Business Commons^™

The Identity Crisis Of Nil: A Mixed-Method Exploration Of Athlete Brand Perception And Adaptation, Ep Kester

Masters Theses

In the evolving era of athletics, student-athletes find themselves at the center of many contemporary conversations. Consequently, the pressure to create and maintain a brand is commonly observed in collegiate sport. Considering, this study investigates the brand identity perceptions of Division I athletes at Liberty University. Employing a mixed methods approach, this study makes use of a quantitative survey adapted from the validated ABidS (Athlete Brand Identity Scale), as well as qualitative in-depth interviews. The semi-structured interviews provided complex data that indicate areas of brand identity like entitlement, responsibility and program obligation. This research seeks to elucidate branding dynamics surrounding …

Fan Perceptions Of Dynamic Ticket Pricing In Professional Sports: The Impact Of Transparency, Incentives, And Demographics, Joshua Greer, Nicholas Zoroya

The COSMA Journal

Abstract

Dynamic Ticket Pricing (DTP) has become a widely implemented strategy in professional sports, allowing organizations to adjust ticket prices based on demand fluctuations. While DTP optimizes revenue generation for teams, its impact on fan perceptions, purchasing behavior, and loyalty remains a crucial consideration. This study examines the influence of age, gender, pricing transparency, and promotional incentives on fans’ perceptions of fairness, trust, and purchasing decisions within a dynamic pricing model.

A total of 57 participants completed a survey assessing their attitudes toward DTP. Key areas of analysis included perceived fairness, willingness to pay for high-demand games, trust in pricing …

Does A Star Player’S Jewelry Matter? An Analysis Of Nba Real Team Value, Brandon C. Penticoff

Undergraduate Economics Working Paper Series

This study dives into the financial and sport factors that impact team market value and revenue. This study's results confirm that star players significantly enhance team value, with NBA Superstars adding nearly $500 million annually. This study discovered the prominence of a Principal-Agent Problem between star players and NBA front offices over the issue of championship pursuit. The analysis also identifies an optimal style of play for revenue generation, but that could oppose longer-term team value. These findings have critical implications for NBA front offices, owners, and coaching staffs.

Sustainability In Professional Sports: A New Nexus Of Profit And Social Responsibility, Matthew Teplitz

Master's Theses

The world is facing a climate crisis – corrective action that will improve our collective situation is needed, now. Those with the power to do so, in the capitalist structure under which we live, are largely the individuals, corporations, and governments with financial resources and the platform to inspire others to act. Two such entities, complete with the financial heft to make a difference and inspiration to spare, are North America’s National Basketball Association (NBA) and Spain’s La Liga. This thesis seeks to understand what distinguishes the NBA’s approach to sustainability from La Liga, and by employing each league as …

Sound Of The Circuit: Ferrari X Spotify’S Sponsorship Strategy To Engage The U.S. Formula 1 Market, Gabrielle Vullings

Honors College Theses

This thesis explores the effectiveness of cross-industry partnerships as a strategic marketing tool through the case study of Spotify and Ferrari Formula 1’s collaboration, Sound of the Circuit. The central research question investigates how such a partnership can expand Formula 1’s reach within the U.S. market, particularly among millennial and Gen Z audiences. With growing interest in Formula 1 driven by cultural phenomena such as Netflix’s Drive to Survive, and the continued dominance of Spotify in youth-centered audio streaming, this thesis examines how these two global brands can align to engage a shared audience and generate mutual commercial value. Using …

The Nexus Of Sports Fandom And Sports Wagering: A Scoping Review, Brandon Mastromartino, Michael L. Naraine, Henry Wear

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

This scoping review examines the intersection of sports fandom and sports betting, with a particular focus on the marketing considerations involved in this relationship. Sports fandom, driven by strong emotional investments and team identification, plays a critical role in shaping betting behaviors. As this relationship becomes increasingly complex, it is essential to explore the underlying motivations and behaviors of sports fans who engage in betting, the ethical implications of marketing practices targeting this group, and the methodologies used to study this intersection. To address these relationships, this review examines four key areas: motivations for sports fans to engage in betting, …

The Nil Ripple Effect: How Name, Image, And Likeness Reshapes Student-Athletes, Mental Health, And Fan Perception, Jaleah Walker

Honors Theses

The NIL Ripple Effect: How Name, Image, and Likeness Reshapes Student-Athletes, Mental Health, and Fan Perception examines the shifting dynamics of college athletics and how these changes affect student-athletes, fans, and institutions. The study explores the consequences of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and its effects on student-athletes' mental health and fans’ perception. Through interviews with athletes and analysis of current policies, this research highlights the mental, financial, and competitive pressures that NIL places on student-athletes. While NIL provides financial opportunities, it also demands brand management, public visibility, and performance consistency, often leading to heightened stress. Additionally, this study …

Book Review: College Sports And Institutional Values In Competition: Leadership Challenges, Kirsten Hextrum

Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics

In The Price: What It Takes to Win in College Football's Era of Chaos Armen Keteyian and John Talty have written the first comprehensive post-NIL examination of college football’s new landscape for coaches, athletes, agents, and athletic departments. The authors explore the newly disrupted landscape of college football, likening it to the "Wild West" where traditional structures have been upended. The authors detail the profound impact of recent upheavals, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the transfer portal, and name, image, and likeness (NIL), which have collectively struck the sport like a nuclear bomb, leaving coaches and administrators grappling with unprecedented challenges. …

Gender Employment Gap Within Professional Sports Team Front Offices, Reilly E. Fitzpatrick

Honors Theses

This research paper analyzes the causes of the gender employment gap, or the underrepresentation of women, within professional sports team front offices. The research question, What are the effects on female employees working in the sports industry with the prevalent difference in the number of women employed, analyzes the female experience in the industry. To answer this question, a group of female employees were surveyed on their experiences in the industry. An emphasis was placed on if a woman had at least one negative experience in the industry and also if that negative experience led them to have a decline …

The Straining Effect Of House V Ncaa On College Athletics Departments, Sullivan W. Scott

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis examines the implications of the House v. NCAA ruling on collegiate athletic departments, particularly in light of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) compensation and the NCAA's new revenue-sharing model. Through analysis of programs like Tennessee, Arkansas, and Auburn, this research reveals how schools are attempting to rethink revenue strategies, leveraging corporate partnerships, subscription models, and donor collectives to remain competitive. It also highlights disparities between Power 4 programs and smaller Division I schools, raising concerns over widening resource gaps, Title IX compliance, and roster reductions. Ultimately, this study concludes that while NIL reforms address athlete equity, they also …

Computer Vision In Soccer: Yolov11 Analytics Engine For Quantifying Game Strategy, Connor S. Maurer

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Single-shot object detection capabilities significantly reduce computational overhead for real-time computer vision in sports analytics at 60 FPS. YOLO11’s lightweight CNN gives promising accuracy while meeting the low-latency demand of dynamic soccer matches. As data-driven approaches take over the sport of soccer, efficient player tracking systems become critical for informing coach’s strategies. I prototype the ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) process of data collected from a single- shot detection program and evaluate its viability for estimating player fatigue. YOLO11 detects players, the ball, and other characteristics, with the output transformed by homography to estimate the positions in the real world. These …

An Analysis Of Liv Golf: Examining The Ethical And International Relations Issues Associated With Saudi Arabia’S Sportswashing Project, George Gilbertson, Tyler Sasser

Undergraduate Research (Journal)

LIV Golf (LIV) shocked the world with its emergence in 2022. This project explores the impact that LIV has had on the sport, as well as the broader societal implications of the new Saudi Arabian backed golf league. First, an analysis of how LIV is changing golf at the professional level is conducted, concluding that LIV is creating positive change due to the elevated compensation for athletes and increased attention on golf’s biggest tournaments. Following this discussion, the geopolitical impacts, as well as the ethical issues, tied to LIV are examined. Since LIV poses little to no threat to international …

Rigged Or Random? How Angry Bettors, Game Fixing, And Controversy Affect The Integrity Of The Sports World, Ryan S. Bostik

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper explores how the legalization of sports betting has fueled fan outrage, athlete harassment, and mistrust in professional and collegiate athletics. It explores the psychology of sports gamblers, the role of social media and online betting, and recent scandals in the sports world. It also highlights the measures being taken by the NCAA, government, and professional sports leagues to protect athletes and maintain integrity. This paper ultimately questions whether true integrity can be maintained in a sports world increasingly influenced by gambling.

Corporate Partnerships: The Heartbeat Of An Organization, Turner J. Symancyk

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

A deep-dive into the world of Corporate Partnerships for large sporting events. This thesis includes day-to-day responsibilities and takeaways from a ten-week internship with the 2024 Men's Basketball Final Four event.

The Impact Of Social Media On Fan Engagement In College Sports: A Focus On Student Fan Interaction, Lindzy K. Cortés

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In the digital age, social media has become an essential tool for shaping how college students interact with their university sports teams. This study explores the role of social media in influencing student fan engagement at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), with a focus on perceptions, behaviors, and platform preferences. Using a mixed-methods approach, data was collected through a campus-wide survey (n=122) and ten in-depth interviews with student fans and athletes. Results indicate that Instagram and TikTok are the most effective platforms for capturing student attention, particularly when content includes behind-the-scenes access, humor, and player-led storytelling. Students who …

Sports Betting, The Gateway Drug To A Gambling Addiction: A Study Of The Implications Of Sports Gambling On Societal Well-Being And Its Effects On The Younger Generation, Ellison Lewis

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction

It is everywhere you turn. In recent years we have seen unprecedented growth in the advertising, activities, and addiction of gambling. To put it into perspective “the AGA reported that total revenue from land-based casino games, sports betting and iGaming reached $66.52 billion for the calendar year, a 10% gain from the previous record set in 2022.” Of that, $10.92 billion came from sports betting specifically which was a 44.5% increase from the prior year (Reynolds, 2024). Factors contributing to the rise include the increase in gambling advertisements, the legalization of sports betting, and the removal of environmental barriers …

Comparative Analysis Of Regression And Random Forest Models For Player Performance Prediction In The Mls, Joshua Clement Madeti

Senior Honors Theses

Advanced technology and analytics have transformed the world and have benefited several industries throughout, the sport industry being one of them. Data is constantly generated during sports and requires post-game or post-season analysis which is crucial to team and player success. In this paper, the researcher will focus on the impact of analytics on soccer and soccer players. With over three billion active fans, soccer is the most famous sport in the world yet, when it comes to analytics, it is lagging. The thesis includes a comparative study of multiple linear regression and random forest regression to explore whether these …

Ua12/2/2 Talisman: Connection, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Spring 2025 Talisman:

• Alali, Cecilia & Ragan Harrington. Connection
• Hardesty, Emma. On a Roll – Dungeons & Dragons
• Muscutt, Carson. Grinding Through Life – Molotov Skateshop
• Cox, Kate. Stopwatch
• Harrington, Ragan. 1 Campus, 7 Strangers – Logan Hesse, Nicholas Basile, Spencer Winterbottom, Alliyah Jones, Alex Gehring, Annie McClurg, Rowan Finley
• Vickers, Abigail. Forged in Combat – Mixed Martial Arts
• Wood-Morris, Oli. Survivors to Neighbors – Bosnian Refugees
• Jordan, Shylin. Severed Roots
• Bivens, Emily. Behind the Screen – Social Media
• Dean, Clarissa. Shear Talent – Shake Rag Barbershop
• Sutton, Avery. For the Love of the Old – Thrift Shopping
• Phelps, Maggie. …

Don’T Cut The Cameras: How Media Coverage Has Impacted The Growth Of Women’S Professional Sports In The United States, Lauren Ehrman

Undergraduate Theses

The growth of women’s professional sports in the United States has long been tied to the level and quality of media coverage these leagues receive. This paper examines how media exposure impacts the success of women's sports, with a focused case study on Racing Louisville FC. By analyzing Racing Louisville’s media presence alongside its attendance numbers, this study highlights how limited coverage can stunt fan engagement and broader support. In addition, the paper emphasizes the importance of fair comparisons, suggesting that women's leagues should be evaluated at similar stages of development as men’s leagues, particularly when assessing success at the …

Transformational Leadership And Its Impact On Team Success: A Detailed Chronicle Of Bellarmine University Men's Lacrosse, Ella Beames

Undergraduate Theses

This thesis uses a journalistic approach to explore the intersection between leadership, transformational leadership, in particular, and forms of success through the lens of Kentucky's only NCAA Division 1 Men's Lacrosse program. Interviews, written survey, and observation were utilized to gauge a community-wide perspective about the team and the holistic nature of the student-athlete experience within Bellarmine University Men's Lacrosse. Observation followed the team for three years and engaged players and coaching staff in telling the story of the team's shifting culture and the management process of the team's newfound success. Methods aimed to draw a connection between the change …

Athletic Attendance Research, Emily E. Mousso

Research and Creativity Symposium

Athletics play a significant role in college communities, providing entertainment, camaraderie, and purpose for students and fans alike. This study examines attendance trends at University of Mary Washington (UMW) home softball games, analyzing factors that may influence spectator turnout. Using a dataset spanning from 2015 to 2024, this research explores attendance numbers in relation to variables such as temperature, time of game, day of the week, opponent type, and UMW’s win percentage. A linear regression analysis conducted in IBM SPSS identified temperature and day of the week as the only statistically significant factors impacting attendance, with p-values of 0.007 and …

Changing Salaries: Salary Constraints In North American Sports, Reese Shull

Honors Projects

The structure, impact, and potential future of the cap systems housed by the primarily North American sports leagues, NFL, NBA, and MLB, are examined. By comparing each of the different constraint models used to influence competitive balance, player compensation, and various team-building strategies, a comprehensive understanding of which league operates more effectively. Paramount is the relationship to rising revenues and the different returning and emerging channels that are being formed.

Game Changers: The Impact Of Female Representation In Sports Media On Girls' Youth Sport Participation, Kaci L. Huff

Undergraduate Theses

This thesis examines how female representation in sports media impacts girls' youth sport participation rates. Using a review of current literature and original enrollment data from local youth organizations, it reveals that limited and often stereotyped portrayals of female athletes contribute to lower participation and early dropout among girls. The study highlights how underrepresentation, especially of marginalized groups, reinforces harmful narratives that deter engagement. Solutions are proposed, including increasing inclusive media coverage and emphasizing athletic achievements over appearance. By reshaping media narratives, the sports industry can create more supportive environments and encourage greater youth sport participation among girls.

Sports Organizations In Social Media, Elle Mizwicki

2025 Student Academic Showcase

The research I will be conducting is how sports organizations can effectively use social media to grow their social media platforms, fan base, branding and even selling their merchandise. By using social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, X, to gather information that will help gain fan engagement, tracking followers etc. By using quantitative methods to help us reach our goal we can count on how this will increase social activity and an increase in attendance for sports. This quantitative research can give insights in social media and how it can be a very beneficial tool for reaching a targeted audience …

The Formation Of The American League In Baseball; Changes In American Society And Culture That Contributed To The Demand For More Baseball In The Late 19th Century, Shawn M. Smith

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The second professional major league (the American League) in baseball came about in response to the demand for more baseball entertainment due to the increased amount of leisure time Americans had in the late-19th century as society started the shift from an agricultural based lifestyle to a culture who worked predominantly in factory work.

The culture and society of the day changed drastically due to changing economic conditions of the time period. Due to monumental changes in industry, the vast majority of the population had shifted from working in an agrarian society to working in factories as a result of …

Nil: An Analysis Of The New Financial Compensation Policy For College Athletes And Its Impact On College Athletics, Bruna Gebaili Sampaio

Senior Honors Theses

The newly introduced NCAA Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) laws allow college athletes to have additional opportunities for financial compensation, permitting them to generate revenue out of their image and personal brand. Due to these new regulations, the traditional concept of amateurism in college athletics has been significantly altered. Despite the contracts in no way being able to be based or compensated on an athlete’s on-court performance, these regulations put a strain on the amateurism principles that have marked college athletics in the last century.

These new laws also put to doubt the future of college athletics as we know …

Domestic Violence Punishments In The Nfl, Jesse Lichti

Student Scholar Showcase

The way that professional athletes are punished for violent crimes is something that the leagues need to put an emphasis on. As media coverage has risen in regards to athletes being violent, specifically against women, the fans understanding of its severity has risen along with it. As currently constructed, the NFL allows for too much bias, lacks deterrence, and does not focus on helping the athletes. These are the main points that my presentation focus on. In the next CBA, something like my idea needs to be put into place. This can then be extended to all violent crimes in …

The Nfl And The Digital Era: How Social Media Has Redefined The National Football League, Lexis Brattain

Whittier Scholars Program

To summarize this senior project, you can look at it from two perspectives. One being- a sports fan interested in fan engagement, or someone more interested in social media marketing. This paper shows how both work together to improve one another just the same. As the NFL transitioned from traditional marketing to a dynamic, real-time digital strategy, social media emerged as a powerful tool to reach diverse audiences and foster deeper connections with fans. By leveraging platforms, the NFL has not only expanded its global digital footprint but also redefined its presence in the entertainment industry. This report analyzes the …

How High School Athletic Directors In Southwest Michigan Paths Differ, Lily Browning

Honors Theses

The world of athletics continues to grow at a rapid rate, athletic directors are at the forefront of the sporting world particularly in high school athletics. So, how does one begin a career in athletic directing. The traditional path has been being a teacher or coach at the school and then moving into the administration portion of athletics. However, that is not the case for everyone and that is why the findings of this study are important to the field. There are not certain paths that get you to the job quicker than others in the world of athletic directing. …

Physical Activity Curriculum And Marketing Strategy For Dale Vuelta To Empower Young Girls In Mexico., Reagan A. Dodson, Eunice M. Lee

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The World Health Organization (WHO) found that nearly one-third of the world’s adult population are physically inactive, not meeting the global recommendations of at least 150 minutes of necessary physical activity per week (WHO, 2024). Adolescent girls were less active than adolescent boys, with 85% in comparison to 78%. In Mexico, 88% of girls, ages 11-17, are physically inactive (WHO, 2022). In Mexico, the stigma around girls practicing sports remains strong; gender-based violence grows by the year, and girls are often bullied, questioned, or discouraged from participating in sports (B. Möller, personal communication, September 23, 2024). Dale Vuelta, a non-profit …