Sports Management Commons^™

The Intersection Of Sport Betting And Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Review, Jackson Sears, Beth Cianfrone

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

Sport betting is a popular and lucrative entertainment segment of the sport industry. As such, understanding consumer behavior across the betting experiences is critical for the many stakeholders involved. The current study is a systematic quantitative literature review which assesses the current state of literature that intersects sport betting and consumer behavior literature, specifically cognitive, affective, conative, and consumption behavior of the sport bettors. The purpose of the systematic review is to (1) identify the most recent sport betting consumer behavior research, (2) compile and examine theoretical frameworks guiding sport gambling consumer research, (3) provide a descriptive summary of findings …

Mlb Speed Premium, Jacob A. Keithley, Chris Hampton

Undergraduate Economics Working Paper Series

This study analyzes if the 2023 rule changes affected the valuation for speed in the MLB labor market. By using a log-linear wage model and including an interaction term for stolen bases and the post-2023 indicator, we test to see if there is a speed premium in salaries. After accounting for yearly effects, the results present a statistically significant increase in the marginal value of stolen bases after the rule change shock. A placebo test was used with home runs to confirm the effects were specific to speed related metrics. The results suggest that the MLB market has and is …

Determinants Of March Madness Tournament Advancement, Jace Waldahl

Undergraduate Economics Working Paper Series

This paper examines whether tournament seed and team efficiency ratings help explain how far teams advance in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Using Bart Torvik NCAA basketball ratings data from 2008 to 2025, I construct a team-year dataset with tournament advancement measured from 1 to 7, where higher values represent deeper runs. The main independent variables are seed, net efficiency, offensive efficiency, and defensive efficiency. Descriptive statistics, correlations, scatterplots, and OLS regressions are used to test whether better-seeded and more efficient teams advance further. The results show that seed is the strongest and most consistent predictor of advancement, but efficiency …

The Dehumanization Of Nfl Players In The Media, Destiny D. Farley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This creative thesis aims to bridge the gap in sports journalism by humanizing National Football League (NFL) players, showcasing their lives outside of sports, and exploring their nuanced relationships with the media. NFL players are objectified in the press in a variety of ways, with some common themes including coverage of drafting/trading, performance statistics, salary/contracts, and their overall celebrification. Through an episodic visual narrative podcast, the project grants autonomy back to the players by providing them with a platform to showcase their personalities, discuss media experiences, and share untold stories. This podcast series—featuring a blend of A-roll and B-roll—immerses audiences …

Student-Athlete Flourishing In Intercollegiate Athletics: A Mixed Methods Study, James Hines

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Comprehending the complexities associated with student-athlete well-being while competing on campus is important for both institutions of higher education and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Studies relating to student-athlete well-being have researched many different areas such as suicide prevention (Gross et al., 2020), mental health treatments (Ryan et al.,2018), and injury recovery (Martin et al., 2021). Few studies have examined student-athlete flourishing which focuses on helping individuals thrive and reach their greatest potential. This study employs an explanatory sequential mixed method design to examine student-athlete flourishing along with factors associated with student-athlete flourishing. Survey data (N=89) provided insight on …

Effects Of Fit Between Promotional Message And Regulatory Focus On Consumers’ Sports Betting Behavior: The Moderating Role Of Consumers’ Familiarity, Koo Yul Kim, Thilo Kunkel

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The sports gambling industry is an extremely competitive market. To attract more consumers, sports gambling platforms are primarily employing one of two customer acquisition strategies, namely ‘risk-free bet’ or ‘bonus money’ welcome offers. This research is built on regulatory fit theory to investigate the effectiveness of these two welcome offer strategies on consumers’ intentions to act on the offer. We further test the moderating effect of customers’ familiarity with online sports betting on their decision making. Findings of two experimental design studies demonstrate that the presence of regulatory fit between regulatory focus and promotional offers (i.e., message framing) positively affected …

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.

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, …

Examining Factors Affecting Consumers’ Daily Fantasy Sports And Sports Betting Participation: Comparing Motivation And Perception Of Skill Versus Luck, Koo Yul Kim, Colin Lopez

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

With the Supreme Court lifting the federal ban on sports betting, dominant Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) operators including DraftKings and FanDuel have entered the sports gambling market and operate in legalized states in the United States. These providers of both DFS and sports betting are making efforts to better understand the characteristics of both DFS and sports betting consumers and develop effective marketing strategies to target each consumer segment. This research investigates the differences in motivation to participate and perception of skill vs. luck between DFS and sports betting participants. 934 adults (sports betting = 434, DFS = 500) were …

Exploring The Effects Of Gamblification On Esports Betting, Cecilia Diaz Dr, Violet Justine Mtonga Dr

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

Abstract:

There is a growing trend of gambling/betting organisations attempting to secure a position in the fast-growing and profitable sector of Esports by becoming an inherent part of the sports culture and its community of fans. This alignment is raising concerns due to the community lifestyle and consumption of experience intrinsic in sports/Esports (Gordon, Gurrieri, & Chapman, 2015).

Diffusion of gambling in society is triggered by digital/technological disruption on gambling and changing consumer behaviour and cultural trends. This environment offers innovative opportunities to experience gambling and “gambling-like” experiences online (King et al., 2010) with the extra incentive of ease of …

The Effect Of Name, Image, And Likeness (Nil) Policies On Sports Gambling, Keith Lowe, Allen Gilbert

International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking

ABSTRACT

Issues surrounding the amateur status of college athletes and the restrictions on receiving revenue beyond educational expenses are among the most widely discussed topics in public policy. Known as name, image and likeness (NIL), these three elements contrive a legal concept known as “right of publicity.” Economists have long recognized college athletics as an industry where individual institutions enjoy substantial monopsony power with defined restrictions on cash and related benefits to players. Although individual players continue to be very limited in receiving cash or in-kind benefits, athletic department revenues continue to rise at a rapid rate. The sheer size …

Cost Of Attendance And Competitive Balance In The Ncaa Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, Michelle Calica Coyner

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) justifies its power and regulatory structure as necessary to promote competitive balance. Despite this, there is limited research on the efficacy of NCAA policies that were implemented with the intention of supporting more parity in Division I conferences. This study examined whether the 2015 cost of attendance (COA) policy was associated with competitive balance in various groups within the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Through the lenses of the Matthew Effect and policy design theory, this study aimed to understand how NCAA policies may hurt or help inequality in college sport. Although not all …

Re-Thinking Women's Sport Research: Looking In The Mirror And Reflecting Forward, Katie Lebel, Ceyda Mumcu, Ann Pegoraro, Nicole M. Lavoi, Nancy Lough, Dunja Antunovic

Educational Psychology, Leadership, and Higher Education Faculty Research

Despite decades of research and advocacy—women's professional sports continue to be considered second class to men's sports. The goal of this paper is to rethink how we state, present, and solve problems in women's sport. To affect true change, the wisdom of a broad stakeholder group was embraced such that varied perspectives could be considered. A three-question survey was developed to examine what key constituents believe is working in women's sports, what they believe the salient challenges are for women's sport, and how they would prioritize the next steps forward in the post-pandemic sport landscape. Results indicated siloed differences of …

It's Like A Video Game: How To Use Twine To Create Scenario Based Learning Online, Amanda Mapel Belarmino

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

How can you engage students online by utilizing the online environment? Solution: a choose-your-own adventure style game. As an Assistant Professor of Hospitality Management, I teach a class in Strategic Management where I used a software called Twine to create a choose-your-adventure type scenario where the students make their own decisions for a business scenario and then see the consequences of their decisions.

Examining Persistent Factors Of Golf Management Students, Christopher Paul Cain, Lisa Nicole Cain, Vicki J. Rosser

Hospitality Faculty Research

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine student, program and institutional support characteristics that relate to cohort intent to persist among Professional Golfers’ Association Golf Management University Program (PGA-GMUP) undergraduate students from 12 universities. Design/methodology/approach A survey instrument was created and disseminated to the targeted population. Multiple regressions were used to analyze the 473 responses of students’ intention to persist across the three independent variables (student, program and institutional support). Findings The research findings suggest higher levels of college GPA, career goals specific to the student’s desire to become a PGA professional, higher levels of faculty engagement, higher …

Examination Of Mental Health And Family Relationship In Collegiate Athletes, Julia Hussey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Athletes at the collegiate level frequently experience unique stressors that cause them to be at risk for a number of mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety, and substance use. Current research in the field suggests that athletes are not as likely as their non-athlete peers to seek out psychological services for mental health difficulties. Social supports have been shown to impact athletes’ mental health and sport performance. Specifically, family relationships appear to have an influence on athletes’ level of stress and motivation, with positive family relationships showing decreases in athletes’ worry as well as faster recovery following injury. Surprisingly, there …

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 …

Examining Factors Influencing Ncaa Division-I Conference Realignment, Ginikachi O. Nwosu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The landscape of intercollegiate athletics continues to evolve and become

more dynamic. One of the most visible aspects of these changes is athletic conference realignment. During the period from 2010 to 2014 alone, over 30 institutions across the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) changed or announced imminent plans to change athletic conference affiliation (Mandel, 2012). Conference realignment is described as institutional changes in athletic conference affiliation (Covell & Barr, 2010; Groza, 2010; Sweitzer, 2009). Various literature has identified variables which influence NCAA Division-I institutions’ decisions in regard to conference realignment, yet no comprehensive study has examined …

Golf Tourists At Two Courses In Las Vegas: A Demographic Profile, Brian Milford Jones

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study focuses on the motivations and practices of tourist golfers at two Las Vegas, Nevada area golf courses: Rhodes Ranch Golf Club and Tuscany Golf Club.

Data was collected from tourist golfers at these two results and they report the amounts of money spent on golf, the motivations to visit Las Vegas for golf the amounts of money normally spent to play golf at home. The study also provides evidence regarding other activities of these golf tourists while in Las Vegas, including where they stayed and courses played. This is an exploratory study. However, results show that further research …

New Mouthguard Design With Intermediate Nickel-Titanium And Foam Layer, Freddie Martinez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mouthguards help prevent orofacial injuries in many physical activities, commonly to the maxillary incisors. Mouthguards have many different properties which can be idealized. One property involves the amount of impact force the mouthguard can dissipate, commonly referred to as shock absorption. The aim of this study was to improve shock absorption capabilities beyond the protection that a mouthguard made of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) can offer. A Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) and/or foam intermediate layer was placed between EVA. Seven configurations were fabricated at 3 different thicknesses. The configurations consisted of an intermediate layer composed of NiTi, foam, or NiTi/foam. The NiTi …

Examination Of Student, Program, And Institutional Support Characteristics That Relate To Pga Golf Management Students' Intent To Persist, Christopher Paul Cain

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The examination of student (entry characteristics, academic performance, career goals, and interaction with peers and faculty), program (programmatic interventions, academic major, and learning communities), and institutional support characteristics (financial aid and residence) that relate to cohort intent to persist are studied among 490 PGA Golf Management University Program undergraduate students from 12 universities. Results from this analysis will offer insight into which persistence factors lead to students' matriculation to the next cohort, with the ultimate goal of program completion. Identifying persistence factors related to student, program, and institutional support characteristics will help guide PGA Golf Management University programs by: recruiting …

Predicting Chest Press Strength From A 4rm Triceps Brachii Exercise In Trained Women, Krystina Nadia Moschella

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Determining maximal strength is important when developing a resistance exercise program for trained athletes. The most frequent strength procedure used to evaluate maximum strength is the 1RM test. However, risk of injury from a 1RM test increases for the athletes, therefore a 4RM test is used in the following study. The purpose of the study is to test whether there is a linear relationship between the bench press and the triceps rope extension exercise. A secondary purpose is the development of a prediction equation for the purpose of prescribing bench press exercise loads from triceps brachii loads using a 4RM …

Comparing Division Ia Scholarship And Non-Scholarship Student-Athletes: A Discriminant Analysis Of Academic Performance, Lisa Melanie Rubin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Many research studies have examined the academic performance and graduation rates of college student-athletes. The limited focus on scholarship student-athletes has overlooked the majority of NCAA student-athletes, those participating in collegiate athletic programs without athletic scholarships. Therefore, this study contributes to a gap in the literature about non-scholarship student-athletes. The following dissertation examined the academic performance, time-to-degree, and demographic and profile characteristics of Division IA scholarship and non-scholarship student-athletes. The theoretical framework for this study was work motivation viewing athletic scholarships as extrinsic rewards. The researcher applied descriptive discriminant analysis utilizing secondary data to compare scholarship and non-scholarship student-athletes across …

Division I Student-Athlete Degree Choice Assessment, Tony Terrell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Though the NCAA has established rules that require student-athletes to complete their college degree in an expeditious manner, the 40/60/80% rule may impinge on student-athlete academic decisions (i.e., degree choice).Yet limited empirical data exist regarding the nature and prevalence of student-athlete degree impingement. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Student-Athlete Degree Choice Questionnaire (SA-DCQ). The SA-DCQ assesses factors that influence Division I student-athletes' degree choice. An initial 40 item, 4 component SA-DCQ instrument was piloted with 170 Division I student-athletes. In order to develop scales, Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was conducted. PCA results yielded 13 …

A Positive Approach: Training Coaches To Build A Positive Motivational Climate, J. Spencer John

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to develop a training program for youth sport coaches focusing on a positive motivational climate, with an intended outcome to increase intrinsic motivation in youth sport participants. The coaching workshops that are available today tend to focus on teaching the fundamentals of the sport; while largely ignoring the motivational side of coaching. Pop Warner Football is the largest youth football league in the country, they have a large coach training program that focuses on drills and skill development, but fails to address positive motivation. Providing youth sport organizations with a training program that adds …

A Social Media Plan For The Ultimate Fighting Championship, Matthew Radmanovich

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Social media has revolutionized marketing and communication and has changed the way many organizations do business. In sports, it has facilitated fans getting closer to the action while allowing management to be strategic and more efficient with finite amount of resources. It has allowed sports to get in the business of “relationship marketing” (Gronroos, 2004). That is, when a game ends or a season comes to a close, social media allows for the fostering of long term relationships and continues to build a sense of community. The marriage of social media and relationship marketing cannot be overlooked. Whereas 30 years …

Differentiation Of Social Marketing And Cause-Related Marketing In Us Professional Sport, Jennifer Renee Pharr, Nancy L. Lough

School of Public Health Faculty Research

Several studies have focused on cause-related sport marketing (CRM), yet few have examined social marketing in sport. The purpose of this study was to show how both are unique strategies employed in sport to achieve corporate social responsibility. A qualitative content analysis was utilized to analyze the outreach programs of the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB as described on each website. A directed content analysis was used to categorize outreach programs as CRM, social marketing, or other community outreach based on five variables that differentiate each strategy. Forty three programs were evaluated. Twenty two (51.2%) were categorized as social marketing, …

Differentiation Of Social And Cause-Related Marketing In Professional Sport, Jennifer Renee Pharr, Nancy L. Lough

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Several studies have focused on cause-related sport marketing (CRM), yet few have examined social marketing in sport. The purpose of this study was to show how both are unique strategies employed in sport to achieve corporate social responsibility. A qualitative content analysis was utilized to analyze the outreach programs of the NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB as described on each website. A directed content analysis was used to categorize outreach programs as CRM, social marketing or other community outreach based on five variables that differentiate each strategy. Forty three programs were evaluated. Twenty two (51.2%) were categorized as social marketing, …

Predicting Expenditure Patterns Based On Motivations To Travel For Active Sport Tourists, Chris Brown

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The present study continued the line of research into general tourism motivations and expenditures by further expanding the scope into active sport tourists traveling to participate in a specific sport. In completing this research, a broad range of travel, expenditure, and motivational factors were considered. In addition, multiple regression was utilized to answer the proposed research question in an attempt to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of active sport tourists' motivations for travel and their subsequent expenditures.

Celebrity Athlete Endorser Effectiveness: Construction And Validation Of A Scale, Theodore Byrne Peetz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The use of celebrity athletes as endorsers has become a popular marketing strategy. Celebrity athletes are often used to endorse products because it is believed they positively impact brand attitudes (Friedman & Friedman, 1979; Kamins, et. al., 1989; Till, Stanley, Priluck, 2008) and fostering brand loyalty (Bush, et. al., 2004). In addition, celebrity athletes are used to help a company differentiate their products and build instant name recognition (Henriks, 1996). This dissertation explored factors associated with celebrity endorser effectiveness. The conceptual framework for this study was grounded by the Source Credibility Model (Hovland, Janis, & Kelley, 1953; Hovland & Weiss, …