Sports Management Commons^™

Consumer Reaction To Olympic Sponsorships, Bailey R. Wood

Honors Theses

The Olympic Games are the world’s premier sporting event, hosting athletes from 206 countries every four years. The Ancient Games date back over 3,000 years in what is now modern-day Greece. The “Classical Games” consisted of a single foot race, the “stade,” and eventually grew to include long-distance running, wrestling, long jump, javelin throw, and discus throw (Abrahams, n.d.). Now, the Games are split into summer and winter sports, with the Summer Olympic hosting 329 medal events and the Winter Olympics 116. Due to the size and magnitude of this event, the Olympic Games are broadcast all over the world, …

From Amateur To Influencer: The Nil Era Takes Over, Olivia J. Matulich

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the change of amateur athletics with the rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights. For many years, the NCAA followed an amateurism model that prevented student-athletes from earning money, even though their efforts generated major profits through media contracts, sponsorships, and branding. The arrival of NIL in 2021 marked a major shift, allowing athletes the chance to earn money from their personal brand, which redefined the role they play within the collegiate athletic system.

This study looks at NIL from several angles, including its legal background, financial impact, and cultural significance. By reviewing key legal cases …

Why Western Michigan University Should Implement A Women's Varsity Ice Hockey Program, Lauren Young

Honors Theses

This study evaluates the feasibility and strategic value of implementing a varsity women’s ice hockey program at Western Michigan University (WMU). As women’s ice hockey continues to experience significant growth at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels, disparities in participation opportunities persist, particularly within institutions that sponsor men’s hockey but not women’s programs. This research argues that WMU is well-positioned to address this gap by establishing a women’s varsity ice hockey team that aligns with institutional goals, gender-equity standards, and national participation trends.

A qualitative case study approach was used to assess feasibility through three primary areas: institutional comparison, …

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 …

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 …

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. …

Fair Play? Gender Equity, Title Ix And Resource Allocation In College Athletics, Caleb Horsch

Honors Theses

Amid a period of rapid transformation in college athletics, gender equity and Title IX remain underemphasized in the discourse. This study investigates disparities in athletic expenditure by gender, finding that in 2022, Division I institutions spent approximately $1.30 on men’s teams for every $1.00 spent on women’s teams. While Title IX does not mandate equal spending, it does require that schools provide equitable experiences for male and female student-athletes. The persistence and magnitude of an expenditure gap call into question if schools are continuing to meet Title IX. This study identifies the characteristics of schools associated with less equal expenditure …

The Impact Of Major Sporting Events In Kalamazoo On Consumer Behavior, Nicholas Biel

Honors Theses

Sporting events are a force in the growth and sustainability of a community’s economy. In a market like Kalamazoo, collegiate football games such as those at Western Michigan University and annual events like the Kalamazoo Marathon play a pivotal role in bolstering the economy. This research demonstrates the effects on consumer behavior at restaurants in Kalamazoo, Michigan that are caused by these major sporting events. By examining data from the platform Placer.ai, and conducting interviews with local restaurants, this research examines trends in consumer habits, movements, and engagement. Placer.ai is a platform that tracks location analytics using data collected anonymously …

Wearable Technology In Intercollegiate Sport: Ethical And Legal Considerations Of Collecting Student-Athlete Biometric Data, Taryn Deshane

Honors Theses

As wearable technology becomes increasingly integrated into athletic performance tracking, questions surrounding privacy, consent, and data ownership emerge. This research investigates how universities and athletic organizations navigate the complex issues surrounding athlete biometric data (ABD) collection and usage, with a particular emphasis on intercollegiate athletics. While the use of biometric data is widespread across both professional and amateur sports, this study hones in on the college sports environment, examining how ABD is collected, the ethical concerns it raises, and how it impacts student-athletes and institutions.

This pilot study centers on student-athletes at Western Michigan University, specifically focusing on Division 1 …

Enhancing Fan Engagement In Medium-Sized University Athletics: A Case Study Of The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga, Colin Thompson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore how medium-sized universities, specifically the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), can mimic the successful fan engagement strategies of other universities to build a sustainable and engaged fan base. This study analyzes previous research into the factors that contribute to fan engagement, including the segmentation of attendees into fans or spectators, and compares financial records of selected peer institutions. Peer institutions were contacted in an effort to gain insights from their marketing departments. A randomized survey of the current student population was conducted to analyze what factors motivate athletic event attendance. The …

College Football Success And Its Impact On The Surrounding Community, Local Economy, And Institution Enrollment, Jacob Reynolds

Honors Theses

In the ever-changing field of college football, creating success has always been a top priority for institutions, and if not achieved, it can be detrimental to an athletic department. Success is important to those directly involved in college football, however, not often is it considered how others may be affected by the success or failure of a college football program. The purpose of this research is to determine what impact successful college football programs have on society and those not directly involved in athletics. In determining the purpose, it was important to find what components of society are impacted by …

The Impact Of Signing Bonuses, Age, And Country On Mlb Success: Evaluating Investment Returns In The Mlb International Amateur Free Agent Market, Elliot Wolf

Honors Theses

MLB’s International Amateur Free Agent Market provides teenagers across the world opportunities to sign, develop, and potentially fulfill their dreams of playing in the MLB. It also allows teams to sign players at young ages, increasing the amount of time players can develop within a team’s minor league system. While signing bonus decision-making is backed up by a team’s scouts and data, the signing bonus a player receives is rarely a reflection of their future value. I argue that teams are not spending this money optimally. However, in an environment where players have low acquisition costs and volatile performance outcomes, …

The Effect Of Factors And Constraints On Sporting Attendance, Joshua D. Whitlow

Honors Theses

21,625 fans packed the confines of Brooks stadium on September 3, 2022, for a clash between the Army Black Knights football team and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team. This was a new record at Brooks stadium, and was followed with just 12,261 the next week vs. Gardner Webb. Meanwhile, a 2022 Coastal Carolina Women’s Soccer game draws in less than 200 spectators. On the surface level, the disparity of these numbers appears confusing and unconnected to one another, however there are a multitude of factors that go into the number of people who show up to a particular sporting …

College Student Attitudes Toward Student-Athlete's Ability To Profit From Name, Image, And Likeness (Nil), Daniel G. Panzano

Honors Theses

Since the recent passing of legislation allowing student-athletes to profit from their own personal brands and sponsorships (Name, Image, and Likeness; NIL), there has been very little research. The purpose of this study was to measure the attitudes and support students have towards the financial compensation of their student-athlete counterparts. The researchers surveyed 67 Coastal Carolina University students. Using a quantitative study, data was gathered pertaining to the opinions toward NIL, feelings of team affiliation, and demographic information. Statistically significant differences were found toward some elements of NIL and gender, major, and academic year. A statistically significant correlation was also …

Sustainability In Minor League Sports, Sara Nimmo

Honors Theses

The COVID-19 Pandemic has greatly impacted the sports industry with the substantial changes that were prevalent during 2020. With those changes, many leagues had drastic budget decreases and were forced to compensate for the lost revenues. Many teams throughout Minor League Baseball, the AHL and the NBA G League were forced to come up with creative revenue streams as well as cost cutting strategies in order to maintain operations after the pandemic. Along with the effects of COVID-19 on the business of minor league sports, there is also heightened attention on what minor league teams are doing to sustain the …

The Comparison Between Social Media Marketing Strategies In The United Kingdom And United States Professional Soccer Teams, Lerol Parchment

Honors Theses

Communication is a lot different today than it was 20 years ago. People today spend hours on their social media where they receive the majority of the information about the world. Thus, social media is one of the most influential platforms in the professional sports industry to market sports and engage with fans. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the common and different social media strategies adopted by professional soccer teams in the UK soccer leagues, and United States soccer league to market their products to consumers all over the world. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, …

The Data Revolution: An Examination Of The Use Of Scouting And Analytics In Major League Baseball Front Offices, Eleanor Weller

Honors Theses

The area of study for this thesis is the use and optimization of the sub-departments within the larger baseball operations department in Major League Baseball front offices. The research is divided into the history of the two major units—scouting and analytics. This background is followed by an investigation of the balance between them. Information for this analysis was obtained through secondary research, primarily articles for online journals and previously conducted interviews with front office personnel. I have also included some of my own work, which was completed during the summer of 2019. The findings of the analysis are that the …

Involvement Of College Football Fans At The University Of Southern Mississippi, Cameron S. Kenney

Honors Theses

The modern college football market faces several challenges including the fact that game day attendance numbers have continued to drop for the past few years and show no signs of slowing down. Understanding the psychological involvement of sports fans could play a major role in improving attendance numbers and providing consumers with a greater experience during football games. The primary goal of this research was to determine predictors of sports involvement among Southern Miss football fans. Another goal was to determine which facets of involvement predicted return intentions. With those who had attended a home Southern Miss football game in …

The Effectiveness Of Promotions In Minor League Baseball : A Study Of The Eastern League, Collin R. Zucker

Honors Theses

Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is comprised of 247 teams playing in 17 leagues at six different levels. Every team in these leagues is an affiliate of a Major League Baseball (MLB) team, but many are privately owned and are therefore financially independent. While MiLB primarily serves as a development environment for future MLB players, profit maximization is still a goal of various front offices. Minor League Baseball has existed for over a century but only recently have teams been regarded as profitable investments. In Forbes’ “Most Valuable Minor League Teams” list published in 2016, the average value of the top …

Fan Perceptions Of Selling Alcoholic Beverages At A College Football Stadium, Danielle E. Hennessy

Honors Theses

Consuming alcohol while watching a sporting event has become a tradition within the sport commnnity. Almost one in ten sports fans leave major league stadiums with a blood alcohol level over the legal limit, with 40% of spectators consuming alcohol during the game (Lopatto, 2011). Due to this tradition, many colleges and universities have struggled to answer the question, should alcohol be sold at our athletic events? To answer this question research has been done on many factors including binge drinking, violence and safety, alcohol control policies, tailgating and attendance.

How Does The Amount Of Spending On Coaches' Salaries And Recruiting Budgets Affect Win Percentage In College Football?, Ashleigh "Alex" Watson

Honors Theses

College football has become much more than a sport for the athletes who play it and entertainment for the fans who watch it. In college football, especially for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools, winning has become a way to make money. However, in order to make money, people must spend money. In a college football program money is spent on a multitude of things. This study focuses on two important factors, coaches' salaries and recruiting budgets. Specifically, this study looked to find out how the amount of spending on coaches' salaries and recruiting budgets affected win percentage in college football. …

Title Ix Compliance: A Comparison Of Division I Equality, Jacqueline Leake

Honors Theses

The passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 has had a significant impact on college athletics. However, there is still a large disparity between opportunities offered for men and women. This study determined the true gender equality within Division I athletics. Inequalities were assessed in the areas of athletic participation, athletically related student aid, recruiting expenses, and total expenses. Data from these areas were gathered from the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Analysis Cutting Tool. Ratios and the difference between the ideal and current values were calculated for each category. Institutions were ranked in each category, as well …

Title Ix Compliance: A Comparison Of Coastal Carolina University To Other Regional Universities, Bailey Devon Howard

Honors Theses

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and its subsequent interpretations have created legal ground for gender equity in collegiate athletics departments. After 38 years of its existence, however, there are still fewer opportunities for women to be involved in athletics at the collegiate level at NCAA universities. While there are some general characteristics that appear to predispose universities to have lower compliance levels, little research has been done on institution-specific compliance. This study seeks to illustrate Title IX compliance levels of the Big South Conference and South Carolina Division I universities, using Coastal Carolina University as the focal …

The Effectiveness Of Random Drug Testing Of School Athletes, Kelly Cann

Honors Theses

Proponents of drug testing would most likely argue that random drug testing could have saved the lives of Len Bias and Taylor Hooton. Those against random drug testing might respond that this testing could be an avenue used to save lives, but before that can happen, a lot more work would need to be done to change the way the current system operates (or fails to operate) in order to make drug testing fair, effective and efficient.

The General Manager, "The Man In The Middle", David Dombrowski

Honors Theses

This paper explores the contemporary purpose and function of the General Manger's position on a baseball team, as well as addressing some historical events that contributed to this present role. By examining these events, one can gain insight into the increased responsibility that has been thrust upon the General Manager, and the eventual delegation of these duties as the responsibilities multiplied.