Business Commons^™

Progressive Analytics Diffusions: Rewiring Our Software, Liz Wanless

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The sport industry is no stranger to the pursuit of innovation (Slack & Thurston, 2021). The sport analytics realm represents the continual emergence of innovation diffusion curves. This essay shows how innovating both research and education in response to diffusion curves in sport analytics, we can create the space to not only keep but also generate pace.

Impact Analysis Of A Virtual Stadium: Measuring Sport In The Metaverse, Bradley J. Baker

Journal of Applied Sport Management

As sports teams enter the metaverse through launching virtual versions of their home stadiums, there is a pressing need to reimagine the stadium experience and how virtual stadiums differ from their physical counterparts. This review establishes a foundation for crucial conversations that can shape future research and managerial practice amidst an emerging trend in the sport industry.

Where Analytics Gets It Wrong, Nicholas Watanabe, Johan Rewilak

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The authors will discuss the emergence of analytics, and outline with examples, certain problems that plague both academics and practitioners in their approach to using sport analytics.

Professional Sports Organizations And Business Analytics: Monopoly Power Vs Debt Financing, Mike Troilo, Adrien Bouchet

Journal of Applied Sport Management

In this essay, we consider the factors that explain the reticence of PSOs to be early adopters of analytics. We examine the relatively privileged position that professional sports franchises at the highest echelon in the U.S. and Canada enjoy and compare it the industry dynamics firms face in competitive environments. We remark upon the expansion of the league via debt financing, and why that promotes increased use of analytics. We also offer several propositions about the growth of analytics, and we conclude with some thoughts about what the future may hold for PSOs and analytics.

Analytics And Igaming, Michael L. Naraine, Cheri Bradish

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Analytics has become quite the buzzword, but its application to discover, interpret, and communicate meaningful patterns from voluminous, velocitous, and varied data still resonates in the sport industry, and has an incredibly important place in modern sports betting. Specifically, big data and analytics (BDA) can help address marketing issues as iGaming in North America enters its infancy and attempts to establish a mature marketplace. This article is dedicated to unpacking the iGaming model and uncovers where BDA could and should be applied to derive greater insights on sports betting consumer behavior.

Home Fare Advantage: An Examination Of The Role Of Food And Beverages In Mercedes-Benz Stadium’S Event Experience, Mark A. Slavich, Gregg Rich, Dylan Williams

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Through the lens of Expectation Disconfirmation Theory and with consideration of other event experience factors, our study examines how strategic concessions changes implemented by the Arthur M. Blank (AMB) Group with the building of Mercedes-Benz Stadium affect the fan experience at its professional sport events. These changes differ significantly from operational practices at most sport venues, with emphasis on eliminating bottlenecks to increase throughput and allowing for reduced costs without negatively affecting quality. Data were collected through an online survey of Atlanta United match attendees and an online observation. Results from this study suggest that management prioritization of concession services …

The Hidden Costs Of Financing A National Football League Stadium With Municipal Bonds: The Case Of Allegiant Stadium In Las Vegas, Leobardo Diosdado, Marco Lam, Charlie Parrish

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The development of professional sports stadiums in the United States typically relies on public funding in the form of municipal bonds. Prior research has identified several economic and noneconomic reasons local governments choose to direct public funds towards the construction of stadiums. The overall conclusion of this research suggests sport stadiums do not result in significant increases in economic activity and therefore subsidized stadium development projects lack economic justification. In this study, the process of issuing bonds is examined. The authors describe the bond issuance process and utilize data associated with the bonds for the development of Allegiant Stadium in …

Examining Retro Merchandise Consumers In Sport: Who Prefers Throwback Merchandise And Why?, Zach Scola, Brian Gordon, Brendan Dwyer

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Retro marketing in sport has been relied upon for years. Sport fans see more teams and leagues implement retro marketing and merchandise into marketing plans. Despite this, we have little understanding behind the success of retro marketing in sport. Therefore, this paper sought to gain a better understanding of the demographic characteristics of retro merchandise consumers and to examine the impact of two psychographic factors. Surveys collected from fans of various professional sport teams in the United States (N = 1,509), demonstrated novel findings. In this study retro merchandise was preferred overall, younger fans were more likely to prefer retro …

Antecedents And Consequences Of Conspicuous Sport Consumption, Yukyoum Kim, Sun Hwan Hwang, Marshall Magnusen

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Conspicuous consumption is when consumers acquire luxury goods and services to help publicly demonstrate their desired economic and social status. Even though conspicuous consumption can help individuals experience social distinction and a heightened sense of self-esteem, much still needs to be known about this occurrence in the context of sport. Accordingly, the focus of this study was to examine antecedents (i.e., Expertise and Self-esteem) and outcomes (i.e., Satisfaction and Subjective Well-being) of conspicuous consumption of upscale sport goods. An empirical study was conducted with cyclists (n = 393). The research model was analyzed using simultaneous equations analysis. Expertise was shown …

Monetizing Athlete Brand Image: An Investigation Of Athlete Managers’ Perspectives, Olzhas Taniyev, K.C. Mayer, Brian Gordon

Journal of Applied Sport Management

In a highly competitive sport marketplace, personal branding is a top priority for athletes. Thusly, marketers should leverage athletes’ talents and influence in creative ways to maximize their earning potential. This research explored the attributes of a marketable athlete, as well as promotional strategies to help secure athlete sponsorships. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposefully selected talent marketing practitioners with sport marketing agencies. The findings revealed relatable story, as well as perceived persona, as prevalent themes for a marketable athlete. Additionally, the themes of athlete-brand alignment and social media marketing were important to securing client promotion and sponsorships. These findings …

Efficiency Analytics Of Ncaa Division I College Football Programs, Frank A. Bouchet, Mike Troilo, Wen-Chyuan Chiang, Jennifer Shang

Journal of Applied Sport Management

College athletics are a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States, but how well do university athletic programs employ their resources? The question is germane in light of increasing costs of higher education and scrutiny of university budgets. This study furnishes a template to weigh the tradeoffs inherent in collegiate sports, which is the main contribution of the paper. A dataset of 117 American college football programs from 2011-2015 is analyzed using DEA and AHP methods to assess the efficiency and perception of these programs. The result is the aforementioned framework measuring the programs' success and answers the question of …

Athletics, Academics, And The Financial Condition Of U.S. Private Colleges, Jody W. Lipford, Jerry K. Slice

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Abstract

Many private colleges in the U.S. face financial difficulty. The role of athletics in the financial condition of U.S. colleges is subject to controversy. Supporters argue that collegiate sports draw students, improve student quality, and increase donor support. Detractors argue that athletics are costly and undermine the academic mission of the institution. In this paper, we examine metrics of athletic and academic quality to determine their effects on the financial health of a sample of U.S. private colleges. Our findings indicate that higher spending on athletics reduces an institution’s financial health and that academic quality increases an institution’s financial …

Why Engagement Matters In Sport Volunteer Motivation, Marcella G. Otto, J. Michael Martinez, Chris R. Barnhill

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Over the years, sport management scholars have been interested in sport volunteer research. Considering there is a heavy reliance on sport volunteers to successfully stage of sporting events, knowing how to recruit and retain these volunteers allows sport event managers and organizers to continue this success. One such way is through understanding the engagement of sport volunteers, specifically the influences of engagement. Through survey methodology, this study examined how engagement of 464 sport volunteers at college football bowl games influenced motivational aspects. Structural Equation Modeling found that meaningfulness and safety had a significant impact on love and purposive motivation through …

Relationship Between A Reflective-Formative Model Of Team Brand Associations And Behavioral Intentions: The Mediating Effect Of Fan Identification, Ho Yeol Yu, Neal Ternes, Claudia B. Ambs, Sanghoon Kim

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Understanding fans’ perceived associations with their favorite teams is crucial for the successful management of sport teams. In the current study, team brand associations are measured as a reflective-formative construct to examine the role of the fan identification on the relationship between team brand associations and behavioral intentions. Data from professional soccer spectators (n = 101) were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results indicated that the reflective-formative construct of team brand associations and fan identification influence behavioral intention, whilst fan identification was found to mediate the relationship between team brand associations and behavioral intentions. Managerial implications include strategic marketing how …

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.

Bringing Students With Low Agreeableness To Attend Collegiate Sports: A Moderated Mediation Model With Team Identification And Student Involvement, Chanwook Do, Jun-Phil Uhm, Heetae Cho, Hyun-Woo Lee

Journal of Applied Sport Management

In a college athletics setting, we investigated a moderated mediation model of the effect of team identification on attendance intention where student involvement was the mediator and agreeableness was the moderator. Results showed that student involvement mediated the relationship between team identification and attendance intention, and agreeableness moderated the effect of student involvement on attendance intention. In particular, the interaction effect by agreeableness indicated how less agreeable students would be more willing to attend games when they are more involved in campus activities. Details of this study, including theoretical and practical implications, research limitations, and future directions, are discussed.

Determinants Of Competitive Advantage For Sport Firms: Using Public Big Data In Korea, Iksu Jun, Hojun Sung, Juho Park, Hyun-Woo Lee

Journal of Applied Sport Management

This study examines the determinants of competitive advantage with respect to economic performance of sport firms. Logit regressions estimated dependent variables of economic performance measures based on sales per capita of firms. Determinants of competitive advantage were estimated by efficiency indicators, organization characteristic indicators, and industry classification indicators. Increase in efficiency was a significant determinant of competitive advantage as well as organizational type, size of human resource, diversification of products, and sales growth rate. Operationalizing competitive advantage as outperforming the market average and better than the top 10%, the logit regression model provides means for sport firms to analyze industry …

The Point Spread As A Reference Point: Evidence From The National Basketball Association, George Diemer, Michael Leeds

Journal of Applied Sport Management

A contentious literature surrounds the claim that heavy favorites’ failure to cover the point-spread in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball could indicate point-shaving. This paper extends the literature by using a new methodology to show that favorites in the National Basketball Association (NBA) also frequently fail to cover the spread. However, the high salaries in the NBA make point-shaving by players unlikely. Moreover, heavy underdogs also fail to cover the point spread and lose by more than expected. These seemingly anomalous findings are consistent with underdogs’ using the point-spread as a reference point.

Thoughts On The Nil Era: An Introduction To The Special Issue, Marshall Magnusen

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The goal of this special issue is to inspire scholarship and spark conversation about NIL through a variety of “think pieces” from leading researchers. Sport scholars were invited to combine their expertise with creativity to craft compelling papers about NIL and how it may be interpreted through a variety of disciplinary lenses.

Show Me The Money! A Review Of Current Issues In The New Nil Era, Windy Dees, Beth Cianfrone, Damon Andrew

Journal of Applied Sport Management

On July 1^st, 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) approved an interim policy that would allow college athletes in every state to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL). This meant student-athletes could accept money for sponsorships and endorsements and maintain their eligibility, which was previously prohibited by the intercollegiate sports governing body (The Athletic Staff, 2021). The change is positive for student-athletes and the brands looking to market through them and their active social media platforms, but it does not come without issues or challenges. The purpose of this study is to, (a) review the theory …

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.

College Athletics And Disseminating Sports Betting Data, Ryan Rodenberg

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The focus of this article is the interplay between college athletics and sports betting data dissemination, a near-future friction poised for litigation given concurrent issues involving name-image-likeness (NIL) rights and concentration of college sports via mega-conferences.

Reframing The Collegiate Facilities Arms Race: The Looming Impact Of Nil And Conference Realignment, Jeffrey Petersen, Lawrence W. Judge

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Amidst the backdrop of an ongoing global pandemic, the summer of 2021 brought forth two events teetering the Division I college sport landscape at the precipice of unprecedented change due to two fundamental shifts: the first being the opening of revenue streams to collegiate athletes through use of name, image and likeness (NIL), and the second being the latest round of athletic conference realignment. With the impacts of these changes just beginning to be manifested, it is important to consider how these potentially seismic shifts in the collegiate landscape may influence existing issues of prior scholarly examination as well as …

Hidden Consequences: Examining The Impact Of Nil On Athlete Well-Being, Hailey Harris, Natasha T. Brison, Marlene A. Dixon

Journal of Applied Sport Management

With the NCAA's NIL policy changes, many athletes will likely need to solve the issue of brand management, with many of them assuming the role themselves. Taking on this role will likely lead to even more investment in their athlete identity (i.e., role engulfment), which has negative consequences for the athlete (Hatteberg, 2020). Guided by the literature on role engulfment, this article investigates the hidden effects NIL may have on collegiate athletes and their well-being, along with various branding and legal implications.

How Name, Image And Likeness “Fit” In Sport Partnerships, Lane Wakefield, Kirk Wakefield, Jonathan A. Jensen, Greg Bennett

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Sponsorship opportunities in college athletics have shifted dramatically as athletes have rights to name, image and likeness (NIL). NIL assets, once illegal for college athletes, are prime avenues for brands to reach college sports fans, the largest and most avid sports fan base in the US (Dosh, 2021). Our purpose is to evaluate how these changes “fit” into the overall sponsorship landscape and what will come next. With the impact on brands, properties and consumers over time, we narrow our discussion around “fit,” the most prevalent factor in academic sponsorship research (Wakefield et al., 2020)

Win-At-All-Costs? Exploring Bottom-Line Mentality As A Buffer Between Athletic Director Servant Leadership And Coach Commitment, Matt Robinson, Jun Woo Kim, Marshall Magnusen, Mitchell Neubert

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Servant leadership (SL), characterized by enduring qualities of genuine caring, humility, and empathy, has been positively associated with numerous leader effectiveness outcomes (e.g., employee satisfaction) across sport and non-sport settings. This study addresses the need to more thoroughly investigate follower characteristics that may allow servant leadership to be more (or less) effective in a sport context. Drawing from leader-member exchange theory, this study predicted head coach bottom-line mentality (i.e. 1-dimensional, win-at-all-costs attitude) would negatively impact the relationship between athletic director SL and head coach commitment. Surveying a sample of 810 interscholastic HCs across the USA, Structural Equation Modeling revealed SL’s …

Effect Of Environmental Csr Initiatives On Potential Stakeholders’ Perception Of Non-Environmentally Friendly Sporting Events, Yong-Chae Rhee, Yukyoum Kim

Journal of Applied Sport Management

The protection of the natural environment is increasingly being perceived as a pillar of CSR. Although most professional sport organizations in the United States participate in some form of philanthropic activity, little research has examined how non-environmentally friendly sport organizations can effectively communicate their environmental initiatives. Two different CSR approaches (Environmental and Nationalistic) by NASCAR were exposed to potential stakeholders to examine the changes in the perception (Attitude, Reputation, Identification, and Perceived CSR) of the organization. We analyzed the MIMIC model to compare the means on the latent constructs. Environmental approach showed positive changes in potential stakeholders’ perception toward NASCAR. …