies have been done to examine how consumers determine quality of service, little research has focused on college aged students. This study was done using Michael Brady’s hierarchical framework of service quality determinants applied to college students age 18-24. Results indicated that determinants of service quality change as college students grow older, it identified that interaction quality was the primary determinant for this age group, …

Sports Illustrated Coverage Of Player Arrests In Sports, Jacob P. Quinn

Sport Management Undergraduate

There are numerous studies that exist which discuss the issue of race along with media coverage. This issue exists as studies often find that the coverage of white athletes is significantly different than that of black athletes. Many of these previous studies are centered around the main concept of the Critical Race Theory. This study went more in depth with this theory and examined if the specific coverage of player arrests differed by race. A content analysis was performed that looked at the featured articles from Sports Illustrated dealing with player arrests over a three year period from 2008 to …

Utilization Of Social Media Platforms In The National Hockey League, Josh Schroeder

Sport Management Undergraduate

The rise of social media has created a plethora of new opportunities for the savvy sport marketer. Despite the existence of data pertaining to social media marketing, there is a distinct lack of literature regarding its implementation within the evolving sports industry. Using content analyses of the official National Hockey League and team websites, this study identifies patterns of social media usage around the league. Specifically, it looks into the ways that social media and other forms of web content are used on both the traditional and mobile versions of National Hockey League websites. From the findings, conclusions regarding the …

The Way Consumers View Male And Female Athletes, Kayla M. Kent

Sport Management Undergraduate

American society has created separate and unequal gender roles for men and women. It logically follows that male and female athletes also receive unequal treatment. This inequity has been shown in the quantity of media coverage each receives as well as the consumption patterns of the general public. Using a survey method, this study sought to uncover responses of consumers when presented with four different types of images of athletes. Results indicated that for image conditions of athletic competence and sexy, male and female respondents showed distinct behavioral differences. Adjective descriptors of athlete images also revealed significant insights into how …

The Art Of Promotions: The Side You Don’T See, Trevor Stearns

Sport Management Undergraduate

Baseball organizations are always looking for new ways to fill the seats in their stadiums. Promotions have a positive effect on whether or not a fan will attend a minor league baseball game. This study examines the motivational elements of fans and why promotions have a role in persuading fans to attend a game. After polling the St. John Fisher College campus on their attitudes toward promotions, it was clear that promotions had a large affect on whether or not they would attend a game. For the professionals that were surveyed, it was clear that each had similar processes that …

Fantasy Sports: What Is The Appeal?, Andrea Keane

Sport Management Undergraduate

This research aimed to find the motivations and appeal of fantasy sports in today’s society. Research has found that there are various types of motivations that lead a person to participate in a fantasy sports league. The more frequent motivations are for intrinsic, or internal, purposes. Past research has looked at males, but this study will use a survey to look at both males and females within the Saint John Fisher College undergraduate population. The results further clarified the reasons for participation in fantasy sports. Males showed that they had more reasons why they participate in fantasy sports, while females …

Rookie Contracts In The Nfl, Brian Shuman

Sport Management Undergraduate

One of the most analyzed and crucial aspects of the National Football League is the annual draft held every April. The contracts received by rookies each year has been steadily increasing, and the hopes of a franchise can sometimes lie in the success these rookies have, making the draft process increasingly difficult for franchises. The aim of this paper was to discover what factors teams use in drafting a player and determining their starting rookie salary. Factors that were analyzed include race, market size, player specialization and even attendance. The analysis of the research done attempted to find trends that …

Women In Top Management Positions In The Sport Industry: Breaking Down The Barriers And Stereotypes, Katie Simmons

Sport Management Undergraduate

Even with the advancements that women have made throughout history, very few women have risen to the top of sports organizations. Previous research cites gender based stereotypes, segregation based on job type, and the “old boys’ network” as causes for this trend. The purpose of this study is to focus on the women currently working in the industry and explore their experiences in the work place. Seven interviews were conducted with women working in leadership positions in the sport industry. Their responses to the interview questions contradict previous findings. The results of this study show that women are overcoming the …

Exploring Intangibles In Event Design, Ally Pawarski

Sport Management Undergraduate

Event coordinators are constantly faced with the pressures of developing innovative strategies based upon new consumer desires. Because of this, planners need to be aware and receptive of consumer and participant responses. However, it is questionable whether coordinators actually turn these responses into action when planning events. Through an ethnography design with the National Senior Games in Houston, Texas and Rochester, NY, this study seeks to improve the way events are implemented by analyzing data for both intangible and tangible factors. It was found that strong communication between management levels, recruiting the right people to your organization and listening to …

Exploring Relationships Between Academic Progress Rates And Team Success, Jeffrey Lefevre

Sport Management Undergraduate

Academic Progress Rate (APR) was instituted by the NCAA in 2005 to get a real time measure of student’s academic progress. The APR is used to measure athlete’s academic progress at their institution in and out of season. Since the APR was instituted recently, literature and research involving the APR is scarce. Team success (as measured by win/loss record and postseason accomplishments) was correlated with a team’s Academic Progress Rate. Men’s Division I college basketball did not show any significant findings between Academic Progress Rates and team success. Men’s Division I college football showed that as teams have more success …

The Effectiveness Of The Nfl’S Rooney Rule, Matthew Welker

Sport Management Undergraduate

The Rooney Rule in the NFL was created in order to create an atmosphere of racial equality and fairness when relating to hiring practices. The general consensus on the Rooney Rule is that it has been successful so far, but there is still a lot to do in order to counteract racial bias when it comes to hiring employees. After nine years of validation, it is still yet to be seen if the Rooney Rule has made changes to the NFL. This research explores the positions of Offensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator, and General Manager in all 32 NFL franchises to …

Online Marketing And New Media Usage In The National Football League, Julia Lauria

Sport Management Undergraduate

As innovations in technology continue to occur at a rapid rate, marketing as once known continues to drastically change as well. This has provided organizations several new and improved marketing tools, while simultaneously presenting numerous challenges. The sport industry has adopted these innovations and uses internet marketing and new media frequently. The National Football League, the most profitable sports league in the United States, has been identified as a leading force in the use of new marketing initiatives. This research critically analyzes each of the 32 NFL organizations official websites to determine the different aspects of new media and internet …

An Examination Of Gender Bias In Print Coverage Of High School Athletics, Kevin English

Sport Management Undergraduate

This study examined the balance of newspaper coverage in regards to male and female high school athletes by way of a content analysis. Using the Messenger Post, a small daily in upstate New York, this study explored whether or not gender biases exist within the publication. 328 photographs were gathered from the 2011 spring sport season (April 1 to June 13) and analyzed with a keen eye towards placement, color, and quantity. Results proved to contradict past research. The sample shows that males have a greater prominence in the newspaper – in each of the factors discussed above – but …

Winning Percentage And Attendance In The Nhl, Daniel Peters

Sport Management Undergraduate

This research extends the analysis of winning on attendance, looking specifically at its prevalence in the National Hockey League. Data was collected from 2005-2006 through the 2010-2011 season for the each of the league’s 30 teams. Each club’s winning percentage at the midway point of each year was noted, and attendance at each of the remaining home games was analyzed. Statistical analysis revealed that the only season in which there was a significant relationship between midpoint winning percentage and second half attendance was 2010-2011. This study also explored patterns of attendance across the league over this six-year span.

The Rise In Major League Baseball Salaries: How Salary Arbitration, Free Agency And Personal Performance Statistics Factor Into The Rise In Player Salaries, James Grecco

Sport Management Undergraduate

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the factors supporting the rise in Major League Baseball Player Salaries over the years. In this paper, four “Former Great” players’ personal statistics and salaries were compared to “Modern Era” players that achieved similar records, in an attempt to calculate approximately how much each former player would earn if they played today. Personal statistics used to compare position players were, players’ batting averages (Avg.), slugging percentages (SLG%), and the number of homeruns calculated (HR’s). Pitcher’s figures associated were, strikeouts per innings pitched (K:IP), strikeout to walk ratio (K: BB), and walks and …

The Effect Of Gender On Fitness Motivational Factors: An Examination Of St. John Fisher College Undergraduate Students, Daniel J. Lippa

Sport Management Undergraduate

Gender and the effect it has on physical fitness motivational factors for St. John Fisher undergraduate students was examined, in the context of factors such as reasons for participation (health/functioning, appearance, achievement, social) factors that contribute to commitment (feeling in control, seeing physical changes, social) and qualities important in a fitness facility (location, staff and training aids, extra amenities, operating hours, quality/type of equipment, group classes offered, membership prices/packages). Significant gender differences were found in health and functioning, achievement, social reasons, location, and group classes.

Athletes On Facebook, Kristen Vella

Sport Management Undergraduate

As technology has risen at a rapid rate in recent years, social networking has become a large part of society. Specifically Facebook has become a part of a regular routine and a daily task for many, including athletes. Privacy settings for athletes are important as many activities online are now being monitored by university personnel. This exploratory study uncovered the quantity, content and rationalization of Facebook posts with a select group of Division III athletes. Utilizing survey technology, it was discovered that athletes seem to be more cautious than expected and do take privacy settings into consideration. These findings contradict …

The Effect Of Recruiting Style On Men’S College Basketball Ticket Sales, Brian Bean

Sport Management Undergraduate

In college athletics fans are attached to the tradition of their favorite school. The tradition of playing college basketball has started to change with the implementation of the 2005 NBA CBA. Players cannot now go directly from high school to the NBA. Players have to go to college for at least one calendar year out high school before entering the NBA rookie draft. The study took a look at the difference in average season ticket, and average single game tickets that were sold for college basketball seasons. With this knowledge the college basketball can now determine that there is no …

Motivational Differences Among Traditional And Transfer Football Players, Nicholas Adrian

Sport Management Undergraduate

Motivation among football players drives a team to success or failure. Coaches must be able to create a positive environment that allows players to be motivated. It all starts from the top and trickles down. There are many different actions that coaches use to motivate their players on and off the field. Depending on which type of coaching style is used will determine the methods that are used to motivate. Players also have to have self-motivating traits that drive them to become better athletes. This study consisted of surveys of football players in Division III football. Transfer students and 4th …

Success Of Black And White Coaches In The Nfl, Mike Donofrio

Sport Management Undergraduate

Black and white coaches in the NFL have been compared since the Rooney Rule was implemented in 2001. Between the years of 1990-2002, it was demonstrated that black coaches in the NFL were more successful than white coaches looking at regular season winning record. Winning record can be attributed to other factors than just coaching. Factors such as leadership and motivational characteristics of a certain coach have an impact on how successful coaches are in the NFL. Looking at post game quotes by head coaches and finding out their frequency helps us better understand the relationship between motivation/leadership styles and …

Aerobic And Anaerobic Exercise: Associations With Academic Outcomes In College Students, Ryan Enos

Sport Management Undergraduate

Previous studies have found that physical activity is associated with greater academic achievements among students. However, it remains unclear whether associations are present in both aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise and academic outcomes in college students. Data was drawn from a survey administered to undergraduate students attending St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. Students were asked to self record the type of exercise they participate in as well as their academic grade point average (GPA). The data collected was measured using two statistical models: …

A Study Of Variables That Effect Attendance At Rochester Rhinos Home Soccer Matches, Jeff Skerritt

Sport Management Undergraduate

During the 2009 and 2010 seasons the Rochester Rhinos soccer club has experienced a downturn in match attendance. The team has been in their new, soccer specific stadium, for the last five seasons. After two seasons of promising attendance, the last three seasons have been about the lowest in the team’s 15-year history. Is the “honeymoon” over already? What drives attendance to Rhinos matches? This study looked at 10 variables that have an effect on attendance. Using attendance data from the 2000 and 2010 seasons, this study ran correlation and regression analysis. After analysis it was found that there was …

Library Commuter Survey, Michelle Price

Lavery Library Faculty/Staff Publications

The Library Commuter Survey report describes the work completed by Michelle Price, Science & Outreach Librarian, and Melissa Jadlos, Library Director, during the 2009‐2010 academic year. Beginning with the creation of the Outreach Librarian position, each year the Lavery Library has focused on one segment of the Fisher population to help connect that group to information resources, librarian expertise, and library facilities, in order to enhance their quality of life. The first year the Library worked with the Admissions Office and their Student Ambassadors, and for the second year the Library focused on Commuter Students.

The Library Commuter Survey report …